MarytaleShort bedtime stories
Short bedtime stories for kids: whole stories, not shortened ones, that finish inside ten minutes.
70 stories
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.
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 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.
Frequently asked
- How short is short here?
- Twelve pages at most, which works out at two to seven minutes read at a normal pace. 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 these stories come from? The articles are here
By topic
- Bedtime stories about animals
- Long bedtime stories
- Classic fairy tales
- 5 minute bedtime stories
- Nursery rhymes
- Calming bedtime stories
- 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