Short bedtime stories

Short bedtime stories for kids: whole stories, not shortened ones, that finish inside ten minutes.

70 stories

Ava and the Whisper of Autumn7-9 min read · 12 pagesWhen the woods blaze red and gold, little Ava sets off alone to find the Spirit of Autumn — the wondrous creature the old stories promise can grant a single wish.
Baa, Baa, Black Sheep1-2 min read · 2 pagesBaa, baa, black sheep — the full words of the rhyme, and the three bags of wool that all have somebody waiting for them.
Benny the Brave Little Boat3-5 min read · 12 pagesDown in a quiet little cove lived a small blue boat named Benny, who dreamed of faraway seas though he was the tiniest boat of all.
Bruno, the Keeper of the Woods6-8 min read · 12 pagesBruno is a bear with the biggest heart in the whole forest, and every creature knows that when trouble comes, he is never far behind.
Captain Leo and the Great Storm6-8 min read · 11 pagesIn a little harbor town where the waves whispered stories of faraway places, everyone knew Captain Leo — the bravest sailor who ever sailed.
Coco and the Case of the Silent Deck4-6 min read · 9 pagesAboard a pirate ship where a single whisper can turn into the loudest news at sea, there lives a wonderfully chatty green parrot named Coco, who knows everything that happens on deck.
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.
Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed1-2 min read · 5 pagesFive little monkeys jumping on the bed — the full counting rhyme from five down to one, with the doctor, the telephone and the mother.
Follow the Thread: How Your Clothes Are Made7-9 min read · 12 pagesT-shirts, sweaters, dresses — we pull them on every single day, but have you ever wondered where they come from?
Goldilocks and the Three Bears6-8 min read · 12 pagesGoldilocks and the three bears, the folk tale to read aloud. She tries all three of everything, and the third one is always just right.
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.
Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes1-2 min read · 2 pagesHead, shoulders, knees and toes — the full words of the action rhyme, and how to speed it up until the whole thing collapses into laughing.
Hey Diddle Diddle1-2 min read · 2 pagesHey diddle diddle, the cat and the fiddle — the full words of the rhyme in which every single line is impossible.
Hickory Dickory Dock1-2 min read · 2 pagesHickory dickory dock, the mouse ran up the clock — the full words, and the actions that turn it into a counting game.
Hugo the Hedgehog and the One Bright Berry2-5 min read · 9 pagesDeep in a snug little wood lives Hugo, a small hedgehog with the biggest heart of all.
Humpty Dumpty1-2 min read · 2 pagesHumpty Dumpty sat on a wall — the full words of the rhyme, and the fact that it never once says what Humpty Dumpty is.
Jack and Jill1-2 min read · 3 pagesJack and Jill went up the hill — the full words of the rhyme, including the verse where Jack gets his head mended with vinegar.
Little Bo-Peep1-2 min read · 5 pagesLittle Bo-Peep has lost her sheep — the full words of the rhyme, including the verses where she finds the tails and has to sew them back on.
Little Jack Horner1-2 min read · 2 pagesLittle Jack Horner sat in a corner — the full words of the rhyme, and why he is so very pleased with himself at the end.
Little Miss Muffet1-2 min read · 2 pagesLittle Miss Muffet sat on a tuffet — the full words of the rhyme, and what a tuffet and curds and whey actually are.
Little Thomas and the Spark in the Box6-8 min read · 12 pagesThomas is a curious little rabbit who finds a mysterious box beneath a tree one bright morning — and inside waits a tiny, dancing flame with a great big lesson to teach.
London Bridge Is Falling Down1-2 min read · 6 pagesLondon Bridge is falling down — the full words of the rhyme, verse by verse, with the wood and clay, the bricks and the iron bars.
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.
Lulu the Kitten and the No-Touch Bottles6-8 min read · 12 pagesLulu is a tiny kitten with an enormous heart for adventure — there's nothing she loves more than poking her whiskers into someplace new.
Mary Had a Little Lamb1-2 min read · 4 pagesMary had a little lamb — the full words of Sarah Josepha Hale's 1830 poem, including the verses that usually get left off.
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.
Nutmeg the Squirrel and the Stranger in Gray6-8 min read · 11 pagesDeep in a forest where the branches whisper stories, there lives a bright little squirrel named Nutmeg — cheerful, curious, and friends with every leaf and twig.
Old MacDonald Had a Farm1-2 min read · 5 pagesOld MacDonald had a farm — the full words, verse by verse, with the cow, the duck, the pig and the sheep, and how to let a child add the next animal.
Old Mother Hubbard1-2 min read · 4 pagesOld Mother Hubbard went to the cupboard — the full opening verses of the rhyme, and the dog that turns out to be remarkable.
Oranges and Lemons1-2 min read · 7 pagesOranges and lemons, say the bells of St Clement's — the full words of the London church-bell rhyme, and the game at the end.
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.
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.
Piper and the Mountain That Waited7-8 min read · 11 pagesPiper is the smallest plane in the whole valley, but her heart is as big as the sky.
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.
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.
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 pageRing 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 pageRow, 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.

A short story is not a story with the end cut off. It is a complete thing that happens to be small: a beginning, one event, and a finish that actually finishes. Children notice the difference immediately — a shortened story ends as though someone turned the light off mid-sentence.

This is the one page on the site sorted by size rather than by subject, so what lands here is mixed on purpose: Aesop's fables next to stories about diggers next to a tale about a squirrel. What they have in common is that you can start one at half past eight and still be done by nine.

They are most useful in two situations — when the evening has run late, and when you are asked for «one more». Starting a long story and stopping halfway is worse than either; taking a whole short one is not.

Frequently asked

How short is short here?

Twelve pages at most, which works out at one to nine minutes read at a normal pace — the one-minute ones are nursery rhymes. The exact time is printed under every title.

Is anything left out of them?

No. Nothing on this page is an abridgement. They are short because they were written short.

What age are they for?

From four upwards. The very shortest — the fox and the grapes, the ant and the grasshopper — work with a three-year-old who is not going to sit still for much.

Want to know where the classic fairy tales come from? The articles are here

Short bedtime stories

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