Good bedtime stories for 5 year olds
8 New Bedtime Stories to Read to 2-5 Year Old Children
Looking for bedtime stories to read to your child is a tough task. Where do you find a new story every night? Kids between 2-5 years are the trickiest, since you cannot pick up chapter books, they have short attention spans, and you need stories that can tickle their imagination sufficiently. If they learn a thing or two in the process, then that’s the cherry on the icing.
Here are 8 stories that can be read to toddlers at bedtime, each of which is under 10 minutes read-time.
1. A Pair of BinocularsMr. Grasshopper discovers the joys of using a pair of binoculars with the help of Mr. Beaver. And boy! Isn’t he thrilled!
Read the complete story here.
2. The Tale of Two Frogs – A Japanese FolktaleThis is the story of two frogs from Japan. One day a thought struck both of them – they desired to see something outside of their own world. The frog from Osaka wanted to see how Kyoto looked like and the Kyoto frog was excited to visit Osaka. One fine day, the two frogs set off on their respective journeys.
Halfway between Osaka and Kyoto was a tall mountain that had to be crossed to reach the other city. The frogs met each other on the top of this mountain.
Click here to read what happened next.
3. The Smoke Seller – A Turkish FolktaleA poor man had no money to afford the grilled meat that smelt delicious. So, instead, taking a few pieces of bread from his pocket, he held them to the smoke emanating from the grill, and then ate them. The vendor demanded that the poor man pay up for the smoke that helped him eat his bread.
The two quarreling men decided to see the judge – Nasreddin Hodja – and settle the matter.
Click here to find out the hilarious manner in which Hodja settled the dispute.
4. Snow White and The Good WitchA present-day retelling of the classic fairy tale, where the dwarfs rescue Snow White from her eternal sleep with the help of the Good Witch.
Read how Snow White goes back to reclaim her kingdom from the evil step-mother with the help of the dwarfs and the Good Witch.
Read the complete story here.
5. The StarfishAn old man on a beach, finds a young boy throwing starfish into the sea after a storm. He asks the boy why he is doing so. The boy replied, “I am throwing the starfish back into the ocean. The storm washed them up on to the beach last night. Now the tide is far out, and the starfish cannot return to the sea by themselves. When the sun gets too high, they will die because of the heat. So I am throwing them back into the water before that happens.”
The old man was bewildered and wondered if the boy was simply stupid. “But there must be thousands of starfish on this beach. It is impossible to save all of them. I’m afraid you won’t be able to make much of a difference”, he said.
Click here to read what the boy said in this short story with an important moral value.
A lonely snowman goes in search of some company. He meets many people on the way. Finally he finds friends.
Read this story to know about his adventures.
7. Hari and The CloudThe farmers in a village are told by an Oracle that there will be no rains for a long time. Everybody is depressed and put away their ploughs and tools, and sit down to wait for the rains to return. One farmer – Hari – continues to plough his fields daily and sow seeds at the beginning of every season. Everybody in the village makes fun of him.
One day a small cloud passes over Hari’s field and sees him hard at work. ‘Don’t you know there are going to be no rains for a long time? Why are you working in your fields?’ he asked.
Find out what Hari answered in this story.
8. The Undersea Adventure of the Blue DiamondOnce upon a time, there was a mermaid, a crab, a sea-lion, a sea-horse and a sea turtle.
They all lived together in the Great Pacific Ocean. They all set out on a treasure hunt to find the Great Castle of Gold. On the way, they meet Tory – a fish who has lost her way, and claims to have seen the Castle of Gold.
Read about their adventures here.
- Also read Top 20 Bedtime Stories from Panchatantra, Aesop’s Fables and Folklore
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Read more bedtime stories here.
Bedtime Stories | Free 5 Min Bedtime Stories for Kids Online Bedtime Stories
The Classic fairytale of Cinderella: a young girl, mistreated by her step-mother and step-sisters, who finds out that dreams really can come true.
The Classic Fairytale Story of Snow White with a Modern Twist: Who is the “fair”est of them all? Snow White of course!
A Bedtime Story of Honesty, Courage and Truth. If Pinocchio is to become a Real boy he needs to learn how to be honest, brave and true.
A Grimm’s Brother Tale: A miller tells a tale that his daughter can turn straw into gold.
A strange little man is willing to help…for a price. Guess his name and he will be gone…but what is his name?
