Kids bedtime stories to read
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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More From Stories to Grow By
You will find a story you love. Did you know that Stories to Grow By also provides a collection of World Tales? Folktales, fairytales, fables, and more! Whether you are looking for a story from your own country or culture, or a want to learn about a new one! We have you covered.
Check out our special collection of world tales by clicking HERE.
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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.
Hansel and Gretel ~ Bedtime Stories for Kids
Thank you, Artist Nikogeyer
Once upon a time a brother and sister named Hansel and Gretel lived in a hut in the woods with their father.
Their father was a poor woodcutter. His wife, their mother, had died when the two children were very young. Their father thought he would not be lonely anymore when he finally re-married. But the new stepmother made life very hard for Hansel and Gretel. The children were not allowed to eat until after the stepmother had taken everything she wanted off the plates. Most of the time, there was only a crust of bread left. And all day long were hard chores for them to do.
Hansel and Gretel tried to tell their father about this but he would not hear of it. It seemed the only one he would listen to was his wife. And all the stepmother talked about was how much trouble it was to have children in the hut, and how much she wished they would go away forever.
Thank you to Artist, DartGarry
Each day there was less and less food for the boy and girl to eat. Yet the stepmother gave them more and more hard work to do. One day Gretel begged her father, “Please, Father! All day long we work hard and we’re hungry!” But the stepmother slapped her face.
“You ungrateful brats!" she yelled. "You will eat us out of house and home!”
That night the two children were not allowed to sleep in the hut. Outside in the cold, they shivered and tried to keep each other warm. Winter was coming, and the clothes they wore were so thin it felt almost as if they had no clothes on at all.
The next morning when the sun rose, Gretel turned to her little brother. “Hansel,” she said, “we cannot stay here. We must escape now, today, into the woods! Surely we will find more to eat when we are on our own than what we get here at home.”
“Do you think?” said Hansel. "But what if we get lost?”
“We won’t!” said Gretel. “I will take bread. We will drop breadcrumbs behind us. If we have to, we can follow the crumbs back home.”
And so the two of them went off into the woods and left their hard life behind.
They went deeper and deeper into the woods. Gretel was careful to drop one crumb and then after a bit, another.
Thanks to Artist, AlyssaTallent
But alas! They looked and looked for any sign of something to eat - an apple tree, pear tree, some nuts on the ground, or even dried-up berries. There was nothing to eat! They got hungrier and hungrier. At last, poor Hansel and Gretel knew they must return to their hut or they would surely starve. They would just need to find the breadcrumbs and that would lead them home. Yet when they looked for breadcrumbs, there were none to be found - all the breadcrumbs were gone!
A bird whooshed up into the air and in its beak was a large crumb. Hansel and Gretel were struck with grief – the birds must have taken all their breadcrumbs! A wolf howled in the distance. The sun was setting. Hansel and Gretel were lost and hungry. Now they were scared, too.
Thanks to Artist, Dariaazolina
“Gretel,” whispered Hansel in fear, “what will we do?” She did not know what to say.
All she could do was to hug her little brother. Each minute it was getting darker and darker. Again, a wolf howled in the distance.
All of a sudden, Gretel saw a small light shining far away. Could it be someone's hut this deep in the woods? “We must find out!” cried Gretel. “Maybe whoever lives there is kind and will take us in.”
The two children sped as fast as they could to the light.
Thanks to Artist, Seethemagic
When they got closer, they could not believe their eyes! If you can imagine – from top to bottom the hut was made all of candy! From its gingerbread roof, with frosting all over the walls, and with candies tucked into the frosting, what a sight to see!
“Gretel!” Hansel cried out. Before Gretel could say: “I bet it will be okay if we have just a little taste,” both of them were already biting off small chunks and licking the sweet candy.
A sharp voice!– “WHO is nibbling on my house?” Hansel and Gretel spun around.
An old witch!
Thanks to Artist, Kteacrumpet
Stunned, Gretel could only curtsy. "If you please, ma’am,” she said, as sweetly as she could. “There was so much candy on your house. And we are so hungry!”
“You have that right, MY house!" snapped the witch. Her voice dropped. "Well then,” said the witch in a gentler tone, “come inside. I'll get something for you to eat.”
Hansel and Gretel looked at each other in delight. They skipped into the witch’s hut.
A fine meal of soup and bread. As they licked the last crust of bread and looked around the hut, what the brother and sister saw made their hearts turn cold. Piles and piles of bones in the corners! Yet the two children were very tired, and so they slept.
The next morning when they woke, Hansel found himself locked in a cage. The witch roared, “That's where your brother will stay! Every day I will fatten him up.
Soon he will make me a fine dinner!” She laughed and laughed, rubbing her hands with glee. “Till then,” she said sharply to Gretel, “you will work for me.”
Thanks to Artist, beckyholly
Indeed, Hansel was well fed and Gretel worked hard all day doing chores for the witch.
Each morning the witch said to the boy, “Show me your finger. I will feel how plump you are getting.” For the old witch could not see well. Hansel held out his finger as he was told. The witch smiled when she felt how plump he was getting.
“Gretel,” Hansel whispered in fear. “What are we to do? Soon I will be plump enough and the witch will want to eat me!” His sister wished she had a plan, but could not think of anything.
