Stories of small children
20 Best Short Moral Stories for Kids (Valuable Lessons)
Want to expand your children’s vocabulary? Read to them. That’s all it takes — and there are other benefits to reading aloud to young children as well.
Reading to older children offers a great method to teach them life lessons in a way that they’ll understand. And it’s easier than ever to find these moral stories to read.
There is a large selection of short moral stories for kids online. They range from the classics like The Boy Who Cried Wolf, to somber ones talking about greed. To help you out, we’ve gathered a selection of the most 20 popular stories.
Table of Contents
- 20 Short Moral Stories For Kids
- How Moral Stories Benefit Children
- The Takeaway
20 Short Moral Stories For Kids
1. The Boy Who Cried Wolf
The Moral
Lying breaks trust — even if you’re telling the truth, no one believes a liar.
Once, there was a boy who became bored when he watched over the village sheep grazing on the hillside. To entertain himself, he sang out, “Wolf! Wolf! The wolf is chasing the sheep!”
When the villagers heard the cry, they came running up the hill to drive the wolf away. But, when they arrived, they saw no wolf. The boy was amused when seeing their angry faces.
“Don’t scream wolf, boy,” warned the villagers, “when there is no wolf!” They angrily went back down the hill.
Later, the shepherd boy cried out once again, “Wolf! Wolf! The wolf is chasing the sheep!” To his amusement, he looked on as the villagers came running up the hill to scare the wolf away.
As they saw there was no wolf, they said strictly, “Save your frightened cry for when there really is a wolf! Don’t cry ‘wolf’ when there is no wolf!” But the boy grinned at their words while they walked grumbling down the hill once more.
Later, the boy saw a real wolf sneaking around his flock. Alarmed, he jumped on his feet and cried out as loud as he could, “Wolf! Wolf!” But the villagers thought he was fooling them again, and so they didn’t come to help.
At sunset, the villagers went looking for the boy who hadn’t returned with their sheep. When they went up the hill, they found him weeping.
“There really was a wolf here! The flock is gone! I cried out, ‘Wolf!’ but you didn’t come,” he wailed.
An old man went to comfort the boy. As he put his arm around him, he said, “Nobody believes a liar, even when he is telling the truth!”
2. The Golden Touch
The Moral
Greed will always lead to downfall.
There once was a king named Midas who did a good deed for a Satyr. And he was then granted a wish by Dionysus, the god of wine.
For his wish, Midas asked that whatever he touched would turn to gold. Despite Dionysus’ efforts to prevent it, Midas pleaded that this was a fantastic wish, and so, it was bestowed.
Excited about his newly-earned powers, Midas started touching all kinds of things, turning each item into pure gold.
But soon, Midas became hungry. As he picked up a piece of food, he found he couldn’t eat it.
It had turned to gold in his hand.
Hungry, Midas groaned, “I’ll starve! Perhaps this was not such an excellent wish after all!”
Seeing his dismay, Midas’ beloved daughter threw her arms around him to comfort him, and she, too, turned to gold. “The golden touch is no blessing,” Midas cried.
3. The Fox and the Grapes
The Moral
Never despise what we can’t have; nothing comes easy.
One day, a fox became very hungry as he went to search for some food. He searched high and low, but couldn’t find something that he could eat.
Finally, as his stomach rumbled, he stumbled upon a farmer’s wall. At the top of the wall, he saw the biggest, juiciest grapes he’d ever seen. They had a rich, purple color, telling the fox they were ready to be eaten.
To reach the grapes, the fox had to jump high in the air. As he jumped, he opened his mouth to catch the grapes, but he missed. The fox tried again but missed yet again.
He tried a few more times but kept failing.
Finally, the fox decided it was time to give up and go home. While he walked away, he muttered, “I’m sure the grapes were sour anyway.”
4. The Proud Rose
The Moral
Never judge anyone by the way they look.
Once upon a time, in a desert far away, there was a rose who was so proud of her beautiful looks. Her only complaint was growing next to an ugly cactus.
Every day, the beautiful rose would insult and mock the cactus on his looks, all while the cactus remained quiet. All the other plants nearby tried to make the rose see sense, but she was too swayed by her own looks.
One scorching summer, the desert became dry, and there was no water left for the plants. The rose quickly began to wilt. Her beautiful petals dried up, losing their lush color.
Looking to the cactus, she saw a sparrow dip his beak into the cactus to drink some water. Though ashamed, the rose asked the cactus if she could have some water. The kind cactus readily agreed, helping them both through the tough summer, as friends.
5. The Milkmaid and Her Pail
The Moral
Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.
One day, Molly the milkmaid had filled her pails with milk. Her job was to milk the cows, and then bring the milk to the market to sell. Molly loved to think about what to spend her money on.
As she filled the pails with milk and went to market, she again thought of all the things she wanted to buy. As she walked along the road, she thought of buying a cake and a basket full of fresh strawberries.
A little further down the road, she spotted a chicken. She thought, “With the money I get from today, I’m going to buy a chicken of my own. That chicken will lay eggs, then I will be able to sell milk and eggs and get more money!”
She continued, “With more money, I will be able to buy a fancy dress and make all the other milkmaids jealous.” Out of excitement, Molly started skipping, forgetting about the milk in her pails. Soon, the milk started spilling over the edges, covering Molly.
Drenched, Molly said to herself, “Oh no! I will never have enough money to buy a chicken now.” She went home with her empty pails.
“Oh, my goodness! What happened to you?” Molly’s mother asked.
“I was too busy dreaming about all the things I wanted to buy that I forgot about the pails,” she answered.
“Oh, Molly, my dear. How many times do I need to say, ‘Don’t count your chickens until they hatch?’”
6. A Wise Old Owl
The Moral
Be more observant. Talk less and listen more. This will make us wise.
There was an old owl who lived in an oak tree. Every day, he observed incidents that occurred around him.
Yesterday, he watched as a young boy helped an old man carry a heavy basket. Today, he saw a young girl shouting at her mother. The more he saw, the less he spoke.