Goldilocks and the Three Bears ~ Bedtime Stories for Kids. Goldilocks finds the three bears cottage in the woods. Should she make herself comfortable?
Hansel and Gretel Bedtime Stories for Kids. When Hansel and Gretel go in search of food, they find a gingerbread house. But who is inside?
A Story of Friendship, Love and Courage. Rapunzel’s Story ~ A Brothers Grimm Fairy Tale. An evil witch has trapped Rapunzel in a tower. Can her long hair or love save her?
A Story of Courage, Justice and Self-Awareness. Merlin the Magician places a magic sword in a stone…whomever can pull it out is the rightful king.
A Bedtime Story of Acceptance and Self-Awareness. A Mama Duck is proud when her six ducklings hatch from their eggs. But one duckling does not look like the others? Is he truly an Ugly Duckling?
The classic Brother’s Grimm fairytale that sparked the Disney adaptation.
A Story of Courage, Learning and Love. The Classic fairy tale: The Little Mermaid falls in love with a prince on shore and she makes a deal with the Sea Witch to become human. But without her voice, how can the prince fall in love with her?
This Classic Folktale is adapted from the original story of “Aladdin” from The Arabian Nights. Aladdin, the Genie and the Magic Lamp work to impress the princess who wishes to be a commoner.
A Story of Courage, Kindness to Animals and Learning. The Classic Tale of a male deer, Bambi, his mother and his adventures learning in the woods.
A Story of Charity, Compassion and Justice, from England. Robin Hood takes part in an archery contest thrown by the Sheriff of Nottingham. Will he realize its a trap before it is too late? One of the many Tales of Robin Hood.
This is the Legend Tale of Maui the Demi-God from Moana. It is part of our Classic Bedtime Stories for Kids Collection. It has been adapted from the Tales of Maui as well as Disney’s version of Moana.
A Bedtime Story in Simple English for Kids. A toy rabbit learns that through a child’s love it can become real.
The Classic Tale of the Snow Queen: Gerda and Kai struggle to fight the Snow Queen and find the balance between Good and Evil.
The Classic Fairy Tale of Sleeping Beauty. Princess Aurora has been cursed by Maleficent. When she pricks herself on a spinning wheel on her 16th birthday, she is put into a deep sleep for 100 years. Who can save her?
Bedtime Story for Kids: The Gift of the Magi, A Christmas Story. Della and Jim wish to give each other the perfect Christmas present, but how will they come up with the money?
A Bedtime Story of Friendship, Courage and Acceptance. . The story tells of the time Pocahontas saved the life of settler John Smith from her father, Powhatan.
A Cinderella Story ~ Bedtime Stories for Kids
The Classic fairytale of Cinderella: a young girl, mistreated by her step-mother and step-sisters, who finds out that dreams really can come true.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Story ~ Bedtime Stories for Kids
The Classic Fairytale Story of Snow White with a Modern Twist: Who is the “fair”est of them all? Snow White of course!
Pinocchio Story ~ Fairy Tale Bedtime Stories in English for Kids
A Bedtime Story of Honesty, Courage and Truth. If Pinocchio is to become a Real boy he needs to learn how to be honest, brave and true.
Beauty and the Beast Classic Tale ~ Fairy Tale Stories for Kids
The classic fairy tale of a beautiful woman and the monstrous beast.
Rumpelstiltskin ~ A Fairy Tale Bedtime Story for Kids
A Grimm’s Brother Tale: A miller tells a tale that his daughter can turn straw into gold. A strange little man is willing to help…for a price. Guess his name and he will be gone…but what is his name?
Goldilocks and the Three Bears ~ Bedtime Stories for Kids
Goldilocks and the Three Bears ~ Bedtime Stories for Kids. Goldilocks finds the three bears cottage in the woods.
Should she make herself comfortable?
Hansel and Gretel ~ Bedtime Stories for Kids
Hansel and Gretel Bedtime Stories for Kids. When Hansel and Gretel go in search of food, they find a gingerbread house. But who is inside?
Rapunzel by the Brothers Grimm ~ Bedtime Stories
A Story of Friendship, Love and Courage. Rapunzel’s Story ~ A Brothers Grimm Fairy Tale. An evil witch has trapped Rapunzel in a tower. Can her long hair or love save her?
