The Nervous Newt

[Excited and welcoming] Hello there, my sweet friends! Today, we’re visiting a beautiful, sparkly pond to meet a very special little friend. This is Ned. Ned is a newt! Can you say 'Newt'? [Pause] Ned has soft, orange skin and big, curious eyes. He loves his pond home, but today, his tummy feels a little bit... fluttery. Do you ever feel flutters in your tummy?

[Gentle and informative] You see, today is a very big day. It's Ned's very first swim class! Ned lives in the water, but he usually just splashes in the shallow ripples near the mossy rocks. Moving out into the big, blue middle of the pond feels a little bit scary. Ned looked at his tiny green swim trunks and sighed. [Anxious] "What if I forget how to kick?" he whispered.

[Empathetic] Ned stood by the edge of the water, watching the other little newts and frogs jumping in. *Splash! Boing! Plop!* They looked like they were having so much fun, but Ned felt like his feet were stuck to the muddy bank. [Softly] His heart was going thump-thump-thump. It's okay to feel nervous when we try something new, isn't it?

[Encouraging] Just then, Coach Croak, a big, friendly bullfrog with a very deep voice, hopped over. [Deep, friendly frog voice] "Ribbit! Hello there, Ned! Are you ready to find your ripples?" Ned looked down at his toes. "I'm a little bit scared, Coach," Ned admitted. Coach Croak smiled. "Being brave doesn't mean you aren't scared, Ned. It means you try, even when you are!"

[Instructing a calm breath] Coach Croak showed Ned a special trick. "Whenever I feel nervous, I take a 'Lily Pad Breath,'" he said. Shall we try it with Ned? [Slowly] Breathe in through your nose like you're smelling a beautiful flower... and blow out through your mouth like you're blowing a tiny bubble in the water. [Gentle exhale] Ahhh. Doesn't that feel better?

[Quiet and brave] With a deep breath in, Ned took one tiny step into the water. It felt cool and refreshing on his orange tummy. He took another step... and another. The water tickled his chin! He saw his friend, Sally the Salamander, waving at him. [Cheerfully] "Come on, Ned! The water is wonderful!"

[Action-oriented and fun] Ned took a brave leap and... *Swoosh!* He was swimming! He moved his little legs—kick, kick, kick—and his long tail swished back and forth like a wiggly ribbon. [Delighted] "I'm doing it!" Ned giggled, bubbles rising to the surface. He felt light as a feather and fast as a shooting star!

[Playful and proud] During the class, Coach Croak taught them how to blow bubbles and how to float on their backs like little orange rafts. Ned was so busy learning and playing that he completely forgot to be nervous! He even won a gold star for his very best 'Pond-Side Paddle.' [Proudly] Look at Ned go!

[Warm and reflective] When the class was over, Ned climbed back onto his favorite mossy rock. He felt tired, but he also felt very, very big inside. [Sweetly] He realized that the 'flutters' in his tummy weren't just nerves—they were a little bit of excitement too! Have you ever done something brave that made you feel proud?

[Triumphant and wise] Ned couldn't wait for next week's swim class. He learned that new things can be scary at first, but once you take that first brave splash, a whole world of adventure is waiting for you! [Warmly] Ned went to sleep that night dreaming of clear blue water and big, brave ripples.

[Warm closing] The End. Thank you for listening to Story Time with Ms. Erica. Remember, my brave friends, you can do hard things, one tiny splash at a time! [Sweetly] Sweet dreams, and I'll see you in our next story.