As the days went on, he spoke less but heard more. The old owl heard people talking and telling stories.
He heard a woman saying an elephant jumped over a fence.
He heard a man saying that he had never made a mistake.
The old owl had seen and heard what happened to people. There were some who became better, some who became worse. But the old owl in the tree had become wiser, each and every day.
7. The Golden Egg
The Moral
Never act before you think.
Once upon a time, a farmer had a goose that laid one golden egg every day. The egg provided enough money for the farmer and his wife to support their daily needs. The farmer and his wife continued to be happy for a long time.
But, one day, the farmer thought to himself, “Why should we take just one egg a day? Why can’t we take them all at once and make a lot of money?” The farmer told his wife his idea, and she foolishly agreed.
Then, the next day, as the goose laid its golden egg, the farmer was quick with a sharp knife. He killed the goose and cut its stomach open, in the hopes of finding all its golden eggs. But, as he opened the stomach, the only thing he found was guts and blood.
The farmer quickly realized his foolish mistake and proceeded to cry over his lost resource. As the days went on, the farmer and his wife became poorer and poorer. How jinxed and how foolish they were.
8. The Farmer and the Well
The Moral
Cheating will not get you anything. If you cheat, you’ll pay soon enough.
One day, a farmer was looking for a water source for his farm, when he bought a well from his neighbor. The neighbor, however, was cunning. The next day, as the farmer came to draw water from his well, the neighbor refused to let him take any water.
When the farmer asked why, the neighbor replied, “I sold you the well, not the water,” and walked away. Distraught, the farmer went to the emperor to ask for justice. He explained what had happened.
The emperor called on Birbal, one of his nine, and wisest, courtiers. Birbal proceeded to question the neighbor, “Why don’t you let the farmer take water from the well? You did sell the well to the farmer?”
The neighbor replied, “Birbal, I did sell the well to the farmer but not the water within it.
He has no right to draw water from the well.”
Birbal said, “Look, since you sold the well, you have no right to keep the water in the farmer’s well. Either you pay rent to the farmer, or take it out immediately.” Realizing that his scheme had failed, the neighbor apologized and went home.
9. Elephant and Friends
The Moral
Friends come in every shape and size.
A lone elephant walked through the forest, looking for friends. She soon saw a monkey and proceeded to ask, ‘Can we be friends, monkey?’
The monkey quickly replied, ‘You are big and can’t swing on trees like I do, so I cannot be your friend.’
Defeated, the elephant continued to search when it stumbled across a rabbit. She proceeded to ask him, ‘Can we be friends, rabbit?’
The rabbit looked at the elephant and replied, “You are too big to fit inside my burrow. You cannot be my friend.”
Then, the elephant continued until she met a frog. She asked, “Will you be my friend, frog?”
The frog replied, “You are too big and heavy; you cannot jump like me.
I am sorry, but you can’t be my friend.”
The elephant continued to ask the animals she met on her way, but always received the same reply. The following day, the elephant saw all the forest animals run in fear. She stopped a bear to ask what was happening and was told the tiger was attacking all the small animals.
The elephant wanted to save the other animals, so she went to the tiger and said, “Please, sir, leave my friends alone. Do not eat them.”
The tiger didn’t listen. He merely told the elephant to mind her own business.
Seeing no other way, the elephant kicked the tiger and scared him away. Upon hearing of the brave tale, the other animals agreed, “You are just the right size to be our friend.”
10. When Adversity Knocks
The Moral
We can choose how to respond in difficult situations.
Asha was getting frustrated and tired of life, so she asked her father what to do. Her father told her to bring an egg, two tea leaves, and a potato.
He then brought out three vessels, filled them with water, and placed them on the stove.
Once the water was boiling, he told Asha to place the items into each pot and keep an eye on them. After 10 minutes, he asked Asha to peel the egg, peel the potato, and strain the leaves. Asha was left confused.
Her father explained, “Each item was placed into the same circumstance, boiling water. See how each responded differently?”
He continued, “The egg was soft, but is now hard. The potato was hard, but is now soft. And the tea leaves, they changed the water itself.”
The father then asked, “When adversity calls, we respond in the same manner as they have. Now, are you an egg, a potato, or tea leaves?”
11. The Needle Tree
The Moral
It’s important to be kind, as it will always be rewarded.
Once, there were two brothers who lived at the forest’s edge. The oldest brother was always unkind to his younger brother. The older brother took all the food and snatched all the good clothes.
The oldest brother used to go into the forest in search of firewood to sell in the market. As he walked through the forest, he chopped off the branches of every tree, until he came upon a magical tree.
The tree stopped him before he chopped its branches and said, ‘Oh, kind sir, please spare my branches. If you spare me, I will provide you with golden apples.’
The oldest brother agreed but was feeling disappointed with how many apples the tree gave him.
Overcome by greed, the brother threatened to cut the entire tree if it didn’t provide him with more apples. But, instead of giving more apples, the tree showered him with hundreds of tiny needles. The brother fell to the ground, crying in pain as the sun began to set.
Soon, the younger brother became worried and went to search for his older brother. He searched until he found him at the trunk of the tree, lying in pain with hundreds of needles on his body.
He rushed to him and started to painstakingly remove each needle with love.
Once the needles were out, the oldest brother apologized for treating his younger brother so badly. The magical tree saw the change in the older brother’s heart and gifted them with all the golden apples they could need.
12. A Glass of Milk
The Moral
No good deed goes unrewarded.
There once was a poor boy who spent his days going door-to-door selling newspapers to pay for school. One day, as he was walking his route, he started feeling low and weak. The poor boy was starving, so he decided to ask for food when he came to the next door.
The poor boy asked for food but was denied every time, until he reached the door of a girl. He asked for a glass of water, but seeing his poor state, the girl came back with a glass of milk. The boy asked how much he owed her for the milk, but she refused payment.
Years later, the girl, who was now a grown woman, fell sick. She went from doctor to doctor, but no one was able to cure her. Finally, she went to the best doctor in town.