One night when the witch was sleeping, Gretel had an idea. She picked up a bone from one of the piles on the floor and woke her brother. “Hansel,” she said, “the next time the witch asks to see your finger, hold out this bone to her instead.
”
The next morning, he did just that. “Hmph!” said the witch, touching the bone and thinking it was the boy’s finger. “This is going to take longer than I thought!”
“At least I have more time,” Gretel thought. But still, she could not think of any way they could get out of there.
Each morning when the witch said, “Show me your finger,” Hansel held out the thin bone. One day the witch yelled, “I will not wait another day! The boy will be my dinner tonight, no matter how skinny he is!” The witch ordered Gretel to start the fire in the oven at once. She must get it very hot. Gretel worked as slowly as she could. Why was the witch looking at her with such a sly smile?
Thanks to Artist, yaelly
“Be a dear,” said the witch with a slow grim. “Go inside the oven, won’t you? Tell me if it is hot enough.”
Gretel’s heart skipped a beat. If she did that, the witch could push her inside and she would eat them both!
She looked down.
“I am not sure how to tell.”
“Nonsense!” said the witch. “Nothing could be easier. Just go in!”
“Um,” said Gretel slowly, “please show me first?”
“Stupid girl!” snapped the witch. Mumbling and grumbling, she stepped in the oven. The moment the witch was inside Gretel quickly slammed the door.
Thanks to Artist, Teddy529
"Gretel!” Hansel cried out. “You saved us!”
The sister tried to think fast. “Where is that key to your cage?” She looked and looked. At last she found it at the bottom of a vase. She freed her brother from the cage right away. Then she went back to that vase. For what had she felt under the key? Why, the vase had precious jewels inside!
With their pockets filled with the jewels, they ran outside as fast as they could. In the daylight they soon found a small path and followed it. It led to a wider path and that path led to a road.
They waited by the roadside hoping someone would ride by. When a horseman trotted up, Hansel and Gretel waved their hands. When the horseman stopped, the children offered one of the small jewels and the horseman was happy to give them a ride home.
When the brother and sister opened the door to their home, their father was wild with joy to see them. He had worried and looked for them night and day since they had vanished. They learned their stepmother died very soon after they left. For many years to come, Hansel and Gretel lived very happily with their father in the hut in the woods.
Thank you to Artist, DartGarry
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Russian folk people Ivan-Durakavlovye Podsavashkudl children 7 Letro are Babo-Yaguo Dobra and Zlepro Ivanapro Princesses of schoolchildren 2 classes 3 class 3 classes of the senior group
Russian Narodnioscenes at the night zleAbout MashaAbout grandma Junior group
Alexander PushkinBedtime storiesIn verseFor children 12 years oldFor kindergartenFor senior groupFor preparatory group
Russian people's salescaps at night of the waves of the woman-Yagupro Huseydl of schoolchildren 1 class of children's saddles of the middle group
Russian people's sales on the night of the children of children 2 years of tolstoy 9 Children flowersFor children 8 years oldFor schoolchildrenFor 2nd gradeFor 3rd gradeFor 4th gradeFor kindergartenFor senior group
Samuil MarshakAbout Santa ClausFor girlsNew YearFor children 5 years oldFor children 6 years oldFor children 9 years oldFor children 10 years oldFor children 11 years oldFor children 12 years oldAbout the seasonsFor schoolchildrenFor 4th gradeFor kindergartenFor the senior groupFor the preparatory group princessesFor children 8 years oldForeign writers
Russian folktalesBedtime storiesSoviet HouseholdFor children 2 years oldFor kidsInstructiveYounger group
Vitaliy Biandlya children 4 years of flying 5 flyer -cheaty sideline preparatory group
Russian folk priest -Durakaskazy at the night of the waves of Konyatolstoy - Russian folk senior schools of 2nd class of grade 3 class 9003, 9003 9003 9003 9003 magiciansFor kindergartenFor senior group
In verseFor children 2 years oldFor children 4 years oldFor children 5 years old Korney ChukovskyInstructiveFunnyYounger group
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Short bedtime stories for children
What do older children remember? Rare moments of trust and open dialogue with parents.
Short bedtime stories are author's and folklore works of the world that will allow parents to get closer to their children. Reading kind and magical fairy tales, their general discussion will help to form the correct moral guidelines in the life of a child. Short bedtime stories will develop children's imagination, the ability to empathize and find answers to questions that concern children on their own. nine0027
Russian people's sales on the night of animal men of Bear 2 guests 2 years of 3 years of flyer and zlepro Mashuper Grandmother Group
Alexander Pushkinskazykazi at night of the Saddlya of the senior group of the preparatory group
Russian people -yaguAbout geeseFor schoolchildrenFor grade 1For kindergartenFor the middle group
Russian folktalesBedtime storiesShortAbout the bearFor children 2 years oldFor kidsLev TolstoyAbout good and evil Younger group
Charles Charles Perrosive Writing Science at the Night of Animal Propads of Volkadlya Children 3 Letdo children 4 years of babbled granny pupils 1 class 3 class of the Middle Group
Magic Rules of the 1st class.
