Charles must try to save his business from a competitor. Laura, who is love with Jimmy Hill, must compete with somebody else for him.

The Ingallses have to seek shelter when a blizzard hits. There they meet an Indian who helps them out. A marshall, looking for the Indian, comes by...

It's time for baseball! After losing badly last year, Walnut Grove expects to win with their star pitcher, Mr. Mumford. People in Walnut Grove are so confident that they are going to win, they place bets on the game. However, Mr. Mumford's wife won't let her husband play because of the gambling. Caroline convinces Mr. Mumford's wife to let her husband play on the condition that any money made from the game goes to the church.

The day before Christmas vacation started, Miss Beadle lets the children out early when she notices that a snowstorm is beginning. The children aren't able to make it home before the storm starts. The men of Walnut Grove search for the children while Doc Baker takes care of the frostbitten children that show up at the school.

Laura and Mary start school for the first time. That is where they meet Nellie Oleson. Since Laura hasn't been to school before, she tries especially hard with her schoolwork. The students have to write an essay to present in front of the class. Laura recites what she would have written on the paper if she could have, instead of what was actually written on it.

In the beginning, things look very good for the Ingalls until a bad hailstorm ruins their crops. Charles and some other farmers must leave to look for work. They end up working in a quarry. While Charles is away, Caroline is able to get the women of Walnut Grove to join together to harvest the remaining crops.

Reverend Alden gets sick while collecting donations. Caleb Hodgekiss, an ex-convict, helps the Reverend by giving him a place to stay and volunteering to get the donations from Walnut Grove. Caleb poses as a friend of the Reverend so that he might get donations which he initially planned to keep for himself.

Nellie falls off of Bunny and pretends to be paralyzed. Mrs. Oleson blames Laura for this and wants to destroy Bunny.

Rev. Alden's pleas to ""turn the other cheek"" is put to the test when a family of ruffians move to Walnut Grove and cause trouble.

Carrie, having tagged along on Laura and Mary's classroom assignment, falls down a mine shaft, providing an alcoholic ex-miner a chance at redemption.

Mary has an accident with a horse in the barn. When Mary starts to get worse, the Ingalls take her to a specialist. There they learn that Mary needs an immediate operation.

Solomon Henry, an eleven year old black boy, runs away from his family because he's tired of everybody treating him different. He goes to live with the Ingalls. The Ingalls learn many important things and Laura learns an important lesson : Don't take things for granted. The Ingalls convince Solomon to be proud of his heritage. Solomon goes back to his family in the end.

When Albert continually breaks the law, Charles takes him out of the big city and back to Walnut Grove. Albert doesn't change in Walnut Grove because he is addicted to morphine. Charles finally forces Albert to stop using morphine. He stays with Albert while he goes through withdrawal. Thanks to Charles, Albert is no longer addicted to morphine. We find out at the end of the show that Albert will become Dr. Albert Ingalls.

No longer a mama's boy, Willie announces his engagement and plans to marry his sweetheart. All this upsets his mother greatly, who makes several attempts to get her way.

As a prank to make him look foolish, the older boys of Walnut Grove school nominate the object of their practical jokes, gentle Elmer Dobkins, to run for class president against popular Mary Ingalls and wealthy Nellie Oleson. While Mary and Nellie wage their campaigns with promises of popcorn and gum balls, Mr. Dobkins witnesses his son being teased by the older boys and, when he finds out why Elmer was nominated, angrily orders him to pull out of the election. But, when election day comes and the race seems too close to call, a cruel act and children tired of being bullied decide the outcome.

Charles beings making tables so that he could pass on a legacy. While he is at this, Albert begins taking care of the farm. Charles gets very upset when someone steals his design and starts producing the tables in large quantities. Charles soon realizes that memories of his family is a lot more important.

Laura and her horse, Bunny, are picked to win at the horse race in town. Since Mrs. Oleson doesn't want Laura to win, she buys a great thoroughbred for Nellie to ride.

Pa decides to take Laura hunting with him. When Charles and Laura are getting settled down for the night, Laura trips over her dad's gun and sets it off. Charles is badly wounded. Laura runs to get help, but the only person she can find is a blind person, Sam. Since Sam just recently became blind, he knew his way around somewhat. After getting lost a few times, Sam and Laura finally find Mr. Edwards' home. Mr. Edwards gets a doctor, who saves Mr. Ingalls. Thanks to Laura, Sam learned that just because he was blind didn't mean he had to stay at home and do nothing.

Caroline stays with Mary who suddenly needs another operation. Charles leave and take on a high risk job to pay for the operation for Mary and Mr. Edwards goes with him. They take a job as a couple of Powder Monkeys making a tunnel for the railroad. But safety is far at the back of Charles' mind as he takes risks, refusing to stop even when a funeral of a Chinese worker takes place. This rush inevitably causes a cave-in where Charles and Harris are buried.

Mrs. Oleson changes the restaurant into a franchise restaurant, She has a hard time living up to the agreement of the franchise. Charles and Nels get together and decide to open up a restaurant of their own, right across the street. The new restaurant forces Mrs. Oleson's restaurant out of business. The town is now back to normal, or at least as normal as it can be.

Mary, Adam, Hester Sue, the Wilders, and the Ingalls are all together for Christmas. The snow begins falling and soon they are snowed in by a blizzard. To pass time, several of them tell stories. Laura talks about the Christmas in Kansas when Mr. Edwards came.

When Albert continually breaks the law, Charles takes him out of the big city and back to Walnut Grove. Albert doesn't change in Walnut Grove because he is addicted to morphine. Charles finally forces Albert to stop using morphine. He stays with Albert while he goes through withdrawal. Thanks to Charles, Albert is no longer addicted to morphine. We find out at the end of the show that Albert will become Dr. Albert Ingalls.

While Charles is in Mankato, he runs into Mr. Edwards and invites him to come to Walnut Grove. Caroline tries to match Mr. Edwards up with Grace Snider, but instead she just ends up in the way since Mr. Edwards is able to charm Grace all by himself. Although there are a couple problems that must be overcome, things turn out for the best in the end.

Laura falls in love with a new student, Johnny Johnson. Johnny, who is a lot older than Laura, is interested in Mary instead. Although Mary is not interested in Johnny, Laura's actions cause tension between the sisters. When Charles finds this out, he is appalled that either of his girls is involved with Johnny.

Laura connects with a sweet, shy classmate named Olga Nordstrom, who happens to have been born with a short leg. Charles has an idea that can change Olga’s entire life, but the challenge will be convincing the child’s stubborn widowed father.