The doctor spent months treating her until she was finally cured. Despite her happiness, she was afraid she couldn’t afford to pay the bill. But, when the hospital handed her the bill, it read, ‘Paid in full, with a glass of milk.’
13. The Ants and the Grasshopper
The Moral
There’s a time for work and a time for play.
One bright autumn day, a family of ants was busy working in the warm sunshine. They were drying out the grain they had stored up during the summer when a starving grasshopper came up. With his fiddle under his arm, the grasshopper humbly begged for a bite to eat.
“What!” cried the ants, “Haven’t you stored any food away for the winter? What in the world were you doing all summer?”
“I didn’t have time to store any food before winter,” the grasshopper whined. “I was too busy making music that the summer flew by.”
The ants simply shrugged their shoulders and said, “Making music, were you? Very well, now dance!” The ants then turned their backs on the grasshopper and returned to work.
14. The Bundle of Sticks
The Moral
There’s strength in unity.
Once upon a time, there was an old man who lived in a village with his three sons. Although his three sons were hard workers, they quarreled all the time. The old man tried to unite them but failed.
Months passed by, and the old man became sick. He asked his sons to remain united, but they failed to listen to him. At that moment, the old man decided to teach them a lesson — to forget their differences and come together in unity.
The old man summoned his sons, then proceeded to tell them, “I will provide you with a bundle of sticks. Separate each stick, and then break each into two. The one who finishes first will be rewarded more than the others.”
And so, the sons agreed. The old man provided them with a bundle of ten sticks each, and then asked the sons to break each stick into pieces. The sons broke the sticks within minutes, then proceeded to quarrel among themselves again.
The old man said, “My dear sons, the game is not yet over. I will now give you another bundle of sticks. Only this time, you will have to break them together as a bundle, not separately.”
The sons readily agreed and then tried to break the bundle. Despite trying their best, they could not break the sticks. The sons told their father of their failure.
The old man said, “My dear sons, see! Breaking every single stick individually was easy for you, but breaking them in a bundle, you could not do. By staying united, nobody can harm you. If you continue to quarrel, then anyone can quickly defeat you.”
The old man continued, “I ask that you stay united.” Then, the three sons understood there’s power in unity, and promised their father they would all stay together.
15. The Bear and the Two Friends
The Moral
A true friend will always support and stand by you in any situation.
One day, two friends were walking through the forest. They knew the forest was a dangerous place and that anything could happen.
So, they promised to remain close to each other in case of any danger.
All of a sudden, a big bear was approaching them. One of the friends quickly climbed a nearby tree, leaving the other friend behind.
The other friend did not know how to climb, and instead, followed common sense. He laid down on the ground and remained there, breathless, pretending to be dead.
The bear approached the friend lying on the ground. The animal started to smell his ear before slowly wandering off again because bears never touch those who are dead.
Soon, the friend who hid in the tree came down. He asked his friend, “My dear friend, what secret did the bear whisper to you?” The friend replied, “The bear simply advised me never to believe a false friend.”
16. The Miser and His Gold
The Moral
A possession is as important as what it’s used for.
There once was an old miser who lived in a house with a garden. The old miser used to hide all his gold coins under stones in his garden.
Every night, before he went to bed, the miser went out into his garden to count his coins. He continued the same routine every day, but he never spent a single, golden coin.
One day, a thief saw the old miser hiding his coins. Once the old miser went back into his house, the thief went to the hiding place and took all the gold.
The following day, as the old man came out to count his coins, he found it was gone and started wailing loudly. His neighbor heard the cries and came running, asking what had happened. Upon learning what had occurred, the neighbor asked, “Why didn’t you just save the money inside your house where it would’ve been safe?”
The neighbor continued, “Having it inside the house would make it easier to access when you need to buy something.” “Buy something?” answered the miser, “I was never going to spend my gold.”
When hearing this, the neighbor picked up a stone and threw it. Then, he said, “If that’s the case, then save the stone. It’s as worthless as the gold you’ve lost.
”
17. The Dog At the Well
The Moral
Always listen to what elders say and don’t defy them.
A mother dog and her pups lived on a farm. On the farm, there was a well. The mother dog always told her pups never to go near or play around it.
One day, one of the pups was overcome by curiosity and wondered why they weren’t allowed to go near the well. So, he decided he wanted to explore it.
He went down to the well and climbed up the wall to peek inside. In the well, he saw his reflection in the water but thought it was another dog. The little pup got angry when his reflection was imitating him, so he decided to fight it.
The little pup jumped into the well, only to find there was no dog. He began to bark and bark until the farmer came to rescue him. The pup had learned his lesson and never went back to the well again.
18. Controlling Anger
The Moral
Anger is like a knife — one of the most dangerous weapons.
When you use it, the wounds will heal, but the scars remain.
Once, there was a young boy. This boy had problems controlling his anger. When he got angry, he would say the first thing that came to mind, even if it affected people.
One day, his father gifted him a hammer and a bundle of nails, then said, “Whenever you get mad, hammer a nail into the backyard fence.”
In the first days, the boy used up half of the nails. Over the next weeks, he used up fewer nails, until his temper was under control. Then, his father asked the young boy to remove a nail for each day he didn’t lose his temper.
On the day when the boy removed his last nail, his father told him, “You have done good, boy. But, can you see the holes in the wall? The fence is never going to be the same. Likewise, when you say mean things in anger, you’ll leave a scar.”
19. The Leap at Rhodes
The Moral
It’s the deeds that count, not the boasting words.
Once, there was a man who visited foreign lands.
When he returned, all he could talk about was the wonderful adventures he had and the great deeds he had done.
One of the feats he told was about a leap he made in a city called Rhodes.
“The leap was so great,” the man said. “No other man can make such a leap. Many persons in Rhodes saw me and can prove I am telling the truth.”
“No need for witnesses,” said one who was listening. “Suppose that this city is Rhodes, now show how far you can jump.”
