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LET’S DISCUSS THE STORIES ~ IDEAS FOR TALKING WITH KIDS

Bedtime, Independence

1. In this story, Hudson learns to love his own bedroom. Can you think of some nice reasons to love sleeping in your own bed?

Bedtime Story written by Jade Maitre

Illustrated by Tamara Nguyen

Music Video by “Radio Martini” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), “Crinoline Dreams” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), “Mister Exposition” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), “Lobby Time” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/  and additional music by zapsplat.com/

The post A Grasshopper in my Bedroom first appeared on Bedtime Stories.

© 2023 Storyberries

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LET’S DISCUSS THE STORIES ~ IDEAS FOR TALKING WITH KIDS

Bedtime, Conversation

1. What kinds of things to you like to think about as you go to sleep? The things you did today? Or the things you will do tomorrow?

2. What kinds of thoughts give you calm feelings when it’s bedtime?

Bedtime Story written by Jade Maitre

Illustrated by Yesim Serce

The post Sleep Sweetly, Little Light first appeared on Bedtime Stories.

© Ethan H. MacAdam 2021

Bedtime Story written and illustrated by Ethan H. MacAdam

Let’s Chat About The Stories ~ Ideas for Talking With Kids

Creativity, Bedtime

1. What kinds of worlds can you imagine beneath your blanket at bedtime?

Other Credits: Music Video by “Music to Delight” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

About the Author:

Ethan MacAdam is an author and illustrator based near Boston, Massachusetts. He used to teach philosophy of law and jump horses; now, he works in watercolor and builds with paper.

The Blanket Book | Short Stories for Kids | Bedtime Stories

Whole worlds exist beneath a bedtime blanket!

URL: https://www.storyberries.com/bedtime-stories-the-blanket-book-short-stories-for-kids/

Author: Ethan MacAdam

Editor's Rating:
5

The post The Blanket Book first appeared on Bedtime Stories.

Henrietta lined up her goodnight cuddly toys in her bed – growly teddy, fat furry cat, floppy pink bunny, blue big ears elephant, woolly lion, bendy giraffe, Suzy rag doll, little squeaky mouse, wriggle monkey and soft grey little donkey.

There were so many cuddly toys, there was hardly any space for Henrietta, hardly any room at all.

Mom told her “There are far too many toys, one special cuddle is best at bedtime. You can’t sleep sweet in such a crowded bed…”

“Just one?” Henrietta wasn’t so sure. All her bedtime toys were cuddly, some were a bit cuddlier than others, but all of them were soft and nice to hold.

“Just one, to sleep sweeter,” Mom smiled. “Snuggle down deep and I will tell you a little goodnight story. This little story will help you to choose your bedtime toy.”

“But, how can I choose just one sleepy-time toy?” Henrietta was all squashed up with her toys.

“That’s easy…” her Mom told her. “Choose the softest, cuddliest toy AND the one who listens best to my goodnight story…”

Mom began the story – it was about a little girl who had so many toys in her bed, she just couldn’t snuggle down and go to sleep. Her bed was far too full of cuddly toys. This made Henrietta smile; she wondered who that little girl might be?

Mom began her special story:

“Woolly Lion, are you listening? Are you soft and cuddly, or is your woolly brown curly mane thick and tickly on Henrietta’s chin?”

“Thick and tickly.” Henrietta sighed and whispered, and Mom took him out of the bed.

“Blue Big Ears Elephant, are you listening? Are you soft and cuddly, or, are your big blue flappy ears too big for the bed so that Henrietta has an ear stuck in her nose.?”

“Too big for the bed.” Henrietta whispered, and Mom took him out of the bed, too. “Growly Brown Teddy, are you listening? Are you soft and cuddly, or are you too growly and make little noises to keep Henrietta awake? Can you stay in the bed?”

“Too growly to stay in the bed…” Henrietta whispered, and Mom took him out of the bed, too. “Bendy Giraffe, are you listening? Are you soft and cuddly, or is your long neck too bendy and long to stay in the bed with Henrietta?”

“Too bendy to stay in the bed…” Henrietta whispered, and Mom took him out of the bed, too. “Suzy Rag Doll, are you listening? Are you soft and cuddly, or are you too floppy to stay in the bed?”

“Too floppy to stay in the bed…” Henrietta whispered, and Mom took her out of the bed, too. “Big fat furry Cat, are you listening? Are you soft and cuddly, or are you too fat and furry, and purr too much to stay in the bed?”

“Too furry and purry to stay in the bed…” Henrietta whispered as her tired eyes were starting to close, and Mom took him out of the bed, too. “Wriggle Monkey, are you listening? Are you soft and cuddly, or are you too wriggly and squirmy and furry to stay in the bed?”

