---
title: "Lila and the Trapeze of Courage"
description: "Lila loves the trapeze but freezes when the tent gets crowded. Mr. Leo teaches her breathing, visualization, and the power of choosing a routine that feels safe enough to perform well."
tags: ["Circus Tales", "confidence", "bravery", "perseverance", "friendship", "preschoolers", "kindergarteners", "adventure", "read-aloud", "classroom", "uncertainty", "anxiety", "TrapezePractice", "BraveChoices", "BreathingPractice", "Confidence", "SafeRoutine"]
language: en
source: "Stories for Kids"
url: https://www.stories4kids.net/stories/circus-tales/lila-and-the-trapeze-of-courage/
---

# Lila and the Trapeze of Courage

_Lila Chooses the Routine She Can Do Safely_

Lila loves the trapeze but freezes when the tent gets crowded. Mr. Leo teaches her breathing, visualization, and the power of choosing a routine that feels safe enough to perform well.

Category: Circus Tales

Topics: Circus Tales, Confidence, Bravery, Perseverance, Friendship, Preschoolers, Kindergarteners, Adventure, Read Aloud, Classroom, Uncertainty, Anxiety, Trapeze Practice, Brave Choices, Breathing Practice, Confidence, Safe Routine

## Story

## Lila's Worry

Lila loved the trapeze during quiet practice.

![Illustration: Lila's Worry](../../../assets/stories/circus-tales/lila-and-the-trapeze-of-courage-1.png)

She loved the smooth bar, the soft mats below, and the feeling of swinging a little higher each week with her coach nearby.

But when the seats filled with people, her hands felt slippery and her thoughts grew loud.

"What if everyone watches me freeze?" she whispered.

Mr. Leo, an older acrobat, sat beside her on the mat. "Then we practice what to do when freezing happens."

## Mr. Leo's Helpful Advice

Mr. Leo began with breathing.

![Illustration: Mr. Leo Shows Lila a Breathing Exercise](../../../assets/stories/circus-tales/lila-and-the-trapeze-of-courage-2.png)

"Smell the popcorn," he said.

Lila breathed in.

"Cool the soup."

Lila breathed out.

Then he asked her to picture the first safe swing: hands on the bar, knees tucked, eyes on the blue ribbon tied to the far post.

"We are not imagining a perfect show," Mr. Leo said. "We are imagining the next useful step."

## Practice Above the Ring

Mr. Leo told Lila about his first performance.

![Illustration: Lila Practices on the Trapeze](../../../assets/stories/circus-tales/lila-and-the-trapeze-of-courage-3.png)

"I forgot my ending pose," he said.

"What did you do?"

"I bowed early and walked off with great dignity."

Lila giggled.

"The audience thought it was part of the act," he said. "A plan helps. A backup plan helps too."

Together they made one. If Lila felt too nervous, she would do the short routine: one swing, one tuck, one bow.

## Lila Gains Confidence

For two weeks, Lila practiced the short routine first.

![Illustration: Lila gains confidence with Mr. Leo's help](../../../assets/stories/circus-tales/lila-and-the-trapeze-of-courage-4.png)

When that felt steady, she added one more swing.

Some days she used the full routine. Some days she used the short one. Mr. Leo treated both like real practice.

"Choosing safely is a skill," he said.

Lila began to believe him.

## Lila's Performance

On show day, Lila stood under the ladder and breathed.

![Illustration: Lila's Big Performance](../../../assets/stories/circus-tales/lila-and-the-trapeze-of-courage-5.png)

Smell the popcorn.

Cool the soup.

She stepped up to the low practice trapeze set for her act, with mats below and her coach watching.

The crowd was quiet. The blue ribbon waited on the far post.

Lila swung once. She tucked her knees. She swung again.

Her hands were steady enough, but her heart was pounding.

She chose the short ending and bowed.

The audience clapped.

## Courage Counts

Backstage, Lila looked at Mr. Leo.

![Illustration: Lila Talks with Mr. Leo Backstage](../../../assets/stories/circus-tales/lila-and-the-trapeze-of-courage-6.png)

"I did not do the big ending."

"You did the right ending," he said.

Lila thought about that while she untied her wrist wraps. She had breathed. She had watched the ribbon. She had chosen what she could do safely.

The next day, she practiced again.

One swing.

One breath.

One brave choice at a time.