Harvey Plays Safe

THE STORY 

Harvey loved sports day at school. 

The playground was full of exciting games. Some friends were kicking soccer balls. Others were racing across the field. A group near the basketball court was taking turns shooting hoops. 

Harvey wagged his tail so hard his whole body wiggled. 

“I want to do EVERYTHING!” he barked happily. 

His teacher laughed.
“One game at a time, Harvey.” 

Harvey raced toward the soccer field as fast as he could. 

“Slow down near the sidelines!” called Coach Maya. “Watch where you’re going.” 

Harvey skidded to a stop just before bumping into another puppy carrying water bottles. 

“Oops,” Harvey said. “Sorry!” 

Coach Maya smiled kindly.
“Fast is fun. Safe is important too.” 

The soccer game began. 

Harvey wanted the ball so badly that he almost forgot the rules. He started to grab the ball right out of another player’s paws. 

“Take turns, Harvey,” said his friend Lila gently. 

Harvey stopped and nodded.
“Right. Everybody gets a chance.” 

Soon, Harvey passed the ball to a smaller puppy who had not touched it yet. 

“Great teamwork!” cheered Coach Maya. 

After soccer, Harvey hurried to the running races. 

“I’m going to be the FASTEST!” he announced proudly. 

At the starting line, Harvey noticed something important. Some children were stretching their arms and legs first. 

“Why are they doing that?” Harvey asked. 

“It helps warm up muscles,” said his friend Mateo. “Our bodies work better when we get ready first.” 

Harvey copied the stretches. 

His legs felt loose and ready to run. 

“On your marks… get set… GO!” 

The racers zoomed across the field. 

Harvey ran as fast as he could, but halfway through the race, he noticed something else. 

The sun was HOT. 

Very hot. 

His tongue flopped out as he panted. 

When the race ended, Harvey wanted to keep running immediately, but Coach Maya held up a water bottle. 

“Water break first.” 

Harvey drank cool water slowly. 

Nearby, some children rested in the shade under a tree. 

Coach Maya pointed to her hat and sunglasses. 

“When we play outside on hot days, we protect our bodies. Water, shade, sunscreen, and breaks help keep us healthy.” 

Harvey looked at his fluffy fur. 

“I get hot really fast,” he admitted. 

“That’s why listening to your body is important,” said Coach Maya. 

Next came relay races. 

Each player had to wait patiently for their turn before running. 

Waiting was HARD for Harvey. 

He bounced up and down.
“Can I go now? How about now? NOW?” 

“Not yet,” giggled Lila. 

Finally, Harvey got the baton and raced carefully around the cones. 

When he finished, he remembered to slow down instead of crashing into the next player. 

“Nice control!” said Coach Maya. 

Later, some friends climbed on playground equipment nearby. 

Harvey remembered the playground safety lessons from school. 

“No pushing,” he reminded everyone.
“One at a time on the ladder!” 

A younger puppy looked nervous at the tall climbing wall. 

Harvey stood nearby and encouraged him gently. 

“You can go slowly. You don’t have to hurry.” 

The puppy smiled and climbed carefully. 

At the end of sports day, Harvey flopped onto the grass beside his friends. 

“I thought sports were all about being the fastest,” Harvey said. 

Coach Maya sat beside him. 

“Being strong and fast can be wonderful,” she said. “But great players also: 

• follow rules,  
• take turns,  
• help teammates,  
• protect their bodies,  
• and watch out for others.”  

Harvey thought about the whole day. 

He had shared the ball.
He had taken water breaks.
He had slowed down near others.
He had waited his turn.
He had helped a younger friend feel brave. 

And he still had LOTS of fun. 

Maybe even more fun. 

Harvey smiled. 

“Playing safe helps everybody keep playing.” 

“Exactly,” said Coach Maya. 

As Harvey walked home, tired and happy, he couldn’t wait for the next sports day. 

This time, he planned to bring:
his water bottle,
his hat,
and his best teamwork skills.