It was a bright summer morning. Baby Ben Balloon and his Mummy and Daddy were in the garden. Baby Ben was playing near a rose bush when Daddy Balloon said to him. Don’t play there son, you might get pricked by a thorn and then you’d go Pop, and you’d have to wear a big patch for the rest of your life. Ben didn’t want that to happen so he went to play in his sandpit instead.

Daddy balloon said to Mummy balloon, it’s such a nice sunny day; let’s go for a fly in the sky. Mummy balloon said yes I’d like that. So Daddy balloon tied some string around them both, and the other end of the string to the fence. We don’t want to get blown away by a big gust of wind, do we said Daddy balloon. Baby Ben said what about-ME? I want to fly too!! Mummy balloon said I’m sorry Ben but only big balloons can fly. Then with one big jump Mummy and Daddy balloon went floating up into the sky. Up up up they went, past the top of the fence, past the roof of the house, up, up, and up, higher and higher into the clouds. Baby Ben wanted to fly too, so he jumped up and down in the garden, but it was know use, he just couldn’t jump high-enough. So Ben just had to play in his sandpit, till Mummy and Daddy came back down. They didn’t fly for too long, Mummy balloon wouldn’t leave Ben on his own; he might get up to some mischief. When they landed Daddy balloon said. I feel quiet tired now after all that flying, I think I’ll have a little nap. Mummy balloon was tired too, so she but Baby Ben in his bed, and they all had an afternoon nap.

Ben couldn’t sleep though he kept thinking what it must be like to fly high in the sky up among the clouds. Then Ben had an idea. He snuggled up to Daddy balloon and let some air out of him into Baby Ben balloon. SHH, SHH went Daddy Balloon as he slowly started to go down. Daddy balloon began to look quite wrinkled, so Ben stopped. Ben felt much, bigger and lighter now, so he went into the garden and jumped in the sky. Up, up, up he went, up to the top of the fence, up to the top of the house, but then he came down again!! It was no good he just wasn’t big enough to fly. So he snuggled up to Mummy balloon and let some air out of her into Ben balloon. Shh, shh went Mummy balloon as she slowly started to go down. Mummy balloon began to look wrinkled too, so Ben stopped. Ben was now very big and light, and quite sure he could fly. So he went into the garden again and got ready to jump. But just as he was about to jump, he remembered what Daddy balloon had said about tying himself with some string to the fence. He didn’t want to get blown away and never see his Mummy and Daddy again.