This self-esteem story for kids emphasizes embracing individuality, finding alternative paths to success, appreciating diversity, persistence in problem-solving, and self-acceptance. It encourages children to value their unique qualities and to understand that there are many ways to contribute and be special, even if they’re different from what’s expected.
Contents
Cirra’s Big Day
High up in the sky, where the air is cool and fresh, lived a small, fluffy cloud named Cirra. She was as white as cotton candy and just as light and bouncy.
Today was a very special day for Cirra. It was her first day of Rain School, where young clouds learn to make rain.
“I can’t wait to rain!” Cirra said, puffing herself up proudly. “I’ll water gardens and fill ponds. I’ll help flowers grow and give animals something to drink!”
Cirra floated to Rain School, where other young clouds were gathering. Their teacher, a big, gray cloud named Mr. Nimbus, greeted them all with a rumbling voice.
“Welcome, young clouds,” he said. “Today, you’ll learn the most important job a cloud can do. You’ll learn to rain!”
Cirra wiggled with excitement. This was going to be the best day ever!
Trying and Trying
Mr. Nimbus showed the young clouds how to gather water droplets and make them heavy enough to fall as rain.
“Now, it’s your turn,” he said. “Concentrate, gather your water, and let it fall!”
All around Cirra, little clouds began to sprinkle. Some made light drizzles, others made big, fat drops. But when Cirra tried…nothing happened.
She scrunched up her fluff. She wiggled. She jiggled. But not a single raindrop fell.
“Don’t worry,” said Mr. Nimbus kindly. “Keep trying, Cirra.”
Cirra tried all day. She bounced and she rolled. She even asked her friend Puffy to show her how. But no matter what she did, Cirra couldn’t make rain.
As the sun began to set, Mr. Nimbus called an end to the lesson. “Good job, everyone,” he said. “We’ll try again tomorrow.”
Cirra floated home, feeling very sad indeed. What kind of cloud was she if she couldn’t even rain?
Drifting Away
The next day, Cirra didn’t want to go to Rain School. She felt too embarrassed. Instead, she drifted away from the other clouds, floating higher and higher into the sky.
“Maybe I’m not meant to be a cloud,” Cirra sighed. “I can’t do the one thing clouds are supposed to do.”
She floated so high that she could see the curve of the Earth below. Up here, everything was quiet and still.
As the day went on, Cirra noticed the sun beginning to set. Its warm light passed right through her, and suddenly, the sky around her lit up with beautiful colors.
“Wow!” Cirra gasped, looking at herself. She was glowing with oranges, pinks, and purples.
A Colorful Discovery
Curious, Cirra began to move around. As she shifted, the colors changed. When she stretched herself thin, she made long streaks of color. When she puffed herself up, she created big splashes of light.
Cirra giggled. This was fun! She spent the rest of the evening playing with shapes and colors, painting the sky with her cloudy body.
As the sun disappeared and the colors faded, Cirra realized something important. She might not be able to rain, but she could do something else – something beautiful and special.
The next morning, Cirra rushed back to the other clouds. She couldn’t wait to show them what she had learned.
Sharing the Beauty
“Look what I can do!” Cirra called to her cloud friends. But they were all busy practicing their rain-making.
Mr. Nimbus floated over. “Cirra, where have you been? It’s time for rain practice.”
Cirra felt a moment of doubt, but then she remembered the beautiful colors she had made. “I… I can’t make rain,” she admitted. “But I can do something else. Can I show everyone at sunset?”
Mr. Nimbus looked surprised, but he nodded. “Alright, Cirra. We’ll all watch at sunset.”
The day seemed to last forever, but finally, the sun began to sink. All the clouds gathered to watch Cirra.
As the sun’s rays hit her, Cirra began to dance. She twirled and swirled, stretched and puffed, creating a dazzling display of colors across the sky.
The other clouds gasped in wonder. They had never seen anything so beautiful.
Saving the Day
As days passed, Cirra’s sunset shows became famous. Clouds, birds, and even the moon came to watch her paint the sky with color.
One evening, Cirra overheard some birds talking. “Oh no,” chirped a robin. “Tomorrow is the big forest picnic, but those rain clouds are going to ruin it!”
Cirra looked up and saw a group of dark, gloomy clouds moving in. They were sure to rain all over the forest’s special day.
That night, Cirra couldn’t sleep. She wanted to help, but how? Then, she had an idea.
The next evening, just as the rain clouds were gathering over the forest, Cirra floated up high. As the sun began to set, she put on the biggest, most colorful show she had ever done.
The rain clouds were so amazed by the beautiful colors that they forgot all about raining. The forest creatures watched in awe as the sky lit up with breathtaking hues.
When the show was over, everyone cheered. The rain clouds smiled at Cirra. “That was wonderful!” they said. “We didn’t know the sky could be so beautiful.”
A Special Place in the Sky
From that day on, Cirra never felt bad about not being able to rain. She had found her own special way to bring joy to the world.
Mr. Nimbus was very proud. “Cirra,” he said, “you’ve taught us all that there are many ways a cloud can be important. From now on, we’ll have Sunset Art classes too!”
Cirra beamed with happiness. She had found her place in the sky, and it was more colorful and beautiful than she ever could have imagined.
As she drifted off to sleep that night, Cirra thought to herself, “I may not be able to rain, but I can certainly shine!”
The End
Fun fact: Do you know why the cloud is called Cirra? Because she’s a Cirrus cloud. Cirrus clouds are a special type of cloud that typically appears delicate and wispy with white strands.
How do you like this story? Let us know if you’d like to see more self-esteem stories for kids.