“Too wriggly to stay in the bed…” Henrietta whispered with her eyes now closed, and Mom took him out of the bed, too.

“Big soft grey little Donkey, are you listening? Are you soft and cuddly, or are you too soft and dappled grey to stay in the bed?” “Too soft with a furry tickle grey tail to stay in the bed…” Henrietta whispered, she was almost asleep, and Mom took him out of the bed, too.

“Are you feeling very sleepy now, Henrietta?” Mom stroked Henrietta’s sleeping eyes. “There are only two cuddly toys left in your bed. Floppy Pink Bunny and little squeaky mouse are still there, can they stay?” Mom switched off Henrietta’s nightlight.

“Floppy Pink Bunny and little mouse can stay…” Henrietta whispered as she fell fast asleep.

In one arm little squeaky mouse cuddled up close. In the other arm Floppy Pink Bunny cuddled up even closer. Henrietta fell asleep with her two bedtime toys, fast asleep, with a cuddly toy in each arm.

The other cuddly bedtime toys watched from the chair beside Henrietta’s bed. That’s where Henrietta’s Mom always put them, so that they could watch over Henrietta, ready to play in the morning.

“Maybe, I’ll get to stay tomorrow…” Wriggle Monkey told the other toys.

“You’re far too wriggly…” Big Blue Ears Elephant told him. “It’s always squeaky mouse and Floppy Pink Bunny, it just isn’t fair. Maybe Henrietta should get a bigger bed.”

Then, they all snuggled up tight, watching Henrietta cuddled up and dreaming sweet dreams with squeaky mouse and Floppy Pink Bunny. ….

© Andrea Kaczmarek 2020

LET’S CHAT ABOUT THE STORY ~ IDEAS FOR TALKING WITH KIDS

Bedtime, Conversation

1. What toys do you like to take to bed? Which one is your favourite? Why?

Short Story for Kids written by Andrea Kaczmarek

Illustrations by Andrea Kaczmarek and Pixabay.  

The post Ten Cuddles In A Bed Are Too Many first appeared on Bedtime Stories.

© Benjamin Wilkins 2020

Short Story for Kids written and illustrated by Benjamin Wilkins

Bedtime, Conversation

1. Do you have something like a soft and cuddly dragon that helps you get to sleep? Why do you think soft and cuddly things can help us sleep?

2. What is something that always helps you sleep?

The post Good Night, Sleep Tight, Don’t Let The Dragons Bite first appeared on Bedtime Stories.

© Storyberries 2020

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Let’s Chat About The Stories ~ Ideas for Talking With Kids

Bedtime, Conversation, Creativity

1. What do you like best about bedtime?

2. What do you think the animals and plants do, when everybody has gone to bed?

Bedtime story written by Jade Maitre

Illustrated by Dilzoda Hamidjonova

Music Video: “Bathed in the Light” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed, “Perspectives” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

The post Rosie Posie and the Garden of Delights first appeared on Bedtime Stories.

This is a vintage fairy tale, and may contain violence. We would encourage parents to read beforehand  if your child is sensitive to such themes.

Once on a time and twice on a time, and all times together as ever I heard tell of, there was a tiny lassie who would weep all day to have the stars in the sky to play with; she wouldn’t have this, and she wouldn’t have that, but it was always the stars she would have. So one fine day off she went to find them. And she walked and she walked and she walked, till by-and-by she came to a mill-dam.

“Goode’en to ye,” says she, “I’m seeking the stars in the sky to play with. Have you seen any?”

“Oh, yes, my bonnie lassie,” said the mill-dam. “They shine in my own face o’ nights till I can’t sleep for them. Jump in and perhaps you’ll find one.”

So she jumped in, and swam about and swam about and swam about, but ne’er a one could she see. So she went on till she came to a brooklet.

“Goode’en to ye, Brooklet, Brooklet,” says she; “I’m seeking the stars in the sky to play with. Have you seen any?”

“Yes, indeed, my bonny lassie,” said the Brooklet. “They glint on my banks at night. Paddle about, and maybe you’ll find one.”

So she paddled and she paddled and she paddled, but ne’er a one did she find. So on she went till she came to the Good Folk.

“Goode’en to ye, Good Folk,” says she; “I’m looking for the stars in the sky to play with. Have ye seen e’er a one?”

“Why, yes, my bonny lassie,” said the Good Folk. “They shine on the grass here o’ night. Dance with us, and maybe you’ll find one.”

And she danced and she danced and she danced, but ne’er a one did she see. So down she sate; I suppose she wept.

“Oh dearie me, oh dearie me,” says she, “I’ve swam and I’ve paddled and I’ve danced, and if ye’ll not help me I shall never find the stars in the sky to play with.”

