Reading time: about 3 minutes · Best for ages 3 to 7
The Hippo Who Wanted to Dance is a funny hippo story for kids about a big dancer with big feelings. It ends with a jungle-shaking snore.
The Hippo Who Wanted to Dance: Read the Story
Hattie the hippo loved to dance. She twirled in the river and spun on the riverbank. The trouble was, whenever Hattie danced, the ground shook. Boom, boom, BOOM!
The monkeys fell out of their trees. The birds’ nests wobbled. The crocodiles got splashed right out of the water.
“Hattie, please stop!” everyone cried.
Hattie felt sad. She sat by the river and didn’t dance for a whole week. The jungle was very quiet. Too quiet.
Then the monkeys had an idea. They found the biggest, flattest rock in the jungle and set it in the middle of a clearing. “This is your stage, Hattie,” they said. “Dance here, and we’ll all sit far away and watch.”
That evening, Hattie danced on the rock. She twirled and spun and did a wobbly ballet leap. The monkeys clapped. The birds sang a tune. Even the crocodiles tapped their tails.
When the show was over, Hattie took a big bow, then lay down on her rock. “Dancing is hard work,” she yawned. Two seconds later, she was snoring so loudly that the whole jungle shook all over again. But this time, everyone just laughed and went to sleep.
The Moral of the Story
Friends can help you find a way to do what you love.
Questions to Ask After the Story
- What happened when Hattie danced?
- What idea did the monkeys have?
- What do you love to do that makes you happy?