The Sword in the Stone: a King Arthur Legend of the Sword Story
A Story of Courage, Justice and Self-Awareness. Merlin the Magician places a magic sword in a stone…whomever can pull it out is the rightful king.
The Ugly Duckling Story ~ Fairy Tale Story for Kids in English
A Bedtime Story of Acceptance and Self-Awareness. A Mama Duck is proud when her six ducklings hatch from their eggs. But one duckling does not look like the others? Is he truly an Ugly Duckling?
The Frog Prince: The Story of the Princess and the Frog ~ Bedtime Stories
The classic Brother’s Grimm fairytale that sparked the Disney adaptation.
The Little Mermaid Story ~ Bedtime Stories for Kids in English
A Story of Courage, Learning and Love. The Classic fairy tale: The Little Mermaid falls in love with a prince on shore and she makes a deal with the Sea Witch to become human. But without her voice, how can the prince fall in love with her?
Aladdin and the Magic Lamp from The Arabian Nights ~ Bedtime Stories
This Classic Folktale is adapted from the original story of “Aladdin” from The Arabian Nights. Aladdin, the Genie and the Magic Lamp work to impress the princess who wishes to be a commoner.
Bambi Story: A Life in the Woods ~ Bedtime Stories for Kids in English
A Story of Courage, Kindness to Animals and Learning. The Classic Tale of a male deer, Bambi, his mother and his adventures learning in the woods.
Robin Hood and the Golden Arrow Story ~ Legend Stories for Kids
A Story of Charity, Compassion and Justice, from England. Robin Hood takes part in an archery contest thrown by the Sheriff of Nottingham.
Will he realize its a trap before it is too late? One of the many Tales of Robin Hood.
Maui from Moana: Tales of the Demi-God ~ Legend Stories for Kids
This is the Legend Tale of Maui the Demi-God from Moana. It is part of our Classic Bedtime Stories for Kids Collection. It has been adapted from the Tales of Maui as well as Disney’s version of Moana.
The Velveteen Rabbit Story ~ Bedtime English Story for Kids
A Bedtime Story in Simple English for Kids. A toy rabbit learns that through a child’s love it can become real.
The Snow Queen Fairy Tale Story ~Bedtime Story for Kids
The Classic Tale of the Snow Queen: Gerda and Kai struggle to fight the Snow Queen and find the balance between Good and Evil.
Sleeping Beauty Fairy Tale Story ~ Bedtime Stories for Kids
The Classic Fairy Tale of Sleeping Beauty. Princess Aurora has been cursed by Maleficent. When she pricks herself on a spinning wheel on her 16th birthday, she is put into a deep sleep for 100 years.
Who can save her?
The Gift of the Magi Story ~ A Holiday Story for Kids
Bedtime Story for Kids: The Gift of the Magi, A Christmas Story. Della and Jim wish to give each other the perfect Christmas present, but how will they come up with the money?
Pocahontas and John Smith Story ~ Folktales Stories for Kids
A Bedtime Story of Friendship, Courage and Acceptance. . The story tells of the time Pocahontas saved the life of settler John Smith from her father, Powhatan.
The Emperor’s New Clothes Story ~ Bedtime Stories
A Bedtime Story in Simple English for Kids. The Emperor is fooled into believing he is wearing magic clothes which can’t be “seen”.
Mulan Story ~ Tale of Hua Mulan Bedtime Stories | English Story for Kids
A Bedtime Story in Simple English for Kids. Based on the “Ballad of Mulan” and Disney’s Mulan, this is a legend tale about a girl who goes in disguise as a boy and joins the army in her brother’s place.
Short Stories for Kids ~ Folk tales, Fairy Tales, Riddles, Legends, Poems
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Teaching Resources from Stories to Grow By
In addition to our bedtime stories, we also offer a multitude teaching resources! This includes over 100 free bedtime stories, fairy tales, folk tales, readers theater play scripts, and performance notes!
You will find the bedtime stories and the materials you need for your classroom with Stories to Grow By.
Fairy tales for children aged 5
Fairy tales for children aged 5 — a selection of works that will make the kid want to return to adults every evening for a new story from the wonderful world of fairy tales. At the age of 5, the child still clearly divides the world into good and bad. He wants to listen to something that strikes the imagination with the brightness of the plot and images. Children at the age of 5 expect that after all the adventures of the positive heroes, victory awaits, and the villains - punishment. Fairy tales for children aged 5 teach young listeners compassion and the ability to distinguish good from evil.
