Stories shape the innocence of childhood by evolving the thought process. Bedtime stories for kids are the most exciting and creative. These stories not only bring fun taking your child into an imaginative place but also opens up the creativity level. The stories parents recite to children before bed, stay with the child forever. That is why good bedtime stories are essential to provide moral learning and sweet dreams.
Bedtime Stories For Kids
We have collected evergreen and famous bedtime stories for kids. You can recite them before sleeping and get a moral message at the end. The seven most popular bedtime short stories are listed below.
Story 1. The Boy Who Cried, Wolf
It’s a simple but famous story with a moral message. There was once a shepherd boy who used to graze his sheep on the hill. But many attacks by wolves made the people scared. The boy tried to play a game, and he cried, “Help help help, the wolves have attacked.” He lied, and the villagers arrived, finding that they had been fooled. There were not any wolves there. The boy pranked again the next day. However, one day the wolves attacked his sheep for real. He cried and shouted for help, but no one came to help. People thought that he must be lying again. He lost all his sheep that day.
Read the full engaging story Here.
Moral – We should never lie. Because people will lose faith and will never help when we truly need help.
Story 2. The Ugly Duckling
The Ugly Duckling is one of the most engaging stories that have a beautiful ending. If your child senses a weakness in himself, you must recite this story to bring self-confidence.
Once there was a mother duckling who laid 5 eggs. She warmed them and finally, they started to crack. Four eggs cracked and yellow ducklings came out from these eggs. However, one large egg was still not cracked. Mother duckling warmed it again for a few days and it finally cracked but everyone was shocked. A grey-colored duckling came out and other ducklings called him ugly. The ugly duckling felt conscious about his looks and his siblings teased and mocked him. He left his family but faced rejection many times. It was winter when the ugly duckling was struggling to live when a farmer helped him. Autumn arrived and the farmer left the ugly duckling at the pond but by that time, the ugly duckling had grown. When he saw his reflection in the water, he was surprised. He had become a beautiful white bird, a Swan. He met other swans in the pond and joined them to live happy life.
Read the complete The Ugly Duckling story.
Moral- Never consider yourself deprived of something because there is always something special in you which can’t be seen by everyone.
Story 3. King Midas and His Golden Touch
This story is from ancient Greece, about a wealthy king who was greedy. His name was Midas and he had all the wealth but he still needed more. The king had a daughter whom he loved the most. One day, a Greek God gave the king a wish to make. The king thought and out of greed, he asked that whatever he touches become gold. The wish was granted but it soon became a problem. The king touched trees, the throne and various things in the kingdom and everything turned into gold. But when he touched food to eat, it became gold. He couldn’t eat or drink. When his daughter came to hug him, she turned into gold too. The king started crying and asked God to take his wish back. Later, God helped him to turn everything back to normal.
Read the full story of King Midas and His Golden Touch.
Moral- We shouldn’t be greedy because our greed takes away all our happiness.
Story 4. Cinderella
Everyone knows the Cinderella story. It is widely regarded as the best fairy tale for children of all ages. It’s the story of Cinderella, a girl who lives with her stepmother and two stepsisters. They would make Cinderella do all of the housework. One day, the king sends a letter stating that he has planned a ball party at which the Prince will choose a bride for him. Cinderella, on the other hand, did not have a gown to wear to the ball. Cinderella is transformed into a beautiful princess by a mother goddess, who also assists her in visiting the palace. The prince falls in love with Cinderella, but she must return before midnight. Cinderella rushed and left her shoe on the stairs. The next day, all the girls were asked to try on shoes, but only Cinderella’s foot fit. Cinderella marries the prince and they live happily ever after.
Read the complete story with dialogues in Cinderella.
Story 5. The Golden Egg
It’s a brief bedtime story for children. The story contains a moral lesson for people of all ages. There was a poor farmer and his wife. They had a small farm where they grew vegetables. They decided to get a goose to get a daily egg. The farmer had purchased a goose and was looking forward to the egg. They were surprised, however, to discover that the goose had laid a golden egg for them. Every day, they received a golden egg, increasing their wealth. They, however, were greedy and decided to take all the golden eggs from the goose’s stomach. The farmer was disappointed to discover no eggs in the goose’s stomach as he cut it open. The goose had died and they won’t get any eggs in future.
Read the full exciting and engaging story here The Golden Egg.
Moral- Our greed is the reason for our downfall.
Story 6. The Tiki Mask Family
It’s an adventure short bedtime story for kids. Besides giving an excitement of joy in wandering, it teaches a beautiful moral lesson for kids. The story comprises a family including a father, a mother and a son. The father takes the son to a beach to teach surfing. However, the child fails to learn in the beginning. He was about to feel hopeless when his father showed him a fish lying on the sand striving hard to return to the sea. There the child learns about hard work and struggle. He regains hope and starts practicing again.
Read the full magical adventurous story here The Tiki Mask Family.
Moral – Perseverance is the key to perfection.
Story 7. Hare and Tortoise
This moral story has been told for centuries, and we are all familiar with it. Perhaps your children have never heard this beautiful story, but now is the time to tell them. Once upon a time, there was a hare who took pride in his speed and challenged a tortoise to a race. The tortoise couldn’t run faster, but he agreed to participate in the race. The following day, all of the animals gathered to watch the race. The hare was about to cross the finish line when he decided to take a break. He fell asleep unexpectedly. The tortoise continued walking until he reached the finish line and won the race.
Read the full story here The Hare and the Tortoise Story.
Moral- Slow and steady wins the race.
Importance Of Bedtime Stories for Kids
Our days went well when we had a good sleep. A night of good sleep doesn’t only mean sleeping continuously, but it includes sweet dreams, creative ideas, imagination, and positivity. To have a good sleep, one’s mind must not have negative thoughts.
It is believed that ten minutes before sleeping are essential to change our sleep pattern. In those ten minutes, the best approach to healthy sleep is to spend time reading. Reading bedtime stories for kids helps them in many different ways. Let’s discuss some of those here.
Imagination
Telling bedtime stories to kids helps them in their imagination. It enhances their imaginative skills and their grasping skills become better. Whenever we have to learn a topic, we have to imagine it so that it stays longer in our minds. With bedtime stories, that capability rises. Further, the child can imagine stories that help their mind picture a scene rather than watching it blindly on screens.
Family Bonds
Bedtime stories allow parents to spend time with their children. An engaging story keeps the child excited and he/she would ask questions regarding the stories. Thus, family bonds get stronger and hearts unite with stories.
Better Vocabulary
Stories help in introducing children to new words and it helps with vocabulary. The child becomes smarter and a better learner than others.
Love for Books
Children’s love for books increases when they get to read bedtime stories in childhood. It is a truth that an intelligent mind reads books and not screens. It will shape your child’s future into a better human being with creativity at its peak. Billionaires like Bill Gates and Ratan Tata are book readers.
How to read a bedtime story for kids
It is essential to understand the reading technique. It’s not just simple reading but rather a technique to create a real scene in front of your child while reading the story. Make sure you change the tone of the different characters’ dialogue. Keep the narrator’s voice sweet and neutral. Engage more with your child to create better images in their minds.
Thanks for reading!