Trade

Do you ever have a yummy banana, but your friend has a super crunchy apple. What if you swapped. Now you have an apple, and they have a banana. That happy feeling of sharing and getting something new and fun. That’s me. Hello, I am Trade. I love to help friends share their favorite things. When you swap a red crayon for a blue one, that's me helping you play together. I make sure everyone can have a little bit of what they want. It feels so good to share, doesn't it. That happy feeling is my favorite part of the day.

A long, long, long time ago, before there were any stores, people needed my help. One family might have lots of pretty seashells they found on the beach. Another family might have made a warm, fuzzy blanket from soft wool. The seashell family felt chilly, and the blanket family wanted something pretty to wear. So, I showed them how to swap. The chilly family gave their pretty shells for the warm blanket. The other family gave their fuzzy blanket for the shiny shells. I helped them share what they had to get what they needed. It was like a big, friendly game where everyone got a prize and made a new friend. Everyone was warm and happy.

Today, I am bigger than ever. When your grown-up goes to the store, they use me to get food, clothes, and toys. I help people in different countries share their special things, like sweet oranges from sunny places and fun toys from far away. I love helping everyone share so they can be happy and healthy. I help farmers trade their yummy vegetables for new shoes. The next time you share a sticker with a friend, or give them one of your cookies for one of their crackers, you’re helping me do my favorite job. You are being a super helper.