Sort by: Popularity of the reading of the reading of the screening of
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Samuel Marshakpro Santa Morozadl girl -day children 5 years of flying children 9 years of guess of children 11 years of fly 12 years old classes of 4th grade children's saddles of the senior group of the senior group 9,0003 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9 PerroForeign writersAbout a catFor children 5 years oldFor children 6 years oldFor children 7 years oldAbout friendshipFor schoolchildrenFor 2nd gradeFor 3rd gradeFor kindergartenFor preparatory group
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Vitaliy Biandlya children 4 years of flying 5 flyer -cheaty sideline preparatory group
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Poems of Chukovsky Veckhdly Children 2 years of children 5 years of Chukovsky -commissioning group
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Brothers of the children of children at night years For children 5 years old About friendship For schoolchildren For grade 2 For kindergarten For middle group
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Poems by Chukovsky Pot some children 4 years of fly 5 years of flying children 6 flyor -mock -mocking mocking kindergarten of the middle group of the middle group of the older group
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Poems of Chukovsky Stealskiy Children of Children 6th Vorornye Chukovsky Saddlya of the Middle Group
9000 9000 Rossiyolsholsholsh. -
Nikolai NosovFunny StoriesStories for children 3 years oldStories for children 4 years oldStories for children 5 years oldStories for children 6 years oldFor children 3 years oldFor children 4 years oldFor children 5 years oldFor children 6 years oldFor kindergartenFor the middle group for children 5 years old Stories for children 6 years old About a mouse For children 4 years old For children 5 years old For children 6 years old0003
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Mikhail ZoshchenkoStories for children 5 years oldStories for children 6 years oldStories for children 7 years oldStories for children 8 years oldStories for children 9 years oldStories for children 10-11 years oldFor children 5 years oldFor children 6 years oldFor children 7 years oldAbout boysInstructive stories
- Russian folk tales
nightMagicalFor children 5 years oldFor children 6 years oldFor kidsTolstoy - Russian folkAbout IvanAbout brothersAbout the old womanFor schoolchildrenFor grade 1For grade 2For grade 3For kindergartenFor middle group
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Mikhail ZoshchenkoStories for children 6 years oldStories for children 7 years oldStories for children 8 years oldFor children 5 years oldFor children 6 years oldFor children 7 years oldEducationalAbout boysInstructive stories children 5 years old For children 6 years old For children 7 years old For kindergarten For the senior group
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Chukovsky's poems In verse For children 2 years old For children 4 years old For children 5 years old Korney Chukovsky For schoolchildren For grade 1 Funny For the middle group
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About dinosaur-time for children 3 years of flying 4 years of 4 years of children 5 years old 5 years old
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Russian folk-haired children 5 Letro are Babu-Yagu
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Nikolai Nosov-Excessions for children of 6 years of years for children 7 years of gunsit years For children 5 years old For children 6 years old For children 7 years old About boys Instructive stories
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Maxim Gorky About fish For children 5 years old For children 6 years old For children 7 years old
children 7 years old For children 10 years old For children 11 years old About good and evil About Ivan About brothers About grandmother For schoolchildren For grade 2 For grade 3 Show more
No need to lie - Mikhail Zoshchenko, read online
I studied a very long time ago.
Then there were high schools. And the teachers then put marks in the diary for each lesson asked. They put some score - from five to one inclusive.
And I was very small when I entered the gymnasium, the preparatory class. I was only seven years old.
And I still didn't know anything about what happens in gymnasiums. And for the first three months, I literally walked in a fog.
And one day the teacher told us to memorize a poem:
The moon is merrily shining over the village,
The white snow sparkles with a blue light...
But I didn't learn this poem. I didn't hear what the teacher said. I didn’t hear because the boys who were sitting behind me either slapped me on the back of the head with a book, or smeared ink on my ear, or pulled my hair, and when I jumped up in surprise, they put a pencil or insert under me.
And for this reason, I sat in the classroom, frightened and even stunned, and all the time I listened to what else the boys sitting behind were planning against me.
And the next day the teacher, as luck would have it, called me and ordered me to read the assigned poem by heart.
Not only did I not know him, but I did not even suspect that such poems existed in the world. But out of timidity, I did not dare to tell the teacher that I did not know these verses. And he stood at his desk, completely stunned, without uttering a word.
