Leo’s Big Climb: Reaching Goals One Step at a Time

Leo the mountain goat stood at the bottom of the biggest hill he had ever seen. It stretched up, up, up into the clouds.

“I want to climb all the way to the top!” Leo said, bouncing on his little hooves. “I bet I can do it fast!”

So, he took a big breath and started climbing. But after just a few steps, whoops!—Leo slipped on a wobbly rock and tumbled down a bit.

“Ouch,” he said, rubbing his knee. He looked up at the hill. “This is harder than I thought...”

Have you ever tried something that seemed easy at first, but turned out to be really hard? Maybe learning to ride a bike or tying your shoes?

Leo felt like giving up. But then he remembered what his grandma goat always said:
“Big goals are just a bunch of little steps put together.”

So, Leo sat down and made a plan. “Maybe I don’t have to get to the top all at once. I’ll just climb to that flat rock halfway up first.”

Setting a smaller goal made Leo feel better. He stood up and tried again—slowly this time.

As he climbed, he came to a steep spot. “Hmm,” Leo said, “this looks tricky. What can I do differently?”

He looked around and noticed a zigzag path instead of going straight up. “I’ll try that!”

And guess what? It worked!

Leo was learning to think before trying again. Can you think of a time you tried a new way to solve a problem? Maybe asking a friend or trying a different tool?

A little later, Leo heard a voice. It was his friend, Mia the marmot!

“Hi Leo!” she called. “Need help?”

Leo thought about it. “Yes, please! I could use some help getting past this muddy patch.”

Together, they found some dry rocks to hop on. Leo felt proud—not just for climbing, but for asking for help when he needed it.

Do you know someone who helps you when things get tough? Maybe a parent, teacher, or friend?

After lots of little climbs, careful thinking, and helpful teamwork, Leo finally reached the very top of the hill.

He looked out at the clouds and the trees far below and smiled wide.

“I did it,” he said. “Not all at once, but step by step.”

And do you know what? Leo felt stronger, braver, and smarter than when he started.

Reflection Time!

• What is something you want to get better at?

• Can you think of one small step you can take today to get closer to your goal?

• What can you do if things get tricky, like Leo’s muddy patch?

Remember: just like Leo, you can climb your own big hill—one step at a time.