MarytaleCalming bedtime stories
Calming bedtime stories chosen for the end of the day: nothing chases anybody, nothing is left open, and the last page is quiet.
28 stories
A calming story is not a shorter story. It has its own shape: it starts slowly, nothing is chased through the middle, and on the last page everyone is home and safe. A story that ends by exciting a child has done the opposite of what was asked of it.
The ones here were chosen for that ending, not for their length. Some are twelve pages and some are four; what they share is that the last sentence lets go instead of opening something new.
Apollo and the Whole Wide Sky5-6 min read · 13 pagesHigh on the windswept cliffs, in a nest of sticks and sunlight, lived the smallest eaglet of all — a little dreamer named Apollo who longed to open his wings and touch the sky.
Bella and the One Golden Wish7-9 min read · 20 pagesDeep in a green and singing forest lives a little squirrel named Bella — quick, kind, and always ready for a new discovery.
Elara and the Little Song-Bird5-6 min read · 7 pagesWhen kind Princess Elara rescues a small hurt bird, she has no idea their meeting was ever meant to be.
Goodnight, Dinosaurs5-6 min read · 12 pagesA dinosaur bedtime story: every dinosaur falls asleep differently — standing up, on its side, curled in a heap, or right beside the river.
Lark, the Little Sparrow with the Great Big Heart7-9 min read · 19 pagesLark is the smallest sparrow in the whole wide wood, but nobody has ever had a braver heart or a busier, more curious head.
Larry the Cat and the Little Star Lanterns8-10 min read · 19 pagesEvery night, Larry the cat sets off on his own special journey, hanging tiny star lanterns to fill the forest with warmth and calm. Beneath their glow, the little animals drift safely to sleep.
Lucas and the Little Starship6-8 min read · 12 pagesEvery single night, Lucas lies in the grass and wishes on the stars, dreaming of faraway journeys through space.
Marcus the Cat and the Golden Brush7-9 min read · 19 pagesIn a snug little village tucked among the green hills lives a most unusual cat named Marcus, who loves nothing more than to paint.
Milo the Mighty Mouse6-7 min read · 8 pagesMilo is the smallest mouse in the village of Honeybrook, but she has always dreamed of doing something brave.
Oscar the Hare and the Silver Watch9-11 min read · 21 pagesDeep in a forest where the treetops brush the clouds lives Oscar, the fastest hare anyone has ever seen — and his most precious treasure is a little silver pocket watch that ticks along with every dash he takes.
Oscar the Mole and the Map Beneath the Roots7-9 min read · 14 pagesDeep down in a snug maze of winding tunnels lives Oscar, a little mole who loves nothing more than digging his way into somewhere new.
Percy the Prankster Pigeon6-7 min read · 11 pagesIn a busy little park where laughter always drifts on the breeze, there lives a cheeky pigeon named Percy who loves to startle the visitors.
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 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 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 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 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.
The Little Star Who Wanted to Go Home4-6 min read · 10 pagesWhen a tiny star tumbles out of the night sky and lands right in their garden, Emma and her little brother Jack know exactly what to do — help it find its way home.
The Night the Meadow Woke with Stars6-8 min read · 11 pagesDeep in a storybook land lies Starlight Meadow, home to two dear friends: Alex, a kind-hearted rabbit, and Mia, a clever little mouse.
The Purr Family and the Clock That Stopped the Night9-11 min read · 25 pagesIn an old house at the edge of town lives a family of night cats — the Purrs — and every one of them has a job to keep the dark hours calm and cozy.
The Secret of the Vanishing Shoes5-7 min read · 14 pagesSomething strange is happening in Springville: every single morning, one shoe from a pair goes missing, and nobody can say why.
The Secret of the Wishing Tree6-8 min read · 16 pagesWhen a magic forest begins to fade, a kind girl named Lily and her curious brother Finn set out to save it by waking the old tree whose magic keeps everything alive.
The Squirrel Who Kept the Stars6-7 min read · 17 pagesHigh in a whispering pine forest lives Sonya, a little squirrel who loves nothing more than the glitter of the night sky.
Theo the Rabbit and the Fox Who Thought He Was Clever7-8 min read · 15 pagesTheo is the cleverest rabbit in the whole forest, famous for hopping out of every tight spot with a quick idea and a kind heart.
Thomas and the Warmest Blankets8-10 min read · 18 pagesDeep in the heart of the woods, under a wide old oak, lives a little mouse named Thomas — a tiny maker with an enormous heart.
Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star1-2 min read · 5 pagesTwinkle, twinkle, little star — the full words of Jane Taylor's 1806 poem, all five verses, not just the one everybody knows.
Wee Willie Winkie1-2 min read · 2 pagesWee Willie Winkie runs through the town — the full words of the Scottish bedtime rhyme, and who he is knocking for.
When the Forest Goes to Sleep4-5 min read · 9 pagesWhen evening settles over the woods, all its gentle creatures gather to make ready for sleep, quietly and kindly, together.
Frequently asked
- Why not just read any story more quietly?
- Because the tempo is in the plot, not the voice. A wolf at the door stays a wolf at the door however softly it is read, and a four-year-old will go on thinking about it after the light is off.
- Can we read the same one every night?
- Yes, and most children ask for exactly that. Knowing what happens next is the calming part; novelty is the waking part.
Want to know where these stories come from? The articles are here
By topic
- Bedtime stories about animals
- Short bedtime stories
- Long bedtime stories
- Classic fairy tales
- 5 minute bedtime stories
- Nursery rhymes
- Moral stories
- Brothers Grimm fairy tales
- Princess bedtime stories
- Aesop's fables
- Bear bedtime stories
- Hans Christian Andersen
- Bedtime stories about cats
- Christmas bedtime stories
- Panchatantra stories
- Jataka tales
- Akbar and Birbal stories
- Dinosaur bedtime stories