20. The Wolf and the Sheep
The Moral
A person’s ulterior motives are easy to spot if someone is paying attention.
A wolf had gotten seriously hurt during a fight with a bear. He wasn’t able to move, and so, could not satisfy his thirst or hunger.
One day, a sheep passed by his hiding place, and so the wolf decided to call out to him. “Please fetch me some water,” said the wolf. “That might give me some strength to get some solid food.”
“Solid food!” the sheep said. “I suppose that means me.
If I brought you something to drink, it would merely be to wash me down. Don’t speak to me about fetching a drink.”
How Moral Stories Benefit Children
Moral stories offer several benefits for children of all ages. They work to engage your child’s imagination, are entertaining, and can make your little one smile. Short moral stories work well at getting your child’s attention, keeping them focused during the length of the story.
However, the best moral stories will also teach a truth to your child. Children, especially younger ones, love repetition, and with moral stories, that’s the whole point. The more you read the same moral stories, the more your child will familiarize with the story and the moral lesson (1).
Reading Tip
When you read the story, remember to discuss the situations and events that occur, if your child is old enough. This is an excellent teachable moment, as well as providing an opportunity for bonding (2).
The Takeaway
Short moral stories for kids are fantastic for teaching valuable life lessons in a fun way children can understand. Short stories work well as they’re just long enough for your child to concentrate.
There’s a large selection of great stories online, and here you have 20 examples to get you started. When reading the story, try to discuss the content afterward with your child.
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15 Benefits of Reading to Children: Reasons to Read!
One of the most powerful things you can do for your child is to read with them.
Reading has numerous benefits for children, including a positive effect on development, communication, and school performance.
We’ve put together why reading is so important for children, and some great book ideas to get started.
Table of Contents
- When Should You Start Reading To Children?
- The Benefits of Reading to Children
- Book Recommendations for Kids
When Should You Start Reading To Children?
Even when your baby is a newborn, it’s a great time to introduce reading. Here are some of the reasons why (1):
- It gives you another bonding opportunity for snuggles and interaction.
- Your child will be preparing, even when they don’t know it, for reading on their own someday.
- It can help your baby develop language skills.
- They’ll pick up on a variety of emotions.
The Benefits of Reading to Children
Here are some of the ways your child can benefit from reading.
1. Language Neural Connections
The neural connections in the brain are fueled by listening to someone reading so your child will get a vocab boost just by hearing you read. Listening to reading is shown to increase a baby’s receptive vocabulary (2).
Receptive vocabulary means the words they understand.
2. Cognitive Development
When you’re reading to them, your child will pick up on the cognitive perks — they’ll start to take in what you’re saying and they’ll learn things about numbers, colors, shapes, animals, or anything else you’re reading about.
They’ll start to understand cause and effects, and their logical thinking ability will be more developed.
3. Fosters a Strong Relationship
The family that reads together stays together. It gives you two one more way to spend time bonding. You’ll have a lot of ways already, but there’s something especially relaxing about reading time.
Because you’re actively doing something, you won’t be able to concentrate on anything else but you and your baby. When you’re reading, there’s no way you’ll be able to surf your phone — you’ll be totally engaged in the moment.
That’s good news for both you and your baby in terms of bonding.
4. Simply Fun
Having fun can be a benefit all on its own. It can cut down on the stress a child feels — and yes, children can have stress too, just like adults can.
Time spent having fun can lead to better sleep, more positive feelings, and even stronger relationships (3).
5. Calming Influence
Young children aren’t exactly known for being calm — especially when you want them to be. It seems they have a knack for getting wound up right when you most want them to wind down, like at bedtime.
Reading can help them calm down so you can both get some sleep. You may want to start a half-hour before bedtime. Tuck them in, dim the lights a bit, and read to them in a softer soothing voice.
6. Improves Communication
If you want to have a close relationship with your children where you can talk about anything that’s on your mind, reading is a good place to start.
When you read to your children, you do more than just say the words printed on the page.
You interact — you ask them questions, they ask you some. You discuss how the people in the book are feeling and anything else that crosses your mind or your child’s mind.
That’s how communication grows — by sharing those little moments and building trust and conversation so eventually, you’ll be able to broach those bigger subjects.
7. Better Performance in School
Even the act of reading to your child can set them up for better grades in school. It doesn’t matter if they don’t understand the words you’re telling them yet. Early learning experiences like reading to your child will enhance their school performance (4).
They’ll learn to love reading or at least realize it’s important, and reading is a skill they’ll use in every subject they tackle in school.
8. Lengths Attention Span
So much of today’s world is working against our desire to help our children develop their attention spans. With video games, cell phones, and tablets, it can be hard to get a child to stick with something that takes a little more attention and dedication than they’re used to.
Reading is something that’s slower-paced than what your child is used to. And that’s a good thing in today’s click-bait world.
Pro Tip
If they are introduced at an earlier age to books and reading, it won’t be as much of a shock to their system. They’ll be used to the process and their attention spans will benefit from it.
9. Better Listeners
When your child doesn’t know how to read yet, their only clues about what’s happening in a book are the pictures they see and the words they hear you say.
You’re opening up a whole new world to them with the tale you’re spinning and they will be listening carefully, even when you don’t think they are. You’ll realize just how observant kids are someday when you’re trying to have a private conversation with your spouse or friend and suddenly realize your child is eavesdropping on every word you say!
Having that quiet time with you now will get them accustomed to listening instead of just being silent.
10.
Builds ImaginationHave you ever watched a movie version of a book you’ve read and been disappointed because it wasn’t quite how you’d envisioned it when you were reading the book? That’s your imagination at work.
Your child’s imagination can be unlocked by activities such as unsupervised play and reading. They get sucked into a make-believe world and they feel like they are part of the action. They imagine how they would feel or act if they were thrust into the situations the main characters find themselves in.
And for some children, reading a book makes them imagine their own tales. Most writers were first hardcore readers before they wrote a word of their own (5).
11. Raises IQ
Reading comprehension is kind of like having a superpower. It gives you the ability to understand complicated questions.
