The Climbing Adventure

A Little Boy Climbing a Rock

I love watching a child who is deep in the world of pretending.

You can usually tell they're pretending, because the expression on their face says they're someone somewhere, anywhere other than who and where they are.

Sometimes it's obvious:  rescuing a princess from an evil castle, fiercely thrusting a cardboard sword, wearing mommy's kitchen strainer on their head.

Other times, they might only be taking a little longer to climb the stairs up to bedtime, but you can tell they are into the moment ...

Climbing

(A Preschool Adventure)
by CJ Heck

Climbing-climbing up the rock
through the woods, my hands are locked
on the rope so prickly-prickly
past a pine tree, tickly-tickly.

Climbing-climbing, higher-higher,
muscles feel like they’re on fire!
Through the dry leaves, rustle-rustle,
feel the wind push, hustle-hustle.

A long long way to the tippity top.
Hold on tight or flippity flop!
One foot here, then one foot there,
wish steps in rocks were everywhere ...

Huffing-puffing, not quite there.
Look out! There’s a grizzly bear!
Shhh-shhh, use tippy-toes ...
He’s turning now. See, there he goes ...

Snakes beside me, gliding-sliding!
Need a place for hiding-hiding!
Danger-danger! I can see
the snakes are esss-ing after me!

But no, they’re going in the ground
through those holes going down-down
Oh no, growling-growling from behind!
If I turn, what will I find?

A grumpy-grumpy scary thing?
I wish I had a bell to ring!
It’s getting dark! It's hard to see
the something else that’s chasing me!

Oh my gosh! I’m at the top.
I guess for now, I have to stop.
That was fun. I love pretending
but I wish stairs were never-ending ...

"A writer soon learns that easy to read is hard to write." ~CJ Heck

The Cookie Jar Adventure

Raiding the Cookie Jar

I grew up in the days when the Nickels Bread truck would make home deliveries every Saturday morning. The bread man always seemed to come at the perfect time, too. The cartoons were on TV, we kids were up, and mommy and daddy weren't ...

All six of us would meet the driver at the door, our mouths watering, deciding what and how much to choose, from his huge tray of baked goods.

Donuts were always a favorite and it didn't matter what kind, although my favorite was always the creme sticks.

We knew daddy loved pecan rolls, so we always got a package of those for him -- lucky for dad, we didn't care for the nuts on top.

Now days, bread trucks and Saturday morning deliveries are a thing of the past and children don't even realize what they are missing.

But I'd be willing to bet there are a few who wake up before mommy and daddy and they secretly raid the cookie jar ...

The Cookie Jar

A Preschool Adventure
by CJ Heck

Wakey-wakey from our beds,
thoughts of cookies in our heads.

Mom's and Daddy's eyes are closed.
(They are sleeping. They won't know).

Hurry-hurry, on the double!
If they wake, we'll be in trouble!

Blankies, pillows, on the floor.
Squeaky-squeaky goes the door.

Shhh, shhh, tippy-toe.
To the kitchen we will go.

Sneaky-sneaky down the hall,
bare feet creeping 'long the wall.

C'mon, Sissy, it's not far,
there it is, the cookie jar!

I can't reach it, I'm too small.
Let's get a chair to make us tall.

Shuffle-shuffle, scooty chair,
pushy-pushy, almost there.

Clinky-clinky goes the top,
hold it tight, or it will drop!

Giggle, giggle, tee-hee-hee,
two for YOU, and two for ME.

Uh oh, Sissy, turn around ...
Mom and Daddy. We've been found.

Peeky-peeky, Mom and Dad,
are you angry? Are you mad?

Whisper-whisper, over there ...
they want to know if we will share!

“A writer soon learns that easy to read is hard to write.” ~CJ Heck