Soccer coach with young children on a field
Free Demo Story

The Lonely Elephant

A Storybook Soccer Action Story

Read this story aloud to your players as they move through the activities. Kids perform the underlined actions on the field. Storyteller Notes guide the coach on how to run each page.

Download the printable PDF version
Age RangeAges 3–5
Duration45+ minutes
PlayersAny group size
SkillsDribbling, Kicking, Balance, Body Coordination
Key:
Underlined = Kids do this action
Yellow box = Storyteller Notes (coach guidance)

Setup — Important Info!

Start with free goal scoring for the first 10 minutes to expend surface energy. Use anything to create goals — two shoes can be a goal. Make four goals (1 big step wide) on each side of a very large square (around 15×15 big steps). Kids can score on any of the four goals.  Following 10 min startup, give water, ask players to sit in front of storybook, Coach sits behind and begins reading the story one page at a time.  Read through the whole page, including activities, to the kids before starting the pages activities. Ask players to sit or stand and do the underlined action one at a time, for 1 minute each or more. The underlined action is the base skill — start in open space, then through the goals, then add a shot before the goal. Be patient, positive, and let them discover what works for them.

When you are ready to turn the page or bring active players back, use the phrase: "LET'S SEE WHAT'S NEXT."

Page 1⚽
Storyteller Notes — Sitting and Resting Page — no ball

Read slowly and finish to the story. Ask the kids what is the meaning of the story. Celebrate the finish with Elephant actions!

Far away lives an Elephant in the jungle. This Elephant smiles and loves to run and play. This Elephant's name is Thumpy. Thumpy has big ears and a trunk for a nose. Thumpy is no ordinary Elephant.

  • Roll around
  • Jump back and forth
  • Stand on one leg and balance
  • Swing his trunk and trumpet
  • Run like a Crazy Elephant!
Page 2⚽
Storyteller Notes — Standing and Moving Action Page — no ball

Stand on one leg and balance. Stand on the other leg and balance. How long can you stay up? Ask kids what an elephant does. Put your nose to your shoulder and swing that same arm as a trunk. Can swing side to side and up and down — trumpet loud!

Thumpy likes to play his games, but it was no fun playing alone. So he decided to find others who like to play soccer, too.

  • Thumpy began to skip and laugh while looking for other animal friends in the jungle
  • BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! — the sounds of his very large feet pounding on the ground!
  • Thumpy swings his trunk and trumpets!
Page 3⚽
Storyteller Notes — Standing and Moving Action Page — with ball

Read through the whole page. When completed, ask players to get a ball. Do each activity for one minute — all start with the ball in the hands. Remember to do favorite and non-favorite foot. Ball in hands: kick out of own hands then run with it. Use hands to bounce ball off thigh or chest, ball drops to ground and they dribble fast. Put ball between feet while standing and jump repeatedly. If you return to the book mid-page, reread the whole page before restarting.

Thumpy wasn't a scaredy cat. He was running along when he saw a group of Panda Bears playing with their soccer balls.

  • The Pandas were using the tops of their paws to dribble and kick it
  • The Pandas were rolling the ball through their legs with their front paws
  • The Pandas were holding the ball between their back paws and jumping

Thumpy ran to the Pandas, BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! and said, "That looks like great fun, may I join you and be your friend?" "NO WAY" said the Pandas, "You are too big and scary to be our friend. Please go away!"

Page 4⚽
Storyteller Notes — Standing and Moving Action Page — with ball

Point toe and use top of foot to dribble and shoot — try favorite foot for 1 minute then non-favorite. Use hands to roll ball in and out of feet in a figure-8 pattern. Hold ball between feet and jump. At least 1 minute each activity or until they tire.

As Thumpy runs in the jungle with a soccer ball, he bounces it on parts of the body. Thumpy likes to:

  • Bounce it on the thigh, let it drop, and run with it
  • Bounce it on the chest, let it drop, and run with it
  • Kick it with the foot from hands and run with it
  • Little throws and catches, try it running
  • Throw the ball in the air, let it bounce and catch it
  • Bounce it hard on ground and catch it
Page 5⚽
Storyteller Notes — Standing and Moving Action Page — with ball

Roll ball around field with bottom of foot. Always do favorite then non-favorite foot. 1 minute rolling forward, 1 minute rolling backward, 1 minute rolling sideways and side to side. BOOM BOOM BOOM with hands on ground and Elephant trumpet!

After a while Thumpy comes across a group of Monkeys playing. The Monkeys were:

  • Carrying the ball and bouncing it
  • Kicking a ball and jumping over rocks
  • Carrying the ball in hands and bouncing it
  • Running around like Wild Monkeys
  • Throwing a ball high into the air!

Thumpy jumped up and down and ran toward the Monkeys. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! "You look like you are having great fun, may I join you?" said Thumpy. "NO," said the Monkeys as they jumped up and down. "You are too big, loud, and scary to play with us. Please Go!"

Page 6⚽
Storyteller Notes — Standing and Moving Action Page — with ball

Cones serve as rocks — kick ball past cone, jump over cone. Carry ball and bounce it and catch it while moving forward as fast as possible. Running around waving arms in air. Throw ball high, let it bounce then catch it. BOOM BOOM BOOM with hands and trumpet! Elephant actions.

Thumpy hung his head and walked back into the jungle. Thumpy thought about it and decided he wasn't going to allow Monkeys to keep him down. He was soon skipping through the jungle again. He came across a group of Jungle Cats playing!

  • The Jungle Cats were rolling a ball with the bottom of their paws — Forward, Backward, and Sideways

The Elephant charged up to the Jungle Cats BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! and said, "That looks like fun, may I be your friend and play with you?" "NO WAY" said the Cats as they ran away, "You are too big and scary to play with us." Thumpy again hung his head and walked away.

Page 7⚽
Storyteller Notes — Sitting and Resting Page — no ball

Read slowly with emotion. To teach skipping: select foot, step then hop on that foot, switch feet — step and hop, switch feet step-hop, repeat. Have players pound open hands on ground to mimic BOOM BOOM BOOM. Have kids do elephant trunk swings and trumpets!

This time, Thumpy's trunk dragged on the ground as he walked back into the jungle. Maybe he was too different to play with the other animals he thought. As Thumpy walked away he heard lots of loud GROWLS coming from the jungle. Thumpy turned and ran towards the sounds. He came around a corner and found... All the Animals were surrounded by a large group of toothy Alligators! "GRRRRRRR," growled the Alligators! "OH My," yelled the Animals.

Page 8⚽
Storyteller Notes — Standing and Moving Action Page — no ball

Stand on one leg and balance. Stand on the other leg and balance. How long can you stay up? Ask kids what an elephant does. Put your nose to your shoulder and swing that same arm as a trunk. Can swing side to side and up and down — trumpet loud!

Thumpy immediately charged the Alligators! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! The Alligator's eyes got big at the sight and sounds of the Elephant charging at them. They looked at each other and quickly ran for the safety of the nearby pond. All of the scared Animals watched in amazement as the frightened Alligators slithered away.

The Animals stared at Thumpy as he slowly turned to walk back into the jungle. One of the Monkeys stepped forward and kicked a ball to Thumpy and said, "Where are you going? Would you like to play soccer with us?" Thumpy turned, smiled and kicked the ball back. All the Animals cheered and shouted "Let's Play Soccer!"

⚽

THE END

We hope you and yours enjoyed the story :)

Copyright 2026 Frank Trovato

Want More Stories?

This is one story from the complete Storybook Soccer curriculum. New stories are released regularly — visit storybooksoccer.com or contact Frank to learn more.

Contact Frank: [email protected]