Telling bedtime stories

How to Tell an Amazing Bedtime Story in 2022

11 August 2022 • Words by Stefano Ceppi 4 mins

4 mins

11 August 2022 • Words by Stefano Ceppi 4 mins

Telling bedtime stories is a great way to bond with your child and get their imaginations going, and it’s an enjoyable activity for kids and adults alike. In fact, this 2020 article reports that of 2,000 American parents surveyed, 86% said that putting their children to bed and reading or telling them a bedtime story was their favorite part of the day. Storytelling itself has been around for millennia; it isn’t hard to imagine our distant ancestors lulling their young ones to sleep with the help of an oral tale. Now that I think of it, bedtime stories probably predate beds!

Children’s book sales have soared in recent years and are expected to take a sizable $2.6 billion in sales in 2022. If you’re looking for stories to read, there is ample choice among both new books and timeless classics. And if you want to create your own bedtime stories, check out the tips below for some inspiration.

Here are a few of our favorite stories to read to kids:

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

This classic story is about a caterpillar eating its way through various foods before finally transforming into a beautiful butterfly.

The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss

This tale of mischief and mayhem is a favorite among kids (and adults!) of all ages.

Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown

This simple but sweet story follows a bunny as he says goodnight to all the things in his room, from the “red balloon” to the “quiet old lady whispering ‘hush.’”

Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

This story of a boy named Max who sails off to an island of monsters has been captivating readers for generations.

The Very Quiet Cricket by Eric Carle

This delightful story follows a cricket who desperately wants to make noise but can’t seem to figure it out.

The Dark by Lemony Snicket

This is the story of Lazlo, who is scared of the dark. With the dark’s help, he confronts his fear.

The Heart in a Bottle by Oliver Jeffers

This touching story follows the life of a girl who, after the loss of someone close to her, stows her heart in a safe place, a bottle around her neck.

Triangle by Mac Barnett

This is the funny story of Triangle, who pranks his friend Square.

Dream Street by Tricia Elam Walker

This beautifully illustrated book tells the story of a Black community that lives on a single street.

The Honey Hunter by Karthika Naïr

Another strikingly illustrated book tells the story of Shonu, a boy who breaks the golden rule by eating honey not meant for him. This story is Inspired by Muslim and Hindu myths.

When reading stories to children, some people prefer to fully immerse themselves in the experience and play with voice changes for different characters, using hand and body movements for added emphasis. Others may read stories in their normal reading voice. Either way, reading in a style that is most popular with your child will boost your reputation as a storyteller.

While reading to children has been linked to multiple developmental advantages, as seen in this 2014 study by Williams and Horst, you may want to create your own bedtime story. But sometimes, it can be hard to come up with a good story to tell, or to repeat that same favorite story again. Kids are famous for being critics, so be ready for an honest review! Another thing to consider is kids’ low tolerance for boredom, yet they paradoxically love repetition. You know your kids better than everyone else on this planet. You’ll know what type of story they like best and what they’re in the mood for at any particular time.

Luckily, we’ve got some tips to help you tell a fantastic bedtime story that both you and your audience will thoroughly enjoy.

How to tell an amazing bedtime story:

Make sure your story has a moral. Kids love bedtime stories that teach them a lesson.
Keep it short. Bedtime stories should be short and sweet. This way, your little one will be able to fall asleep quickly.
Use familiar characters. Kids love stories with familiar characters. You may use familiar fictional characters, real people from their lives, or even themselves.
Make it interactive. Kids love stories that they can participate in. Ask them questions as you tell the story and encourage them to make choices.
Use props. Props can help bring your story to life.
Make it exciting. Kids love stories that are full of excitement. Use lots of descriptive words and ensure the story has a good plot.
End with a bang. Make sure your story has a great ending. This will leave your child wanting more, and they’ll be excited to hear the next story you have to tell.

To add something special to the atmosphere you’re trying to set, Moshi is here to help!

Head over to the Night section, where tracks are neatly sorted by content types. The music category has a selection of Epic Tunes, music for Falling Asleep and even some with ambient sounds. My favorite of all, though, is the Mood selection, with a range of dreamy music that lasts over twenty minutes each. If your kids are fond of the Moshling characters, you may even borrow them to create your own dreamy adventures!

Last but not least, if you happen to be incapacitated, Moshi can be very handy. In addition to the music section, there is also a section dedicated to magical bedtime stories for kids. Happy dreaming!

Williams, S.E., & Horst, J. S. (2014). Goodnight book: Sleep consolidation improves word learning via storybooks. Frontiers in Psychology, 5, 184.

Stefano Ceppi

Neurodivergent father of two, and here to share what I've learned thus far! Qualified 200h RYT, AIMS Global Level 1 Mentor.

