MarytaleBedtime stories for preschool
Bedtime stories for preschool: one character, one thing that happens, and an ending that needs no explaining.
113 stories · Page 2 of 3
Pat-a-Cake1-2 min read · 2 pagesPat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, baker's man — the full words of the clapping rhyme, and where to put your child's initial at the end.
Pinocchio6-8 min read · 16 pagesPinocchio, the tale by Carlo Collodi to read aloud. A puppet who runs off on the first day, and a nose that gives him away every time.
Pip and the Big Blue Dive7-8 min read · 14 pagesOn a wide white shore at the bottom of the world lives a little penguin named Pip — a penguin with one very unusual worry.
Polly Put the Kettle On1-2 min read · 2 pagesPolly put the kettle on — the full words of the rhyme, and the trick the children play on the visitors at the end.
Puss in Boots7-9 min read · 16 pagesPuss in boots, the folk tale to read aloud. A miller's son inherits a cat, and the cat asks him for a pair of boots and a sack.
Rain, Rain, Go Away1-2 min read · 2 pagesRain, rain, go away — the full words of the rhyme children say at a wet window, and how old the habit turns out to be.
Rapunzel6-8 min read · 16 pagesRapunzel, the Brothers Grimm tale to read aloud. A tower with no stairs and no door, and a plait of hair long enough to climb.
Ricky and the Great Chip Caper5-6 min read · 11 pagesIn the leafy little town of Maplewood lives Ricky, a raccoon with clever paws and an even bigger nose for mischief.
Ring Around the Rosie1-2 min read · 1 pagesRing around the rosie — the full words of the ring game, the British «ring a ring o' roses», and the myth about the plague.
Row, Row, Row Your Boat1-2 min read · 1 pagesRow, row, row your boat — the full words, what to do with a child's hands, and the verse about the crocodile that came later.
Ruby and the Night the Bells Flew6-7 min read · 9 pagesIn a snug little village tucked among the snowy hills, Christmas was the most magical time of all — and a small deer named Ruby dreamed of nothing more than joining Santa's team.
Sammy and the Bridge of Brave Hearts3-5 min read · 9 pagesSammy is a small squirrel with a big bushy tail and an even bigger heart, always ready to explore the woods and make a new friend.
Sir Arthur and the Mountain That Grew Cold6-8 min read · 9 pagesHigh in a green kingdom of misty peaks and whispering forests lives Sir Arthur, a knight as gentle as he is brave.
Sleeping Beauty7-9 min read · 16 pagesSleeping Beauty, or Briar Rose, the Brothers Grimm tale to read aloud. Every spindle in the kingdom is burned, and one is missed.
Splash and the Deep Blue Secret6-8 min read · 11 pagesAlong a sunny stretch of coast lives Splash, a little dolphin who is quick, cheerful, and curious about absolutely everything.
The Acorn of the Winds6-7 min read · 11 pagesWhen a fierce storm rolls toward the forest, a small squirrel named Chippi doesn't waste a moment.
The Ant and the Grasshopper2-3 min read · 7 pagesThe ant and the grasshopper, Aesop's fable to read aloud. All summer he plays and she carries — and then the first cold morning comes.
The Bamboo That Glowed6-8 min read · 16 pagesDeep in a whispering bamboo forest lives Muffin, a curious little panda who loves nothing more than a good mystery.
The Blue Jackal4-6 min read · 12 pagesThe blue jackal, a Panchatantra tale to read aloud. He falls into a vat of dye and everyone in the forest decides he must be a king.
The Boy Who Cried Wolf5-7 min read · 13 pagesThe boy who cried wolf, Aesop's fable to read aloud. Twice he shouts for fun and the village comes running. The third time is not for fun.
The Bremen Town Musicians7-9 min read · 16 pagesThe Bremen town musicians, the Brothers Grimm tale to read aloud. Four animals too old to be useful set off to become a band, and never arrive.
The City Mouse and the Country Mouse5-7 min read · 13 pagesThe city mouse and the country mouse, Aesop's fable to read aloud. One has plain food and quiet; the other has cake and footsteps in the dark.
The Dinosaur Who Could Not Roar5-6 min read · 14 pagesA dinosaur bedtime story: Rys can only squeak, and in the fog it turns out that a squeak is the one sound you can follow.
The Elves and the Shoemaker5-7 min read · 12 pagesThe elves and the shoemaker, the Brothers Grimm tale to read aloud. The shoes are finished every morning, and nobody has seen who does it.
The Emperor's New Clothes7-9 min read · 16 pagesThe emperor's new clothes by Hans Christian Andersen, to read aloud. Two weavers sell him a cloth that only clever people can see.
The Fisherman and His Wife6-8 min read · 16 pagesThe fisherman and his wife, the Brothers Grimm tale to read aloud. The flounder grants what she asks for, and she keeps finding something else.
The Four Friends6-8 min read · 16 pagesThe four friends, a Panchatantra tale to read aloud. A crow, a mouse, a tortoise and a deer, and the net that none of them could open alone.
The Fox and the Crow4-6 min read · 13 pagesThe fox and the crow, Aesop's fable to read aloud. She has the cheese and he has nothing — so he starts telling her how well she sings.
The Fox and the Grapes2-3 min read · 8 pagesThe fox and the grapes, Aesop's fable to read aloud. He jumps until he cannot jump any more, and then decides he never wanted them at all.
The Frog King7-9 min read · 16 pagesThe frog king, the Brothers Grimm tale to read aloud. He fetches her gold ball out of the well, and she promised him rather a lot for it.
The Gingerbread Man5-7 min read · 12 pagesThe gingerbread man, the folk tale to read aloud. He comes out of the oven running, and everybody on the road wants to eat him.
The Golden Goose7-9 min read · 16 pagesThe golden goose, the Brothers Grimm tale to read aloud. Everyone who grabs at it sticks fast, and the line behind it gets longer.
The Goose That Laid the Golden Eggs2-3 min read · 9 pagesThe goose that laid the golden eggs, Aesop's fable to read aloud. One gold egg a day is not fast enough for the man who owns her.
The Goose with the Golden Feathers4-6 min read · 12 pagesThe goose with the golden feathers, a Jataka tale to read aloud. One feather at a time is enough to live on, until somebody decides it is not.
The Grand Old Duke of York1-2 min read · 2 pagesThe grand old Duke of York had ten thousand men — the full words, and the standing-up-and-sitting-down that goes with it.
The Hare and the Tortoise4-6 min read · 13 pagesThe hare and the tortoise, Aesop's fable to read aloud. He is faster and he knows it — and that turns out to be the whole problem.
The Hare Who Heard a Sound4-6 min read · 13 pagesThe hare who heard a sound, a Jataka tale to read aloud. A mango falls behind him, and within an hour the whole forest is running.
The House Where Love Lives4-6 min read · 14 pagesIn a green little village between quiet rivers and tall oak trees, the Miller family shares everything — laughter, chores, and the coziest home for miles.
The Itsy Bitsy Spider1-2 min read · 2 pagesThe itsy bitsy spider — the full words, the hand movements that go with them, and why the British call it the incy wincy spider.
The Kite Who Flew Too Far5-6 min read · 12 pagesIn a little village tucked between green hills, a boy named Leo loves nothing more than flying his red kite on windy days.