But then the boys began to suggest these verses to me. And because of this, I began to babble what they whispered to me.
At that time I had a chronic runny nose, and I could not hear well with one ear, and therefore it was difficult to understand what they were telling me.
Even the first lines I somehow said. But when it came to the phrase: “The cross under the clouds burns like a candle,” I said: “Crack under the boots, like a candle hurts.”
There was laughter among the students. And the teacher laughed too. He said:
- Come on, give me your diary! I'll put one in there for you.
And I cried because it was my first unit and I didn't know what it was.
After school my sister Lelya came to pick me up to go home together.
On the way I took a diary out of my knapsack, unfolded it on the page where one was marked, and said to Lelya:
— Lelya, look what it is? This was given to me by the teacher for the poem "The moon is merrily shining over the village."
Lelya looked and laughed. She said:
- Minka, this is bad! It was your teacher who slapped you a unit in the Russian language. This is so bad that I doubt that dad will give you a photographic camera for your name day, which will be in two weeks.
I said:
— And what to do?
Lelya said:
— One of our students took and sealed two pages in her diary, where she had one. Her dad licked his fingers, but he couldn’t peel it off and never saw what was there.
I said:
— Lelya, it's not good to deceive your parents!
Lelya laughed and went home.
And in a sad mood I went into the city garden, sat down on a bench there and, having unfolded the diary, looked with horror at the unit.
I sat in the garden for a long time. Then he went home. But as he approached the house, he suddenly remembered that he had left his diary on a bench in the garden. I ran back. But my diary was no longer on the bench in the garden. At first I was frightened, and then I was glad that now I don’t have a diary with this terrible unit with me.
I came home and told my father that I had lost my diary. And Lelya laughed and winked at me when she heard these words of mine.
The next day the teacher, having learned that I had lost the diary, gave me a new one.
I opened this new diary with the hope that this time there was nothing wrong with it, but there was again a unit against the Russian language, even bolder than before.
And then I felt so annoyed and so angry that I threw this diary behind the bookcase that we had in the classroom.
Two days later, the teacher, having learned that I did not have this diary, filled out a new one. And, in addition to the unit in the Russian language, he brought me a deuce there in behavior. And he told my father to look at my diary without fail.
When I met Lelya after school, she told me:
— It won't be a lie if we temporarily seal the page. And a week after your name day, when you get your camera, we'll peel it off and show dad what was in there.
I really wanted to get a photographic camera, and Lelya and I glued the corners of the ill-fated diary page.
In the evening, dad said:
— Come on, show me your diary! Interesting to know if you picked up units?
Dad began to look at the diary, but did not see anything bad there, because the page was sealed.
And while dad was looking at my diary, suddenly someone called on the stairs.
Some woman came and said:
— The other day I was walking in the city garden and there I found a diary on a bench.
I learned the address by the last name and brought it to you so that you could tell if your son had lost this diary.
Dad looked at the diary and, seeing one there, understood everything.
He didn't yell at me. He only quietly said:
- People who lie and deceive are funny and comical, because sooner or later their lies will always be revealed. And there was no case in the world that any of the lies remained unknown.
I, red as a cancer, stood in front of my father, and I was ashamed of his quiet words.
I said:
— Here's what: another one of mine, the third one, I threw behind a bookcase at school.
Instead of getting even angrier with me, dad smiled and beamed. He grabbed me in his arms and started kissing me.
He said:
— The fact that you confessed this made me extremely happy. You admitted that you could remain unknown for a long time. And it gives me hope that you won't lie anymore. And for this I will give you a camera.
When Lelya heard these words, she thought that dad had gone crazy in his mind and now he gives everyone gifts not for fives, but for ones.
And then Lelya came up to dad and said:
— Daddy, today I also got a bad mark in physics because I didn't learn the lesson.
But Lelya's expectations were not justified. Dad got angry with her, kicked her out of his room and told her to immediately sit down to books.
And in the evening, when we went to bed, the bell suddenly rang.
It was my teacher who came to my father. And I told him:
- Today we had a cleaning in the classroom, and we found your son's diary behind the bookcase. How do you like this little liar and deceiver who abandoned his diary so that you would not see him?
Dad said:
— I have personally heard about this diary from my son. He confessed this to me himself. So there is no reason to think that my son is an incorrigible liar and deceiver.
The teacher said to dad:
— Oh, that's how it is.