Bedtime Story Prompts for Parents Who Can’t Think of Any Stories to Tell

We’ve assembled a short collection of bedtime story prompts to help spark ideas on difficult evenings when you simply can’t think of any stories to tell. (We’ve all been there.) If you’re plagued with bedtime story stage fright, these should help everyone get to sleep a lot faster.

You can download a printable version of the bedtime story prompts here.

Brightly's Bedtime Story Prompts

Download

Bedtime Story Prompt #1: The Quest

Think about an Indiana Jones movie. Indy learns of an artifact, he goes through trials to locate it, and he eventually finds it — but isn’t always allowed to keep it. That’s a quest. All you need for a quest is an objective, an obstacle, and a resolution.

One day, (PERSON) was digging in their backyard when they found an old map. The map revealed the location of the (REALLY COOL OBJECT). But finding the treasure would mean getting past (OBSTACLE).

(PERSON) always dreamed of traveling to (AMAZING LOCATION). But on the first day of their trip, they encountered the last thing they ever expected— (RIDICULOUS, IMPOSSIBLE-TO-OVERCOME OBSTACLE).

TIPS: Working your child’s name or other names they’d recognize into the story is a fun way to keep them engaged.

Try alternating between object quests (biggest diamond ever, the perfect pizza recipe, crashed alien spaceship) and location quests (Australia, Atlantis, Mars) to keep things interesting.

Bedtime Story Prompt #2: Everyday Chaos

Sometimes kids just want to hear heightened and exaggerated versions of their everyday lives. These stories follow this pattern: It’s a normal day, some kind of insane plot device disrupts the status quo, crazy things happen, and then status quo is resumed (or changed forever).

(PERSON) ran outside to catch the school bus, but there was a (VERY UNLIKELY THING) standing right in front of their house.

(PERSON) was playing at the park one day, when suddenly (VERY UNLIKELY THING) fell from the sky.

TIP: Once you come up with your catalyst for chaos, it’s pretty easy to imagine how it would disrupt a normal day in your neighborhood. Just think of how your child would really react to a runaway robot, a meteor shower, or a scientist with a ray gun that turns people into puppies, and go from there.

Bedtime Story Prompt #3: Adaption

Try retelling an existing story but put your own spin on it. You still get the benefit of getting to copy the story structure of the original tale, but your kid gets to enjoy your weird little additions and alterations as you go along.

Once upon a time, (PERSON) journeyed into the dark forest, bound for Grandmother’s house with a basket of goodies.

TIPS: You can either follow the classic story (in this case, Red Riding Hood) exactly or split off in a new direction whenever you want.

If you want to make it really interesting, mash together a bunch of stories as you go. So, a Cinderella could go to the ball, where she gets some magic beans, which create a giant beanstalk that takes her to Oz, where she has to fight a Wicked Witch.

Bedtime Story Prompt #4: Choose Your Own Adventure

Rather than coming up with a whole narrative on your own, you just present your child with a series of questions and allow them to determine the path of the story. This format can allow your child to take ownership of the story and create a really entertaining back-and-forth between the two of you.

One morning, you open your bedroom door and see (CRAZY CREATURE).

It wants you to follow it. Do you follow it or do you run away?

If they choose “follow it”: You nod and it leads you towards a dark cave that has appeared in your backyard. Do you go inside the cave?

If they choose “run away”: You run down the hall, away from the creature. When you run outside, a __(VEHICLE)__ appears. Do you get inside it?

TIP: The only catch with a “Chose Your Own Adventure” bedtime story is that, as the narrator, you eventually have to figure out a definite way to end the story. Otherwise, if your kid is getting into it, he or she will keep asking questions until bedtime is just a distant memory.

Get the printable version of these bedtime story prompts!

Bedtime stories

Bedtime stories come to us along with golden stars, night coolness, peace and quiet. Bedtime stories have a special role - to call for a sweet dream, to catch up with slumber, to calm down.

A fairy tale about a Pencil and a Snowflake that didn't want to melt — with interesting beginnings, unexpected encounters, and a fascinating denouement. The snowflake, who became the main character of the fairy tale, is light, graceful, and also bold and resourceful.

Read and listen to a fairy tale (3min2sec)

Heading: Bedtime stories | Tags: about winter, bedtime story, poems by Iris Revue

This bedtime story is about the nimble, nimble Yula, who knew how to spin perfectly, have excellent fun, but did not know how to calculate the consequences. And in life you need to be able to think ahead!

Read and listen to a fairy tale (4 min 16 sec)

Heading: Bedtime stories | Tags: bedtime story

A bedtime story is a bedtime story that takes the little reader to a magical world where their fairy laws rule, where you can change everything with a magic wand, where everything ends happily.

