Relay in the Park

The grass in the park was soft and green. The air smelled like freshly cut cucumber. Colored cones stood like small mountains in a track, and a red ribbon fluttered at the finish line. Coach Maja, with a whistle around her neck, smiled so wide her sunglasses almost slid down.

– Today we're doing relay! she called and raised a long stick with blue string. – You'll run, jump, crawl, and help each other. When you get the stick, you run to the next station.

The children clapped hands. Vega with braids and striped socks bounced on her toes. Nilo with green shoes tightened his laces. Omar did small frog hops just because it felt good. Elsa squeezed a little mascot in her pocket: a soft ball named Plop.

– Blue Lightning against Red Rockets! said Coach Maja. – Are you ready?

Blue Lightning had blue bands around their wrists. Red Rockets wore red caps. Everyone laughed when Popcorn, the daycare's little dog, barked like a starting gun.

– Ready, go! peeped the whistle.

First Nilo ran. His green shoes squeaked against the grass. He rounded a yellow cone, waved quickly and gave the stick to Vega. Vega had to balance a potato on a spoon. She stuck out her tongue in concentration. The potato rolled. It hopped. It... rolled into the grass.

– Oops! said Vega and giggled. – Come back, little potato!

She picked it up, put it on the spoon again and walked like a slow stork. Everyone held their breath. The potato stayed. Vega touched the next cone and passed the stick on.

Now it was Omar's turn. He had to jump over three low strings, like small rivers. Jump, jump, jump! His knees flew up. On the last string he got caught with his big toe. The string trembled but Omar landed on his feet.

– I'm okay! he laughed, and everyone cheered even louder.

Elsa crawled through the tunnel. The tunnel was red as a strawberry and soft as a pillow. Her cap slipped off. She stopped, pulled it in with her palm and popped out on the other side with grass in her hair and a big smile.

At the water break the children drank one sip each. Nilo saw that Elsa's shoelace was loose.

– Wait a bit, he said. – I'll tie it.

Elsa put her foot on his knee. Nilo tied carefully, two loops, done! The stick waited in Vega's hand.

– Go team! shouted Vega and passed it on.

The track curved around the tree with peeling bark. The shadow tickled their cheeks. The children knew what was coming: the last stretch, the fastest. Popcorn ran alongside for a bit and sniffed a shoe, before he sat down and watched like a judge.

Red Rockets were close behind. The blue and the red ran like two colored streaks playing tag. There were just a few steps left. The finish line glittered in the heat.

– Together! someone shouted. – Run together!

Vega stretched out her hand. Nilo took it. Omar took Elsa's. Four hands, one row. They ran the last steps like a little train. Red Rockets saw it and also began holding hands. Two rows of laughter and panting crossed the ribbon almost simultaneously. The ribbon snapped up and tickled someone on the nose.

Everyone stopped. They looked at each other. It was quiet for half a second. Then the shouts broke out.

– Go, go!

– We did it!

Coach Maja pulled off sticker medals from a roll. They glittered like drops of sunshine.

– Medal for speed, she said to Nilo.

– Medal for courage, she said to Vega.

– Medal for jumping, she said to Omar.

– Medal for joy, she said to Elsa.

Popcorn got a little star on his collar. He spun around and sneezed happily.

The children sat in the grass with their shoes stretched out in front. Knees were grass-stained, cheeks were warm, and hearts beat soft drums. Nilo tapped his medal.

– One more time? he whispered.

– One more time! said everyone at once.

This time they switched tasks. They walked backwards over the strings. They crawled like bears in the tunnel. Vega balanced the potato in her elbow and dropped it immediately. She laughed until she squealed. The stick wandered, the laughter too. The sun tickled their necks, the grass kept their feet cool, and the park filled with small steps and big cheers.

When they finally lay in a pile like a happy pancake, Coach Maja blinked and hung the last medal on Popcorn.

– The world's best team, she said. – Always together, always fun.

And the relay in the park became their favorite game, each time a little different, each time equally fun.