Listen to “The Runaway Mashed Potatoes” on Spreaker.
It was the day before Thanksgiving at Evergreen Elementary School, and excitement bubbled like gravy.
Every class was helping prepare the Big Thanksgiving Feast. There were pies from first grade, cornbread from second grade, and cranberry sauce from third.
In the kitchen, Emily and Daniel were busy with their job — the mashed potatoes.
“I think they’re ready!” Daniel said, peeking into the big pot.
Steam puffed out, smelling buttery and warm.
“Perfect,” said Mrs. Maple, their teacher. “Just mash gently. We don’t want a food fight this year.”
Emily giggled. “No promises!”
She began to mash the potatoes with a wooden spoon. The lumps disappeared, and the smooth, creamy mix glowed under the kitchen lights.
That’s when Mrs. Maple reached for a small blue bottle from the top shelf.
“Just a few drops of this,” she said, sprinkling it in. “It’s a special ingredient to make them extra fluffy.”
But as she turned away, Emily noticed the label.
It didn’t say Fluffing Powder.
It said… MAGIC SPARKLE DUST – FOR SCIENCE CLASS USE ONLY.
The First Wiggle
A soft gurgle came from the pot.
“Did you hear that?” Daniel asked.
Emily nodded. “Potatoes don’t usually gurgle, right?”
The mash began to bubble… then wiggle… then jump!
“Mrs. Maple!” Emily called, but before she could finish—
SPLAT!
A blob of mashed potatoes leapt out of the pot and landed on the counter.
“Um… did the potatoes just move?” Daniel whispered.
Another blob jumped down to the floor, bounced once, and rolled away like a ball of dough.
Then another. And another!
“Runaway mashed potatoes!” Emily shouted.
The kids chased them as the blobs rolled through the kitchen door and into the hallway.
Mashed Potato Mayhem
The potatoes bounced past the art room, leaving buttery tracks on the floor.
“Stop, potatoes, stop!” Daniel yelled, diving to catch one — but it squished through his fingers and splattered onto a locker.
In the library, Ms. Finch the librarian gasped. “No food in the library!”
Too late — the potatoes leapt onto the reading rug and rolled across the picture books.
“Emily!” Daniel panted. “They’re heading for the cafeteria!”
They burst through the double doors just as the runaway potatoes bounced onto the long lunch tables.
The cafeteria kids screamed, laughed, and jumped on chairs.
A spoon flew. A blob hit the ceiling.
It was chaos — creamy, giggly chaos.
The Plan
Mrs. Maple finally caught up, waving her spoon.
“Oh, dear! I must have used the wrong bottle!”
“You think?” Daniel said, ducking a flying scoop.
Emily thought hard. “If magic made them come alive… maybe kindness can calm them down.”
Mrs. Maple blinked. “Kindness?”
“Yeah!” Emily said. “It’s Thanksgiving! Time to be thankful — even for potatoes.”
She picked up a spoon, smiled, and said softly,
“Thank you, potatoes, for being our favorite food.”
The nearest blob stopped wiggling.
Daniel joined in. “Thank you for going great with gravy!”
Another blob froze mid-bounce.
Soon the whole cafeteria was full of kids saying thank you to mashed potatoes.
“Thank you for being fluffy!”
“Thank you for tasting good with corn!”
“Thank you for not hitting me in the face!”
One by one, the potatoes wobbled, sighed, and sank back into smooth, still piles of mash.
A Feast to Remember
When the feast began that afternoon, the mashed potatoes were back on the table — calm and delicious again.
Principal Pine raised his fork. “This is the best batch yet! What’s your secret?”
Mrs. Maple smiled at Emily and Daniel.
“Oh, just a little magic… and a lot of thankfulness.”
Everyone laughed and dug in.
As they ate, Emily whispered to Daniel,
“Do you think they remember what happened?”
Daniel grinned. “If they start dancing, I’m running for the door.”
Just then, one tiny potato puff on the edge of the bowl wiggled once… and winked.
Emily gasped.
But when she looked again, it was perfectly still.
She smiled. “Happy Thanksgiving, little potato.”
The End!
⭐ Follow-Up Questions
1️⃣ What mistake made the mashed potatoes come alive?
2️⃣ How did Emily and Daniel stop the runaway potatoes?
3️⃣ What lesson did everyone learn about Thanksgiving?