Read and listen to a fairy tale (3 min 16 sec)

Heading: Bedtime stories | Tags: bedtime story

This fairy tale is about "summer". Children read and listen to such fairy tales with pleasure, because summer is a happy time with hot days, swimming in ponds, with berries and mushrooms. ... It happens that things, time, thoughts are lost, and sometimes Summer is lost. And where to look for it is not clear. The fairy tale "Summer is Lost" - with a share of humor, with warm feelings, with good messages.

Read and listen to a fairy tale (4 min 12 sec)

Heading: Bedtime stories | Tags: about summer

The tale of a police car - that this important car is always on duty, always in the center of events.

Read and listen to a fairy tale (4 min 22 sec)

Heading: Bedtime stories | Tags: bedtime story, car stories

This fairy tale about figure skating is so beautiful, so graceful. Figure skating is a celebration of sophistication, majesty, strength of character. Only those who are persistent and courageous, who do not give up, can achieve success in figure skating.

Read and listen to a fairy tale (4 min 45 sec)

Heading: Bedtime stories | Tags: bedtime story, Tales about hares

Tale about Winter - with children's laughter, with a frosty-blizzard mood, with snowy colors. The fairy tale about Winter is a fairy tale in which gifts, smiles, emotions are given, secrets are revealed.

Read and listen to a fairy tale (5 min 27 sec)

Heading: Bedtime stories | Tags: about winter, bedtime story

In winter, big and small bears sleep. It's been done for a long time. And that's completely normal. In our fairy tale, the teddy bear went to bed on time for the winter, but how to wake up on time?

Read and listen to a fairy tale (7 min 12 sec)

Heading: Bedtime stories | Tags: about spring, bedtime story

Life is beautiful also because you can make discoveries. Discoveries are new emotions, new truths. Successful discoveries bring happiness to many.

Read and listen to a fairy tale (4 min 18 sec)

Heading: Bedtime stories | Tags: bedtime story

How many things in the world: useful and useless, difficult and easy, big and small. Whether the deed is great or small, and if it is worthwhile, then it must be done. Deeds are more important than any words. Once a cat and a bunny decided to do something useful. Did they succeed?

Read and listen to a fairy tale (5 min 11 sec)

Heading: Bedtime stories | Tags: bedtime story, Tales about colors, Tales about hares

Bedtime stories for children. ⭐😴 Read online with pictures.

In this section we have collected interesting works from all over the world that are suitable for reading before bed. You can read bedtime stories online and completely free. These small instructive and kind stories will help children calm down after a stormy day and tune in to rest.
In bedtime stories you will not find cruelty and frightening characters. Only light plots and pleasant characters.
At the bottom of each fairy tale there is a hint for which age it is intended.

Children's fairy tales are that part of childhood that stays with us forever, even when childhood is gone. This is a magical world that is wide open in front of the baby, and acquaintance with it begins with a short and sweet bedtime story.

There is no strict age limit in reading fairy tales to a child. Reading for a child is primarily an opportunity for emotional intimacy with an adult. Even if not a word is clear yet, the familiar timbre of the voice, the measured rhythm soothe the baby and stimulate its development. That is why psychologists recommend reading bedtime stories even to babies. The main condition: the process should bring pleasure to both the adult and the baby.

A bedtime story read by a parent is a powerful stimulus for the child's development, the child's wide opportunities in the following areas: imagination; fantasy; creative thinking; speech skills; emotional development; the ability to find a way out of problem situations.

Unlike cartoons, a fairy tale does not present the child with ready-made images and the world invented by the artist, but invites him to think, think out and imagine what is not in the illustrations.

Simply put, we read to children at night and at the same time unleash their creativity. The next step is the first children's tests of themselves as an author and artist, but that will come later. And now such familiar and at the same time amazing short bedtime stories come to the aid of parents.

Bedtime stories - what should they be?

It often happens that every day a baby asks for the hundredth time to read a familiar fairy tale to him, not wanting to listen to any others.

It's not worth arguing and trying to read something new - a bedtime story exists just to lull and give pleasant dreams. So, it should be: short; calm; kind; without dynamic details in the plot, but with a happy ending.

The repeated repetition of the same situation (a familiar room, a favorite blanket and a soft toy, next to it is a mother reading a familiar fairy tale) turns for the baby into a kind of ritual that has a calming effect. It helps relieve the emotional stress that has accumulated over a long day.

Short stories on our website

The Short Bedtime Stories section presents famous works by Russian and foreign authors that have become favorites for children all over the world.

Telling bedtime stories

How to Tell an Amazing Bedtime Story in 2022

How to Tell an Amazing Bedtime Story in 2022