Once upon a time, in a sunny forest, there lived a hare who was very proud of how fast he could run. He loved to brag to all the other animals. “No one can beat me in a race!” he boasted every day.
One slow-moving tortoise, tired of hearing the hare boast, calmly said, “I may be slow, but I will race you.”
The hare laughed so hard he almost fell over. “You? Beat me? That’s impossible! But if you want, I’ll race you anyway.”
The next morning, all the animals gathered to watch. The fox acted as the referee. “Ready… set… go!” shouted the fox.
The hare shot forward like a rocket. “Ha! This will be easy!” he shouted, laughing. The tortoise, however, kept moving slowly, one steady step at a time.
After a while, the hare looked back. “Wow! That tortoise is so far behind. I’ll take a little nap and still win easily,” he said. And with that, he curled up under a tree and fell fast asleep.
Meanwhile, the tortoise kept walking. Step by step, slowly but surely, he moved toward the finish line. “I may be slow, but I will never give up!” he said to himself.
The forest animals watched in surprise. “Look! The tortoise is getting closer!” chirped a bird. “Amazing!” cheered a squirrel.
Finally, the hare woke up. “Oh no! How long was I asleep?” he shouted. He ran as fast as he could toward the finish line—but it was too late. The tortoise had already crossed it!
All the animals cheered and clapped. The hare hung his head in shame. “I’ve learned my lesson,” he said. “Slow and steady really does win the race.”
Moral: Never underestimate others. Being patient, persistent, and consistent is more important than being fast and overconfident.
Kids and Health
5 ways to avoid sports injuries
· Playing sports is a lot of fun. Getting hurt is not. Take these 5 steps to prevent injuries so you can stay in the game:
· Wear protective gear, such as helmets, protective pads, and other gear.
· Warm up and cool down.
· Know the rules of the game.
· Watch out for others.
· Don’t play when you’re injured.
· Let’s find out more about each of these.
1. Wear Protective Gear
Protective gear is anything you wear that helps keep you from getting hurt. The gear you wear depends on the sport you play.
Helmets are the most common protective gear. They protect your all-important head while you’re playing football, hockey, baseball, softball, biking, skateboarding, and inline skating, just to name a few!
Make sure you’re wearing the right helmet for your sport. For instance, don’t wear your baseball batting helmet when you’re playing football! Your helmet should fit snugly but comfortably, and if it has a strap — like a bike helmet does — you need to fasten it. Otherwise, it will fall off when you need it most.
Other sports require eye protection, mouthguards, pads, wrist, elbow, and knee guards, and a protective cup (for boys). And don’t forget your feet. Cleats are worn in football, baseball, softball, and soccer. These shoes have special rubber or plastic points on the soles to help your feet grip the ground when you run around.
Talk with your parents or your coach to know what gear you need. Then wear that gear whenever you’re practicing or playing.
2. Warm Up
It’s not a good idea to just bolt on to the field and start playing. You shouldn’t even start stretching until you’re a little warmed up. So do some warm-up exercises or take a light jog to get loosened up and ready to play.
3. Know the Rules of the Game
Traffic lights at intersections help prevent crashes between the many cars and trucks that drive on the roads together. This works because drivers know the rules and follow them. It’s the same way with sports.
When players know the rules of the game, fewer injuries happen. You and the other players know what to expect from each other. For instance, you know that in soccer you can’t come from behind, crash into a player’s legs, and steal the ball. It’s better — and safer — to go after the ball rather than the player.
With sports that use plays, it helps to understand the plays and what your role is in each one. Being where you’re supposed to be can help you stay out of harm’s way, too.
4. Watch Out for Others
Some rules don’t have anything to do with scoring points or penalties. Some rules are just about protecting other people and being nice. For instance, in baseball or softball, the batter can’t fling the bat after hitting the ball and heading for first base.
They must drop it so that it doesn’t hit anyone. Likewise, a diver would make sure that the pool was clear before diving in. Otherwise, they might land on someone else.
One way you can watch out for others is to communicate on the field. For instance, a baseball player in the outfield might yell “I got it” to avoid a collision with another outfielder.
Listening to your coach during a game also can help keep you safe. It’s also good to just be courteous, like telling someone their shoe is untied. Check your shoes too!
5. Don’t Play When You’re Injured
This is a really important one. If you love sports, it’s tempting to get right back in the game, even after an injury. But playing when you’re hurt — or before an injury has had a chance to fully heal — is a bad idea. It can lead to an even worse injury, one that might sideline you for a long time.
Be honest with parents and coaches if you’ve been hurt. See a doctor for your injuries, when necessary, and follow their advice about how and when to return to practice and play.
Now you know what kids need to know about staying safe. Hopefully, if you follow rules 1, 2, 3, and 4, you won’t need number 5. Or at least not quite as often!
Quiz
1. What is the capital of Anambra State?
2. Who was the first Nigerian woman to win the Miss World title?
3. Which Nigerian festival features masquerades called “Egungun”?
4.What is the national dish often served with soup in Nigeria?
5. Which river forms part of Nigeria’s border with Cameroon?
6. What traditional Yoruba attire is worn by men during festivals?
7. Who is the author of Half of a Yellow Sun?
Answers
1.Awka 2. Agbani Darego 3. Egungun Festival 4. Pounded yam or fufu 5. Cross River 6. Agbada 7.Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Did You Know?
1.Nigeria is home to Africa’s largest movie industry, Nollywood.
2.Camels can drink up to 150 liters of water at once.
3.The giant African snail can grow up to 30 cm long.
4.Nigeria’s national animal, the eagle, symbolizes strength.
5.Some frogs can survive being frozen and then “come back to life.”
6.The largest fruit in the world is the jackfruit.
7. Nigeria has more than 500 languages spoken across the country.
Riddles
1. What has keys but can’t open locks?
2. What has a heart that doesn’t beat?
3. The more you take from me, the bigger I become. What am I?
4. I am tall when young and short when old. What am I?
5.What goes up but never comes down?
6. I have hands but cannot clap. What am I?
7.What belongs to you but others use it more than you do?
Answers
1.A piano 2. An artichoke (or a deck of cards — “heart”) 3. A hole 4. A candle 5. Your age 6.A clock 7. Your name