Remember those dreaded word problems in school when you were doing math? Those ones you had to use all your concentration on just to figure out how to compute what they were asking you for? Reading comprehension made solving those possible.
The way to answer a problem correctly is to first fully understand what it’s asking, and that’s what reading comprehension can do for you.
12. Improves Critical-Thinking Skills
It’s not enough just to listen to the words of a book to improve this skill though. You and your child will have to put in more effort than that.
The key isn’t just to actively listen to the tale, your child has to attempt to understand what they are reading or hearing to get the most out of the book. Encouraging your young child to do that may seem difficult, but all you have to do to get them started is to ask questions. One of the questions, for instance, can be what the main character should do to get themselves out of the jam they might find themselves in.
13. Helps Develop Empathy
If there is one thing this world needs more of, and one thing experts say children are losing, it’s empathy (6). Empathy is how well your child can understand someone else’s feelings.
To help develop their empathy, you can get books that will aid their ability to relate to other people and what they might be going through. There are a lot of books geared toward inclusion and how being bullied can make someone feel.
To assist with their empathy, you can ask questions while you are reading the book about how your child would feel if they were the main character. If they had a potty training accident, for instance, you can ask them if they would be sad or embarrassed.
14. Builds Coping Skills
Seeing how other people deal with their emotions can help your child learn to handle their own. They can learn important coping skills from reading or being read to.
Point out when a character is mad, sad, or disappointed. Show them the picture in the book that allows them to see that expression on the character’s face. That will help them recognize the emotion as well as figure out ways to deal with it.
15. Helps Through Life Stages
Life stages like potty training or transitioning to kindergarten is scary stuff for a young kid.
I still remember being terrified to attend kindergarten. Books can help children who are going through these stages feel braver and ready to tackle a new challenge.
Book Recommendations for Kids
When you’re looking for books for your child, you need to not just consider the type of interests they have, but also their reading level. If you find books that are too hard for them to tackle, they’ll lose interest quickly and it will add to their frustration.
Here is how you can determine if the level will be good for your child:
- Most children’s books have the reading level listed on the front or back cover.
- Look at how difficult the words are. If you’ve been listening to your child read, you should be able to tell if they’ll be able to handle it.
- Use an app to help you determine the level. With apps, like Literacy Leveler, you just scan in the ISBN code on the book, and you can look up the reading level online.
- Ask for recommendations from teachers, fellow parents, and librarians.
- Use the Accelerated Reader website to find out the difficulty level of a book.
Good Ideas for Babies
- Books Ideas for 1-Year-Olds
- Book Ideas for 2-Year Olds
Book Ideas for Toddlers
Looking for more ideas for your toddler? Read our in-depth guides:
- Interactive Books Recommendations
- Books Ideas for 3-Year-Olds
- Book Ideas for 4-Year Olds
Book Ideas for Preschoolers
Want more ideas for preschoolers? Check out these great reads by age group:
- Books Ideas for 4-Year-Olds
- Book Ideas for 5-Year Olds
- Book Ideas for 6-Year Olds
Book Ideas for Elementary School Children
Want more ideas for elementary school kids? Check out our guides!
- Books Ideas for 7-Year-Olds
- Book Ideas for 8-Year Olds
- Book Ideas for 9-Year Olds
- Book Ideas for 10-Year Olds
- Book Ideas for 11-Year Olds
- Book Ideas for 12-Year Olds
- Book Ideas about Friendship
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Short stories for children - read online with pictures.
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A famous story about two friends and a kitten whose hat fell off a chest of drawers. The boys at first thought that the hat had come to life and were very frightened. But soon the secret of the hat was discovered… The story “The Living Hat” read The hat lay on…
Dragunsky's funny and instructive story about how Denis imagined himself as an adult. The boy dreamed about how he would scold his father, mother and grandmother for misbehavior: being late, walking without a hat, talking at dinner, etc. This ...
A funny story about a boy who didn't want to eat semolina. Mom promised to take him to the Kremlin if he ate all the porridge. Deniska adds sugar, salt, water and even horseradish to the porridge to make it more…
Dragunsky's story about three guys who didn't pronounce the letter Sh. It all started when a truck with a Christmas tree drove into the courtyard of the house. Alyonka says: “Look, there are detectives hanging on the Christmas tree.
” This is where it started…
An instructive story about shame, about not taking other people's things, about the fact that a misdemeanor will be punished. Read the story about Lela and Minka, who ate sweets from the New Year tree and opened gifts ... Christmas tree read ...
A story about a boy and a girl who read the fairy tale Three Little Pigs and decided to build a house out of blankets and chairs. And suddenly it seemed to the boy that a gray wolf grabbed him by the leg… Entertainer's story read We and…
An instructive story about the blacksmith's son Vasya. The boy was very fond of riding a cart drawn by his father's horse. The blacksmith did not approve of this. Once Vasya took a cart and went to the forest. A branch got into the wheel and started whipping the boy…
A story about the boy Bobka, who had wonderful khaki pants. Climbing over the fence, the boy tore his pants, and his mother got angry and did not sew them up. Bobka decided to put the patch himself.
.. The story Patch to read U...
Once Deniska and Mishka played hockey and were late for the lessons. They came up with a good reason, but never agreed. As a result, the deceit came out. A fire in an outbuilding or a feat in the ice read We and…
A funny story about how two friends dreamed of driving a car. Once a car drove into the yard and the boys began to find out what brand it was. And then Mishka sat on the bumper and offered to ride on it... Story...
This story is about a four-year-old boy, Petya. Mom took great care of him, fed him with a spoon and dressed him. One morning, mother put Petya on his feet from the bed, and he fell. Mom was terribly scared and even called ...
“Four Wishes” tells about the delights of all seasons. The boy Mitya did not want winter to end, then he really liked spring, then summer ... And all because every season is beautiful in its own way! Four wishes to read Mitya…
Pyotr Terentyev, preparing to go to war, received from his son a beetle, which he found in the garden, as a gift.
