Wander Into Compass Creek
Welcome to Compass Creek, where a wrong turn can lead to a wonderfully funny story! Meet Goldie Ox, a flower-seeking wanderer who goes left, goes right, and never gets it quite right—and three bears whose peaceful home is about to get a whole lot livelier. With chili that bites back, a recliner that launches, and a bed that becomes a swimming pool, this playful twist on Goldilocks serves up big laughs and bigger surprises. Along the way, children explore kindness, respecting others’ belongings, and finding the courage to say, “I’m sorry.”
Ready to Breathe Compass Creek to Life?
Start with the Reader Guide!
Turn Goldie’s wrong turns into learning adventures! From the classic Goldilocks tale to Goldie Ox’s hilarious mix-ups, this printable guide brings the story to life through dramatic play, Head–Heart–Hands conversations, and hands-on activities. Help children explore directions, respect others’ belongings, and discover how a heartfelt apology can be the first step toward making things right.
PRINT THE FREE GOLDIE OX AND THE THREE BEARS READER GUIDE
Tiny Detectives, Big Discoveries
Take a look around your classroom or playroom—you may already have everything you need! The ideas below show props and materials you can use to bring the story to life. Read the original version of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, then give the children time to explore and play with the materials below.
Create the Bears’ Beds
Invite children to color and decorate paper quilts for the bears’ beds. Let them choose patterns and colors for each bear.
Serve Up Pretend Porridge
Set out three bowls in different sizes with spoons and pretend food. Invite children to serve the bears and explore big, medium, and small.
Three Rocking Chairs
Set out a teacher’s rocker, a child’s rocker, and a doll’s rocker. Invite children to compare their sizes and imagine which chair belongs to each bear.
Take Your Stuffy on a Walk
Invite children to bring their favorite stuffed animal for a storybook stroll. Take a walk together and imagine an adventure in Compass Creek.
Live the Story
Before you begin reading, invite the children into Compass Creek with a playful activity. Let them explore, pretend, and wonder—then open the book and watch the story come to life!
Become a Compass Creek Bear
Before the story begins, invite each child to make a pair of bear ears. Print the bear-ear template, then cut a strip of construction paper to fit around each child's head and attach the ears to the band. Have them label themselves Mama, Papa, or Baby. Once everyone has their bear ears on, they're ready to wander into Compass Creek.
Become Goldie the Ox
The reader gets to join the adventure, too! Put on a headband with some gold yarn hair glued on, if you like. Then you can hold a small bouquet of flowers and appear completely lost and say, "I went left. I went right. I never seemed to get it quite right."
Enter Compass Creek
Before the story begins, the children put on their bear ears and gather outside the reading area. Goldie the Ox is waiting to welcome them to Compass Creek! One at a time, each little bear enters. Goldie greets each child by saying, “Welcome to my side of the story!” The child then takes a place in the reading circle. Once everyone has arrived in Compass Creek, Goldie settles in with the children and the story begins.
While You Read
Keep the story moving and let the children enjoy the adventure! During the first reading, simply read and experience the story together. There will be plenty of time to come back later, revisit the clues, make predictions, and think about Goldie’s side of the story.
Look for Clues
After the story, return to a few important moments and invite the children to become Goldie Detectives. Encourage them to look and listen for clues about Goldie’s unexpected visit. Let them use those clues to consider what happened, how everyone felt, and what Goldie could do to make things right.
• When Goldie explains that she was picking flowers for her mom: What was Goldie trying to do? How did she end up at the bears’ house?
• When Goldie tries the bears’ chili, chairs, and beds: What clues show us how Goldie was feeling? What could she have done instead of going inside?
• When the bears discover their empty bowl and damaged belongings: How do you think the bears felt? What clues helped you decide?
• When Goldie explains what happened and apologizes: What do we understand about Goldie now? What could she do next to help make things right?
After the Story
The story may be over, but the adventure isn't! Take a few minutes to help the children think about what they learned, how the story made them feel, and what they can do with what they discovered.
🧠 Head — What Did We Discover?
- Goldie went left. She went right. She never got it quite right!
- What could Goldie do when she realizes she is lost?
- How was Goldie's adventure different from the original Goldilocks story?
- What was different about the bears in this story?
❤️ Heart — What Did We Feel?
- Our unexpected visitor brought some very big feelings!
- How did the bears feel when they discovered their chairs, bowls, and beds?
- How might Goldie have felt when she woke up and saw the bears?
- Can we feel upset with someone and still listen to their explanation?
🙌 Hands — What Can We Do?
- An apology is a beginning. What could happen next?
- Pretend to be Goldie and practice asking permission before using someone's things.
- Choose one way to help the bears, such as cleaning up or helping repair something.
- Practice saying, "I'm sorry. How can I help make it right?"
Keep the Magic Going
The story may be finished, but the fun isn't! Keep exploring, thinking, creating, and discovering with these free SpiroTales activities.
✂️Story Sequencing — What Happened First?
Cut out the story pictures, put them in the order they happened, and use them to retell Goldie's story.
🐻💛Walk in Sugar's Paws
Ask: “Imagine coming home to find someone had eaten your favorite food and broken your special chair. How would you feel? What would you want Goldie to understand?”
Then invite children to speak as Sugar: “I felt ___ when ___. I would like ___.”
Show it or Draw it: They can finish aloud, act it out, or draw their response.
Goldie's Just Right Chair Challenge
Give small groups index cards, cardboard scraps, paper tubes, and masking tape. Invite them to build a little chair that holds a classroom stuffy. Then test it:
Predict: “Will your chair hold our stuffy? What makes you think so?”
Try: Place the stuffy gently on the chair. Does it stay up, bend, or tip?
Improve: Change one thing—perhaps wider feet, shorter legs, or another support—and test again.
Compare: “What changed? Did that help?”
Use the same stuffy for each test so children can compare fairly. A chair that collapses gives them something useful to investigate!
🎒 Take the Magic Home
The story doesn't have to end when children leave the classroom! Send a little SpiroTales Magic home and invite families to continue the conversation together. Two Tales to Tell. Children will compare and contrast the two stories for their families.
Print the Family Note