Kenya

The sun shines down and feels like a big, warm hug on my grassy fields. My fields are so wide you can run and run forever. High, high up, my tall mountains almost touch the fluffy white clouds in the blue sky. If you listen very carefully, you can hear my friends. You might hear a gentle trumpet from a big gray animal or a mighty roar from a sleepy, furry one. These are the happy sounds of my home. Hello there. I am the country of Kenya, and I live on a big continent called Africa. I am so happy you are here to listen to my story.

I am home to so many amazing animal friends. Tall giraffes stretch their long necks to nibble leaves from the tops of trees. Big elephants with floppy ears walk slowly with their families, swishing their tails. Sometimes, you can hear the king of all the animals, the lion, give a big, sleepy ROAR. People have lived here with me for a very, very long time. In fact, some of the first people in the whole wide world once called me their home. Today, my wonderful friends, the Maasai people, live here. They wear bright red clothes that look like beautiful flowers in my fields, and they do amazing jumping dances that reach for the sky. A long time ago, on December 12th, 1963, I had a very special birthday party. That was the day I became a new country for everyone to celebrate.

Friends from all over the world come to visit me on a fun adventure called a safari. They ride in special cars to wave hello to the zebras and watch the monkeys play. Besides my grassy fields, I also have soft, sandy beaches where you can build big sandcastles. The warm ocean water comes up to the shore and tickles your toes. I am a place full of warm sunshine, incredible animals, and friendly people with big smiles. I am here to remind you that the world is full of amazing adventures and wonderful new friends waiting to be made.