Story that teaches · telling the truth

Tobi and the Broken Cup

A short picture story about telling the truth, for ages 4 to 7. Read it together, listen to it or print it.

Ages 4 to 7 · 3-minute read

Tobi the frog was bouncing his ball in the kitchen, even though balls are for outside. Bounce, bounce...

CRASH! Grandma Owl's blue cup fell off the table and broke into pieces.

?

Tobi's heart went boom, boom. Nobody had seen it. He could hide the pieces, or say the cat did it.

But his tummy felt heavy, as if he had swallowed a stone.

Tobi went to find Grandma Owl. "Grandma," he said in a small voice, "I bounced my ball inside, and I broke your blue cup. I'm sorry."

Grandma looked at him for a long moment.

"I am sad about my cup," she said, and she gave him a big hug. "But I am glad you told me the truth. That was brave."

Together they swept up the pieces, and Tobi's tummy felt light again. And from then on, the ball stayed outside.

What Tobi learned

Everybody makes mistakes. Telling the truth about them is brave, it makes the heavy feeling go away, and people know they can trust you.

Talk about it

  1. How did Tobi's tummy feel when he thought about hiding the pieces?
  2. What did Grandma Owl say when Tobi told the truth?
  3. Why is it brave to say "it was me"?

Try it this week

Every evening, tell a grown-up one true thing about your day, even a mistake.

MonTueWedThuFriSatSun

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