Progressive 24
A Kite in the Clouds
The wind tugged at Ava’s bright red kite. She held the string tightly, her small hands pulling back as it danced higher and higher. Her dad stood nearby, smiling. The day was perfect for kite flying—sunny, with a gentle breeze and big, fluffy clouds floating across the sky. The kite seemed alive, weaving and twisting as if it had a mind of its own.
“Don’t let go!” her dad called.
“I’ve got it!” Ava shouted, gripping the string as it tugged harder.
As the kite climbed, Ava looked at the clouds. “Dad,” she asked, “do you think clouds ever feel lost up there?”
Her dad crouched beside her. “Why do you ask?”
“They just float,” Ava said. “They don’t really go anywhere. They just… drift.”
Her dad smiled. “Maybe they’re not lost. Maybe they’re exploring, just like your kite.”
Ava frowned. “But my kite has me to guide it. What do the clouds have?”
“Each other,” her dad said, “and the wind.”
Ava thought about that. “But what if the wind takes them somewhere they don’t want to go?”
Her dad adjusted his hat. “That happens sometimes. Life is like flying a kite. You can guide it, but you can’t control the wind. Sometimes you just have to trust it.”
Ava held the string tightly as the kite dipped close to the ground, then soared back up. “What if it crashes?” she asked.
“It might,” her dad said. “But then what do you do?”
“Pick it up and fix it?” Ava asked.
“Exactly,” he said, nodding. “And then you let it fly again.”
Ava smiled. “So, the clouds are like life, and the kite is like me?”
“Exactly,” her dad said. “The clouds might look big and uncertain, but they’re part of the journey. Your kite is you—figuring out how to fly, learning, and sometimes struggling.”
For a while, Ava focused on the kite, learning to adjust the string as the wind changed. It pulled and twisted, but she held firm. She felt the tension in her hands, but it was exciting. She was part of something bigger.
When the wind calmed, Ava slowly reeled in the kite. It fluttered but returned safely. She hugged it tightly, looking up at the clouds drifting overhead.
“Thanks, Dad,” she said softly.
“For what?”
“For helping me figure it out.”
Her dad smiled and ruffled her hair. “Even when the wind is strong and the clouds look big, you can handle it.”
Ava looked at her kite, then back at the sky. “I think I’ll be okay.”
Her dad chuckled. “I know you will.”
As they walked home, the clouds scattered, and Ava felt lighter, like a kite ready to fly again.
Comprehension Questions
Why was the day perfect for flying Ava’s kite?
What did Ava wonder about the clouds?
How did her dad explain the clouds and the kite?
What lesson did Ava learn when the kite almost crashed?
How did Ava feel at the end of the day?
Your Thoughts
Have you ever tried flying a kite? What was it like?
Why is it important to stay calm and adjust when things feel difficult?
How can Ava’s lesson about the kite help in real life?