Peter put him in a box, fed him and let him fly. The beetle went through the whole war with the soldier. Adventures of the Rhinoceros Beetle…
A story about Mishenka, to whom his mother promised a lollipop for his good behavior. While mom was not at home, the boy climbed into the sideboard, found a lollipop in the sugar bowl and began to suck it. Having eaten all the candy, he decided to put the sugar bowl on…
A story about two brothers who came to Moscow with their mother to visit their aunt. When the adults left home, the boys also decided to see the city and ride the subway. Yes, only brothers underground...
Dragunsky's humorous story about two friends, Denisk and Pavel, who met on the last day of summer. The boys ate watermelon and talked about how they spent their holidays. And then Pavel began to brag that he had been studying English all summer. Deniska…
A story about Lyola and Minka, who were visited by their grandmother. Grandma brought cakes.
But Lele wanted something else and she asked her grandmother about it. The grandmother was angry with the girl, depriving her of a gift - new coins. They all…
A short story about how dad taught Mitya to be neat. The boy quickly planed the stick and it turned out not very smoothly. Papa said that the knife was in a hurry and he had to be taught patience. Hasty knife read Mitya planed his stick, planed it...
A story about two girlfriends. Katya had two green pencils, but Lena had none. Katya was sorry to give the pencil to her friend, and she came up with all sorts of excuses. Katya had two green pencils to read blue leaves. A…
A story about a boy, Alik, who was very afraid of policemen. Once Alik got lost, a policeman approached him, but the boy started to run. Then he was caught, but he still didn't want to talk to the law enforcement officer... Policeman's story read More...
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This section of our site contains short stories by Russian writers for children of all ages.
Small works are more easily perceived by young readers. The child can listen to short stories to the end with pleasure. A little later, he himself will begin to read these small masterpieces of literature.
Parents often do not have enough time to read long books. For example, before going to bed or on the road. In these cases, our selection of short stories will be very useful to you.
In addition, short stories will help the child learn to retell texts:
— Before reading the story, explain to the child the meaning of all incomprehensible words and situations;
- After reading a short story, ask questions to find out the degree of understanding of the text. If the child is not ready to retell the text in full, then you can start with a partial retelling. For example, you tell the text, and the child completes individual words or sentences.
- Then ask them to retell the text on their own. If difficulties arise, then your tips and leading questions will help to master the retelling!
- You can tell the text in turn.
So you teach your child not only to talk, but also to listen carefully.
- The giant and the squirrel
Swedish fairy tale
A fairy tale about a giant who couldn't get enough and burst out of greed. "The Giant and the Squirrel" read Once upon a time there was a giant. He ate seven bowls of porridge, drank seven cups of milk, but still remained hungry. So I went ...
- Roderick the father of walruses
Scottish fairy tale
The sea king had many beautiful children. When his wife died, the king married another, and the stepmother hated his children... "Roderick the father of walruses" read In the sea off the western coast of Scotland in the old days they swam and frolicked...
- The shepherd and the king of the elves
shepherd Lasse, his mother died a long time ago, his father married another woman, but also died. And Lasse was left alone with his stepmother.
She was an evil woman and starved her stepson ... "The shepherd and ... - Family feud
Irish fairy tale
A fairy tale about how the most friendly couple in the area quarreled over a trifle. "Family strife" read And now I'll tell you for edification a short, funny family story, which, of course, will never happen in your happy home ...
- The history of one city
A satirical novel-chronicle of the conditional Russian city of Glupov and the rule of grotesque, disgusting and intimidating city governors. Table of contents: From the Publisher Appeal to the Reader On the Origin of the Foolovites Inventory to the Mayors Organ Organ The Tale of the Six...
- Running on the waves
Grin A.S.
This is a romantic story about how important it is to follow the goal without giving up and not paying attention to various life obstacles. The protagonist, chasing a dream, goes through many adventures, in which he is assisted by the legendary patroness of sailors….
- First love
Turgenev I.S.
The story of the first youthful love and adult relationship between the heroine and Volodya's father. The author shows the character of the heroine not from the best side: she is cunning, prudent. In addition to Volodya, she had several other potential suitors ... Table of contents: I ...
- Arena
Frederic Brown
A fantastic story about an irreconcilable war between the inhabitants of the earth and aliens. Pilot Carson and the Alien are at war for the future of civilization and whoever wins will grant great prosperity and existence to this civilization. "Arena" read Carson...
- Flowers last mile
Pushkin A.S.
Flowers are the last mile Luxurious first-born of the fields. They are dull dreams. They awaken more alive in us. So sometimes the hour of separation is more alive than a sweet date.
- Pugachev
Esenin S.A.
Table of contents: I. Pugachev's appearance in the Yaik town II. Flight of the Kalmyks III. Autumn night IV. Incident on the talovy umyot V. Ural convict VI. In the camp of Zarubin VII. The wind shakes…
- On the Kulikov field
Blok A.A.
Contents: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 1 The river spread out. It flows, lazily sad And washes the banks. Above the meager clay of the yellow cliff In the steppe, haystacks are sad. Oh, my Rus'! Wife…
- Poems about spring for children 3-4-5 years old
Poems about spring for children 3-4-5 years old
Welcome to the section of our site devoted to poems about spring for children 3-5 years old! Spring is the time of the year when everything wakes up from hibernation, the earth begins to turn green, flowers bloom, and birds return from ...
- 1 - Little Red Riding Hood
Charles Perrault
A short tale about a trusting girl and a cunning gray wolf.
Disobeying her mother, the girl turns off the road and talks to a stranger - a gray wolf ... "Little Red Riding Hood" read Once upon a time there was a little girl. Her mother loved her without memory, and her grandmother ... - 2 - Kolobok
Russian folk tale
The tale about Kolobok is found in Russian and Ukrainian folklore, and also has analogues in fairy tales of many other nations. Our site presents a version of a folk tale in the processing of A.N. Tolstoy. "Gingerbread Man" read Once upon a time there was an old man with an old woman. Here...
