Page 1
Bumi spread a blue cloth on the floor. It was a pretend river. To join the two shores, Bumi stacked large blocks and laid a long piece across them. A toy cart waited nearby. Looking at the bridge, Bumi felt like a real builder.
Page 2
As the cart reached the middle, one block tipped sideways and the long piece fell. Bumi tried again, but the bridge shook once more. ‘I cannot do it,’ Bumi said. Dad crouched nearby. ‘It is not working the way you want yet,’ Dad replied.
Page 3
Bumi examined the pieces, then asked, ‘Would you look at it with me?’ Dad did not build the bridge straight away. ‘Which part moves?’ They touched it gently and noticed the narrow supports tipping. Bumi brought two wider blocks to try.
Page 4
The wider blocks stood firmly, but the long piece bent slightly in the middle. Bumi suggested another support. Dad passed a block. With three points of support, the shaking eased. Bumi's idea, Dad's question and their shared experiment had all helped.
Page 5
They rolled the cart slowly across. It reached the other shore. Bumi brought another toy. ‘Let us test this one too!’ They watched the bridge carefully each time. Success felt good, and understanding together why it worked brought another kind of happiness.
Page 6
Putting the blocks away, Bumi said, ‘Asking for help did not make my idea disappear. It added new pieces.’ Dad nodded. Bumi wanted to try a longer path tomorrow. How could you ask for help? ‘Would you look at it with me?’ could be a start.
Talk together
What could you say to ask for help with a difficult task?