A Story for Kids to Eat Fruit and Veggies!

Want a fun, colorful tale to read with children to learn healthy fruit and vegetable eating habits, and to practice imagination? This interactive story is for you.

As background, I’m a teacher, artist, and mother of two young children who helped write this story to inspire other kiddos to eat more fruits and veggies. After each question in bold, pause to hear the kiddo’s response… and prepare to smile!

The Quest to Be Stronger…

Once there was a woman named Laloo. She was so strong that she could balance on the back of a turtle with one foot for fifty miles, no matter the context… but she wanted to be stronger! Why do YOU think she needed more strength? What was she going to use it for?

An Apple to Help the Journey

As Laloo was whizzing along the river on her turtle transport, an apple named Appo was making her way down a dusty road in the hot sun, her green skin juxtaposed against the pumpkin-orange earth. She had so much love to give, and so many nutrients to confer… but there was no one around for miles and miles. What song did she sing to pass the time while walking?

Suddenly, Appo spotted the spiky green hair of Laloo. “Hello there!” Appo hollered to the turtle and woman pair. “What is it that you are looking for?”

Laloo responded eagerly, “I am on a quest for more strength, but I seem to be stuck in an in-between space, and can’t find how to move forward towards my goal.” What do YOU think will happen next?

Enter the Wise Mermaid…

At that moment, a mermaid named Merma flippered out of the foam where the river meets the shore, flipping her mermaid tail. “We have two problems with the same easy solution!” she cooed, spraying white bubbles around her purple hair and accidentally splashing a nearby octopus, crab, and whale. How did the animals react when they were sprayed?

“Laloo wants strength,” said Merma. “Meanwhile, Appo is full of nutrients since she is a fruit — and she is also very lonely. If Laloo eats Appo, Laloo’s muscles will grow stronger from the apple power, and Appo will become happy because she will get to be part of a new friend’s life!”

Laloo and Appo grinned with glee. “You’ve solved both our problems!” they sang out, and in one giant leap, Appo jumped right into Laloo’s mouth. The woman gulped the fruit right up, and could instantly feel her muscles bulge with strength. Hooray! But wait… her muscles were not quite as big and strong as she wanted them to be. What was missing to achieve her goal?

VIDEO of How These Drawings Were Created:

https://youtu.be/le2D4c3No2E

Vegetable Power!

Merma the mermaid took one look at Laloo and realized what the issue was. Fruit alone is not enough to build maximum power. Laloo needed VEGGIES for full strength! Merma pulled her dragon magic whistle from the water and blew three times. What did her dragon magic whistle sound like?

Out of the river foam, two vibrant figures appeared, smiles on their serene faces. It was Bobo the Broccoli and Wally Carrot, there to save the day! Laloo’s eyes lit up with hearts of love as she paddled her turtle over to the veggie pair. “Would you like to join me in my belly to make massive muscles?” she asked, nervous they might say no.

“WE WOULD LOVE TO!” the crunchy duo exclaimed. With a joyful dance, they made their way over the water to Laloo and galloped into her waiting mouth. Within seconds, Laloo’s muscles bulged with power. The quest was conquered! Which muscle on YOUR body do you want to get extra power?

Laloo thanked Merma, then thanked the new friends who were happily in her tummy, providing energy and strength. As she and her turtle paddled into the distance, she turned to look at YOU and asked: “Which fruit and vegetables will YOU will snack on today to try to be as strong as ME?”

The End.