- 3 - Three little pigs
Mikhalkov S.
A fairy tale about three little pigs who built houses for themselves. One brother built a house out of straw, another out of twigs and twigs, and a third out of bricks. "Three Little Pigs" read Once upon a time there were three little pigs in the world. Three brothers. All…
- 4 - The turnip
Russian folk tale
The turnip is a famous fairy tale for the little ones with a lot of repetitions.
The child quickly remembers the sequence of presentation and a simple plot. "Turnip" read Grandfather planted a turnip and says: - Grow a turnip, sweet, sweet! Grow big, big! A turnip has grown, sweet and big, big…. - 5 - Puss in Boots
Charles Perrault
The tale of an unusual cat that was inherited by a younger brother from a miller's father. The young man at first was not very happy with his share of the inheritance, but the cunning and intelligent cat made him the richest man and son-in-law of the king ... "The cat in ...
- 6 - A wolf and seven kids
Russian folk tale
The story tells about an evil wolf who changed his voice, made his way into a goat's house and ate little kids. But the mother goat will be able to save her children and get rid of the wolf. "The Wolf and the Seven Kids" read Once upon a time there was a goat with kids ....
- 7 - The Wizard of the Emerald City
Volkov A.
M. "The Wizard of the Emerald City" - a fairy tale story by Alexander Volkov written in 1939based on the fairy tale by the American writer Frank Baum "The Wise Man of Oz" with some changes. In 1959, a new edition of the book was published, significantly revised ...
- 8 - The Tale of Tsar Saltan
Pushkin A.S.
The tale of Tsar Saltan, of his glorious and mighty son Prince Gvidon Saltanovich, and of the beautiful Swan Princess, is based on the folk tale "Wonderful Sons". Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin enriched the folk work with new plot twists, ...
- 9 - Winnie the Pooh and all, all, all
Alan Milne
A cheerful and beloved fairy tale about Winnie the Pooh does not obey the laws of the fairy tale genre. The tale is devoid of negative characters, the struggle between good and evil forces. The main characters of the tale are the toys of the boy Christopher, with whom funny situations happen in a magical .
.. - 10 - Gena the crocodile and his friends
Tale about a lonely crocodile Gena. Coming home from work from the zoo, he was left alone and bored. Crocodile Gena decided to make friends with someone. He wrote an ad that he was looking for friends, hung them around the city and ...
- 11 - Bremen town musicians
Entin Yu.S. and Livanov V.B.
The story of the animals and the young Troubadour who went to the city of Bremen to become street musicians. In the city they stopped in front of the royal castle. The king and the princess came out onto the balcony of the palace, the townspeople came running to the square and it began…
A fairy tale about a girl Zhenya, who was presented with a magic seven-flower flower. It had seven petals and could grant any seven wishes. Zhenya spent the first six wishes, but did not receive any pleasure and only made her last wish ...
- 13 - Three Bears
Russian folk tale
Three Bears - a fairy tale about a girl who got lost in the forest and ended up in the bears' house.
There she behaved very rudely: without permission, she ate from every cup, sat on every chair, lay in every bed, ... - 14 - Hen Ryaba
Russian folk tale
kids. Children quickly grasp a simple plot and remember it by heart. Hen Ryaba read Once upon a time there was a grandfather and a woman. And they had a Ryaba Hen. The chicken laid an egg, yes ... - 15 - Geese-swans
Russian folk tale
Geese-swans - a fairy tale about how a boy was carried away by swan geese and his sister went to look for him. The stove, apple tree and river helped the girl save her brother. Read the fairy tale in the processing of A.N. Tolstoy. "Geese-swans" read There lived a man and a woman. At…
- 16 - The Tale of the Fisherman and the Fish
Pushkin A.S.
The tale of a poor fisherman who caught a golden fish in his net. The old man took pity on the fish, released it into the sea.
For this, the fish promised to fulfill his every desire. The old man didn’t ask for anything, but when he returned home, he told about… - 17 - The Frog Princess
Russian folk tale
The Frog Princess is a Russian folk tale where the main character, Ivan Tsarevich, married a frog by the will of fate. Ivan had no idea that his wife was Vasilisa the Wise, turned by Koshchei into a frog. Ivan hurried, burned the frog skin and had to...
- 18 - Masha and the Bear
Russian folk tale
Masha and the Bear is a fairy tale about a girl who got lost in the forest and ended up in a bear's hut. The bear did not let Mashenka go home, however, the girl came up with a way to return to her grandparents. "Masha and ...
- 19 - The Fox and the Crane
Russian folk tale
The Fox and the Crane is a fairy tale about friendship between a cunning fox and a clever crane.
The crane could not eat the semolina porridge, which the Fox smeared on a plate. He invited her to his place and treated her to a delicious okroshka, which he put… - 20 - The Snow Queen
Hans Christian Andersen
The Snow Queen is one of Hans Christian Andersen's most famous fairy tales about love that can overcome any trial and melt even an icy heart ! "The Snow Queen" read Table of contents: The first story, which tells about the mirror ...0003
- 21 - Thumbelina
Hans Christian Andersen
The fairy tale about Thumbelina is loved by children all over the world. A tiny girl born from a flower goes through many trials on the way to her happiness. Fate rewards Thumbelina for her kind heart. The swallow that she had rescued earlier endures…
- 22 - The Little Mermaid
Hans Christian Andersen
A touching tale about the Little Mermaid's strong love for the prince.
The little mermaid is ready to give up everything that is dear to her for the sake of the human soul and the love of the prince ... The fairy tale formed the basis of the plots of many films, cartoons and musicals. Little Mermaid read In the open… - 23 - Sleeping Beauty
Charles Perrault
A fairy tale about a beautiful princess who was cursed by an offended fairy at a celebration in honor of her birth. The old fairy predicted the girl's death from a spindle prick, but the good fairy was able to commute the sentence. The girl did not die, but fell asleep on…
- 24 - Porridge from an ax
Russian folk tale
Porridge from an ax is a small fairy tale about a witty soldier. The greedy old woman did not want to feed the soldier, but he outwitted her and got porridge with butter ... Read porridge from an ax The old soldier went on a visit. Tired in…
- 25 - The Ugly Duckling
Hans Christian Andersen
A fairy tale about the miraculous transformation of an ugly duckling into a beautiful swan.
