Chris and some children are playing with Chris's toy bowling set. Gabi knocks down all the pins on her first try! Elmo watches as Gordon takes a turn and knocks two pins down. After Gabi and Gordon leave, Chris teaches Elmo how to hold the ball and swing his arm straight toward the pins. On his first two tries, Elmo doesn't knock any pins over so Chris helps him practice his swing with an imaginary ball. When Elmo tries it with a real ball, he still doesn't knock any pins down. Frustrated, he screams, "Elmo never wants to bowl again!" When Chris asks him if that would make him feel better, Elmo admits that it wouldn't and that he would really like to knock down the pins. Chris explains that some things are just hard to do and take lots of time. Elmo decides to try and try and try again. He stands a little closer and concentrates as he swings the ball just as he practiced. This time he knocks down a pin! He is so excited he gives Chris a big hug. When Gordon comes back he follows Elmo's advice to try again and, using Elmo's technique, he knocks down even more pins than he did before. EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVE: Emotional Development
