After days of cold nights, misty mornings and lazy afternoons, the sun was back from vacation. The birds had returned to their homes, chirping sweetly to announce their arrival. The children were just beginning their mini-vacation. Spring holidays had begun and with them came hotter days. All the children were out, roaming, bored and unsure what to do. Normally they would have been stuck with their iPads, mobiles or smart TVs, but a recent decision by the parents’ group had banned gadget use during the vacation. Apparently they wanted to see if the children remembered how to play and mingle without screens.
Monu, Sonu, Gudiya and Aaradhya were lingering along the streets. Monu dragged a stick along the road, Sonu chewed gum silently, and Gudiya and Aaradhya jumped with their arms locked together. They continued like this until they reached the garden at the centre of the city. Aaradhya pointed at a large banyan tree standing in the middle of the ground. “Is that the tree our parents talk about? The one where they spent their summers?” she asked.
“Eh? I think so,” Sonu replied. “It fits the description.”
“Let’s go closer and see,” Gudiya suggested excitedly.
They rushed toward the tree and arrived gasping. They all looked up and stood in awe of its enormity. The tree was majestic and old. It had stood there for generations of people, animals and wind. But surprisingly, it did not look weak. It looked powerful, its branches and roots reaching everywhere.
“Wow,” Monu gasped. “I never knew the tree was so big. I can hardly see the top.” He squinted and tilted his head to glimpse the crown. The tree seemed to touch the sky. Not actually touching, but somehow still growing taller.
“Hey! What is that?” Sonu suddenly cried, pointing to the right side of the tree where something fluttered in the air.
“It’s a kite!” Aaradhya exclaimed. “Look at its string and the designs. It looks old-fashioned, like the kites my parents used to fly.”
Before anyone could wonder more, Monu started throwing a pebble at the kite.
“Wow, what are you doing, Monu?” Gudiya shouted.
“What do you think? Trying to bring the kite down,” Monu answered.
“Do you think that small pebble will do it? It barely moved!” Sonu laughed.
“Give us some bright ideas then!” Monu shot back. Sonu rolled his eyes. “Try a bigger stone so you can shake the branch.”
“And make sure you throw it with force. Swing your hand a bit,” Aaradhya added.
“Alright, everyone stand back. Watch me,” Monu said. He picked up a bigger grey stone, circled his arm three times, and aimed. The stone missed. It brushed a few leaves, and that was all.
“I don’t think we can bring it down with stones. Let me climb,” Gudiya declared, and started scaling the tree. She put her right leg firmly against the trunk, grabbed the bark with her fingers, and placed her left leg on the lowest branch.
“Be careful!” Monu warned. “The kite is to your right, only two branches up.” Gudiya was determined. She could see the kite. It was within reach. She took a deep breath, extended her torso and her right hand…and could not touch it. She tried again. She still could not reach.
“Aaradhya, why are you just standing on that branch? Climb another one and reach it,” Sonu shouted.
“I am not just standing. I’ve been climbing and trying to reach, but I can’t!” Gudiya replied.
“You’re messing with us. You’ve been standing there for five minutes,” Sonu spoke everyone’s mind.
Gudiya was shocked. She had been climbing for ten minutes, up many branches, yet the kite remained “nearby” and out of reach. “I don’t know what’s wrong. These branches look never-ending,” she cried.
Just then a loud boom filled the sky.
*boom* *thunder*
Gudiya almost slipped, but a branch caught her. Aaradhya screamed, “OMG! Come down, Gudiya. What was that sound?”
Then another sound rang out: a laughing “ha ha ha.”
All four of them looked around and could not see anyone. The laugh seemed to come from the tree itself.
Gudiya climbed down and stood with the others, looking up. “The kite looks just two branches away from the ground,” she said. “But I swear it felt like it never ended and I couldn’t reach.”
Sonu suddenly pointed. “Um…hey guys, were these here before? Do you see them?” He was staring at fruit hanging from the banyan.
“What? Mangoes on a banyan tree? How is that possible?!” Monu almost lost it and began laughing. Suddenly, Sonu spoke, “That mango looks so refreshing. I want it. Mango season is months away…hmm…maybe these are genetically modified or something.”
Sonu, determined, picked up a big stone and hurled it at a mango. He hit a small one with force, then another of medium size by bending and throwing upward. Monu stopped him. “Wait, why are you so into that mango? Leave it…something is wrong. Let’s go.” But Sonu was adamant. He loved mangoes and wanted to eat one. He picked up another stone and aimed again, but his throw went far past the fruit.
“WAIT!” a voice boomed.
All four froze and clung to each other.
The voice came from above, from the tree. “Stop throwing stones at me. I’ll give you a mango.”
The children gasped. For a moment they were too stunned to move. Then slowly, a small mango fell into Sonu’s hands, ripe and warm from the sun.
The voice chuckled. “Ask, and I will share. But do not harm branches or shout and throw things. Show care, and I will show kindness.” It sounded as if the wind was speaking through the leaves.
“We’re sorry,” Monu blurted. “We didn’t mean to hurt you, whoever you are.”
“We promise we’ll ask next time,” Aaradhya added. Gudiya, still wide-eyed, stepped forward and held the mango. They sat down under the banyan, split the fruit, and tasted the sweet, juicy flesh.
After a pause Sonu grinned. “Next time maybe samosas in the flowers or ice cream on a cloud!” They all laughed at the silly pictures they painted. But they knew what they experienced was also quite silly, something they didn’t believe to be possible.
As the sun slanted low, the children played games under the banyan, taking care not to break its branches, listening for the tree’s soft rustle. When it was time to leave, they promised each other, and the tree, that they would return, ask first, and share what they found.
On their way home, the mango’s sweetness lingered on their tongues, and the day felt like a small, secret adventure: a day of wonders and learning to be kind.
WHERE’S THE SCIENCE? Click to find out.
When the children had their little adventures, they applied and experienced many scientific concepts.
- Force and Motion – When Monu and Sonu threw stones at the kite and mangoes, they were using force. The size of the stone, the speed of the throw, and the angle of release all affect how far and how high an object travels. This is called projectile motion.
- Gravity – No matter how hard they threw, gravity pulled the stones back down. Gravity is the invisible force that keeps everything grounded, including kites, mangoes, and children climbing trees.
- Perception of Distance – Gudiya felt like she was climbing endlessly, even though the kite looked close. Sometimes our eyes and brain estimate distance differently, especially when looking upward. Trees with repeating branches can make height difficult to judge.
- Trees and Ecosystems – A banyan tree supports birds, insects, animals, and even humans who gather beneath it. While mangoes do not grow on banyan trees in reality, imagining it invites us to think about how different plants grow and what conditions they need.
Want to experience something similar?
1. Explore Throwing Angles (Safely!)
Take a soft ball and go to an open space. Try throwing it: Straight up; At a slight angle; At a wider angle. Notice which throw makes it travel farther. Why do you think that happens?
2. Test Your Distance Judgement
Stand a few steps away from a wall or tree. Guess how many steps it will take to reach it. Walk and count. Were you accurate? Looking upward or sideways can change how distance feels.
Embodied Science Stories 