The duckling was born unlike his brothers, the inhabitants of the poultry yard disliked him for his dissimilarity to the others. The duckling had to leave the house and go through many trials before he… - 26 - Twelve months
Samuil Marshak
Do you know how many months there are in a year? - Twelve. And what are their names? — January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December. As soon as one month ends, another immediately begins. And…
- 27 - The Princess and the Pea
Hans Christian Andersen
A short story about how a prince wants to marry a real princess. One day, a girl knocked on the gate, who was soaked to the skin, but assured that she was a real princess. They let her in for the night, and the old queen arranged for her to be tested ......
- 28 - Sister Alyonushka and brother Ivanushka
Russian folk tale
Sister Alyonushka and brother Ivanushka is a fairy tale about how the younger brother disobeyed his sister, got drunk turning into a goat.
.. Sister Alyonushka and brother Ivanushka read Once upon a time there was an old man and an old woman, they had... - 29 - Bean seed
Russian folk tale
The cockerel and the bean seed is a Russian folk tale about a rooster who was always in a hurry when he pecked at the seeds. The hen warned him all the time and asked him to peck more slowly. One day he choked on a bean seed and fell down. But the chicken…
- 30 - Fear has big eyes
Russian folk tale
Fear has big eyes — a short fairy tale about the fact that from fear you can see what was not really… (from M.M. Serova’s collection) fear eyes are great to read Once upon a time there was an old grandmother, a granddaughter-laughter, a hen-klokhtushka and a mouse-leaf. Each…
- 31 - Teremok
Russian folk audio fairy tale
Teremok is a short fairy tale for kids about a house that sheltered many animals.
However, the tower could not accommodate a huge bear and broke. - 32 - Sivka Burka
Russian folk tale
Sivka-Burka is a fairy tale about the adventures of Ivan the Fool and his gallant horse. Sivka Burka read The old man had three sons: two smart ones, and the third Ivanushka the Fool; day and night the fool is lying on the stove. The old man sowed wheat, and it grew ...
- 33 - Baba Yaga
Russian folk tale
A fairy tale about a girl who was able to get out of the clutches of Baba Yaga, thanks to the advice of her own aunt and a kind cat ... Baba Yaga read Once upon a time there was a husband and wife, and she was their daughter. The wife fell ill and died. Grieved, grieved…
- 34 - The tale of the priest and his worker Balda
Pushkin A.S.
The tale of the stingy priest and resourceful worker Balda. Somehow Balda was hired for the service for three clicks on the forehead of the priest.
When the time of reckoning was approaching, the priest decided to give Balda an impossible task in order to get rid of him. But Balda… - 35 - Little Humpbacked Horse
Ershov P.
There was an old man in a village who had three sons. They grew wheat and sold it in the market. But then someone got into the habit of trampling wheat in the field at night ... Table of contents: Part one. A fairy tale begins...
- 36 - Alice in Wonderland
Carroll L.
An exciting story about a girl Alice, who met a talking White Rabbit and ended up in amazing worlds where she met very unusual characters... Chapter 1. Down the rabbit hole Alice got bored sit with my sister idle on the shore ...
- 37 - The Little Prince
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
The tale of how a pilot, who remained a child at heart, met the Little Prince in the desert, who arrived from another planet.
Table of contents: Dedication Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter ...
Vitaly Bianchi's story, read online
Vitaly Bianchi
Musician - an instructive story by Vitaly Bianchi for children. The author tells about an old bear cub who really wanted to become a musician, for this he even played the violin. But the melody turned out clumsy and unsightly. A random collective farmer gave advice to the bear cub to stop playing the violin, it is better to hunt the bear. The negligent musician followed the advice of a passerby, but his opinion changed from what he saw in the forest. The Musician's story with an unusual ending will cheer up all family members.
Reading time: 2 min.
An old bear cub was sitting on a mound and chirping on a violin. He was very fond of music and tried to learn to play himself. He did not do well, but the old man was pleased that he had his own music. A familiar collective farmer passed by and said to the old man:
— Throw down your violin, grab your gun.
You're better off with a gun. I just saw a bear in the forest.
The old man put down his violin and asked the collective farmer where he had seen the bear. He took a gun and went into the forest.
In the forest, the old man searched for a bear for a long time, but did not even find a trace of it.
The old man was tired and sat down on a stump to rest.
It was very quiet in the forest. Not a knot will crack anywhere, not a bird will give a voice. Suddenly the old man heard: "Zenn! .." Such a beautiful sound, like a string sang.
A little later again: "Zenn!.."
And from the forest again: "Zenn!.." - yes, so loudly, affectionately.
The old man got up from the stump and cautiously walked towards where the sound was coming from. The sound was heard from the edge.
An old man crept up from behind a Christmas tree and sees a tree broken by a thunderstorm at the edge of it, long chips sticking out of it. And a bear sits under a tree, grabbed one chip with its paw.
The bear pulled the chip towards him and let it go. The sliver straightened up, trembled, and there was a sound in the air: "Zenn! .." - like a string sang.
The bear bowed his head and listened.
The old man is also listening: the chip sings well.
The sound ceased, - the bear again for his own: he pulled the chip and let it go.
In the evening, a familiar collective farmer once again passed by the hut of a bear-cub. The old man was again sitting on the mound with the violin. He pulled one string with his finger, and the string quietly sang: “Dzinn!..”
The collective farmer asked the old man:
— Well, did you kill the bear?
“No,” the old man replied.
— What is it?
- How can you shoot him when he is a musician like me?
And the old man told the collective farmer how the bear was playing on a tree split by a thunderstorm.
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