Maya's Missing Mittens
By J-Mccluskey
Maya loved playing in the snow. Her favorite things to wear were her bright red mittens with little white snowflakes on them. They kept her hands warm and cozy during winter adventures.
One snowy morning, Maya got dressed for school. She put on her coat, her scarf, her hat, and... oh no! Her mittens were nowhere to be found.

"Mummy, I can't find my mittens anywhere!" Maya called out, feeling frustrated. "I've looked in my coat pockets, under my bed, and in my backpack. They're just gone!"
"Hmm," Mummy said thoughtfully. "When was the last time you remember having your mittens?"

Maya thought hard. "Yesterday! I wore them when I built a snowman with James and Emma after school."
"Good!" Mummy smiled. "What did you do after you came inside from playing?"

Maya's eyes lit up. "I remember now! I was so cold that I went straight to the kitchen for hot chocolate."
"Let's go check the kitchen together," Mummy suggested. They walked to the kitchen, and Maya looked around carefully. No mittens on the counter, no mittens on the table.

"Wait," Maya said, snapping her fingers. "I was so excited about the hot chocolate that I might have put my mittens down somewhere without thinking. Where do I usually put wet things?"
"That's excellent thinking, Maya!" Mummy said proudly. "Where do we put wet mittens and gloves?"

"By the heater!" Maya exclaimed.
They hurried to the living room where the heater was. Maya looked behind the couch near the heater, and there they were! Her red mittens with white snowflakes, perfectly dry and warm.

"I found them! I found them!" Maya cheered, slipping the warm mittens onto her hands. They felt perfect – not too tight, not too loose, and nice and cozy.

"You did such a great job," Mummy said, giving Maya a hug. "You stayed calm and remembered where you'd been. That's really smart thinking."

Maya felt proud and happy. She learned that when something goes missing, the best thing to do is stay calm and think carefully about where you last had it.

From that day on, whenever Maya lost something, she remembered to think back through her day. And she always found what she was looking for!

**THE END**