Do you feel it? It’s time to go back to school! All the kids in Honeysuckle Hollow are ready with their loaded backpacks, fresh haircuts, and can-do attitudes. Our Forest Friendz Poppy, Willie, Howie and Pete are oh-so excited to reunite at the Woodland Schoolhouse. There, they will continue to learn their ABCs, 1-2-3s, and everything in between!
It looks like they’re meeting up in the schoolyard, now! Will you join them? Let’s go!
Poppy, Willie, Howie and Pete have been friends since they were very little. They go to the same school, and they are in the same grade. With the summer break over and the new school year started, the faithful foursome was thrilled to be spending all their days together, once again.
One after the other, the friends arrived in the schoolyard on their first day of school. They gave each other big hugs and said hello to all their other classmates, excited for a new year of adventure to begin. While they waited for their first class to start, the friends decided that they should play a game.
“How about a game of jump rope?” asked Poppy. “I brought mine today!”
Pete’s big owl eyes widened. “I brought mine, too!” he said happily. “We can play Double Dutch!”
“Ooh, and I learned a new song at summer camp!” Howie exclaimed. “I could teach it to you!”
Willie nodded in agreement. “That sounds like fun!” he said. Howie was always happy to learn new schoolyard songs and games.
Within no time at all, the Forest Friendz set up their game of jump rope, with Poppy and Pete holding the ropes.
“I learned this new song from the McHoot Owls,” said Howie, who started clapping a beat. “Here’s how the song goes.”
“Treetop, treetop
Fly, fly, fly
Take a leap
And touch the sky!”
“Got it!” Pete hooted.
“Works for me!” said Poppy.
Pete and Poppy spun the ropes around and around and sang the song together. Howie then hopped in and jumped along to the words, getting every step just right. In a game of Double Dutch, you have to be quick on your feet!
Howie beckoned to Willie after the first round. “Come in, Willie!” he said.
Excited, Willie hopped into the game, ready to match Willie’s steps.
Pete and Poppy spun the ropes again and started to sing.
“Treetop, treetop,
Touch the sky”
When – suddenly – the game came to a halt. One of the jump ropes got caught in Willie’s antlers! Pete and Poppy stopped spinning the rope right away.
“Oh no!” Poppy cried. “Are you alright?”
Bewildered, Willie removed the rope that was twisted around his antlers. “It’s ok!” he said. “It’s just my antlers. Let’s try again!”
Pete and Poppy were just about to restart the song, when Howie had an idea.
“What if we changed the words?” Howie suggested. “So, you can stay low while we sing the song?”
“Yes!” said Poppy. “Instead of touch the sky, we could say something like, roll around or touch the ground!”
Then, Pete sang, “Skippin’ to the woods we touch the ground!”
“I like it!” said Willie. “Let’s give that a try!”
Pete and Poppy spun the ropes again and together, they sang.
“Skippin’ to the woods
We touch the ground
Take a leap
And touch the sky!”
Willie hopped into the ropes and crouched down low for the first half of the song. When – just like last time – Willie’s antlers got stuck in the rope!
“Something’s not right!” Willie giggled as he shook the rope off his antlers.
Poppy, Howie, and Pete nodded. “We should change the rest of the song, too!” said Pete.
After some thought, Poppy beamed, like a lightbulb had just turned on above her head. “I’ve got it!” she said proudly. “How’s this?”
“Skippin’ to the woods
We touch the ground
Crouch down low
And roll around!”
The four Forest Friendz looked at each other in amazement. The new song was all about staying low – and it rhymed!
“I love it!” said Willie. “I’ll hop in low, then we’ll stay crouched down while we sing the song!”
“Let’s give it a go!” said Howie.
Pete and Poppy spun the ropes and sang once again. This time, with a whole new song of their own. Howie and Willie hopped into the game then squatted low, kicking their feet up to skip over the ropes.
“Skippin’ to the woods
We touch the ground
Crouch down low
And roll around!”
Willie was able to keep up with Howie, and the ropes never got stuck! The new moves were more fun, too, so the friends laughed the whole way through. When the song was over, Willie even rolled out of the game like an expert! Poppy, Willie, Howie and Pete cheered for their new song and felt over the moon that everyone could play.
RRRIIING! And just like that, the school bell rang loudly, letting the friends know that it was time for their first class of the year.
Friendz Club Forest Set
With this foursome, kids have a thousand stories to tell. Every animal figurine in this set is cute as a button, with changeable clothes and swiveling arms that provide endless play possibilities.