But the Good Folk whispered together, and one of them came up to her and took her by the hand and said, “If you won’t go home to your mother, go forward, go forward; mind you take the right road. Ask Four Feet to carry you to No Feet at all, and tell No Feet at all to carry you to the stairs without steps, and if you can climb that—”

“Oh, shall I be among the stars in the sky then?” cried the lassie.

“If you’ll not be, then you’ll be elsewhere,” said the Good Folk, and set to dancing again.

So on she went again with a light heart, and by-and-by she came to a saddled horse, tied to a tree.

“Goode’en to ye, Beast,” said she; “I’m seeking the stars in the sky to play with. Will you give me a lift, for all my bones are an-aching.”

“Nay,” said the horse, “I know nought of the stars in the sky, and I’m here to do the bidding of the Good Folk, and not my own will.”

“Well,” said she, “it’s from the Good Folk I come, and they bade me tell Four Feet to carry me to No Feet at all.”

“That’s another story,” said he; “jump up and ride with me.”

So they rode and they rode and they rode, till they got out of the forest and found themselves at the edge of the sea. And on the water in front of them was a wide glistening path running straight out towards a beautiful thing that rose out of the water and went up into the sky, and was all the colours in the world, blue and red and green, and wonderful to look at.

“Now get you down,” said the horse; “I’ve brought ye to the end of the land, and that’s as much as Four Feet can do. I must away home to my own folk.”

“But,” said the lassie, “where’s No Feet at all, and where’s the stair without steps?”

“I know not,” said the horse, “it’s none of my business neither. So goode’en to ye, my bonny lassie;” and off he went.

So the lassie stood still and looked at the water, till a strange kind of fish came swimming up to her feet.

“Goode’en to ye, big Fish,” says she, “I’m looking for the stars in the sky, and for the stairs that climb up to them. Will ye show me the way?”

“Nay,” said the Fish, “I can’t unless you bring me word from the Good Folk.”

“Yes, indeed,” said she. “They said Four Feet would bring me to No Feet at all, and No Feet at all would carry me to the stairs without steps.”

“Get on my back and hold fast.”
“Ah, well,” said the Fish; “that’s all right then. Get on my back and hold fast.”

And off he went—Kerplash!—into the water, along the silver path, towards the bright arch. And the nearer they came the brighter the sheen of it, till she had to shade her eyes from the light of it.

And as they came to the foot of it, she saw it was a broad bright road, sloping up and away into the sky, and at the far, far end of it she could see wee shining things dancing about.

“Now,” said the Fish, “here you are, and yon’s the stair; climb up, if you can, but hold on fast. I’ll warrant you find the stair easier at home than by such a way; ‘t was ne’er meant for lassies’ feet to travel;” and off he splashed through the water.

So she clomb and she clomb and she clomb, but ne’er a step higher did she get: the light was before her and around her, and the water behind her, and the more she struggled the more she was forced down into the dark and the cold, and the more she clomb the deeper she fell.

But she clomb and she clomb, till she got dizzy in the light and shivered with the cold, and dazed with the fear; but still she clomb, till at last, quite dazed and silly-like, she let clean go, and sank down—down—down.

And bang she came on to the hard boards, and found herself sitting, weeping and wailing, by the bedside at home all alone.

ENGLISH FAIRY TALES EDITED BY JOSEPH JACOBS.

Let’s Chat About The Stories ~ Ideas for Talking With Kids

Bedtime, Conversation

1. In the story, the little girl goes on an adventure to play with the stars. What kinds of things do you like about going on adventures?

2. At the end of the story, the little girl wakes up from her dream and she is quite upset. What helps you to feel better after you wake up from a scary or upsetting dream?

The post The Stars in the Sky first appeared on Bedtime Stories.

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Bedtime Story written by Sarah McGregor

Illustrated by Subi Bosa

Designed by Alexia Greef

Edited by Anna Stroud

* THE STORY ‘I DON’T WANT TO GO TO SLEEP!’ WAS CREATED BY BOOK DASH AND IS LICENSED UNDER A CREATIVE COMMONS ATTRIBUTION 4.0 LICENSE. MINOR FORMATTING CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE ORIGINAL WORK FOR EASE OF READING ON OUR WEBSITE.

LET’S DISCUSS THE STORIES ~ IDEAS FOR TALKING WITH KIDS

Bedtime, Imagination, Independent Thinking

1. Why do you think that Mama says the bed is a boat that can take Nandi to the places she wants to go?

2. What kinds of places have you visited in your dreams?

3. What do you like about dreaming?

The post I Don’t Want To Go To Sleep! first appeared on Bedtime Stories.

In a tiny house in the North Country, far away from any town or village, there lived not long ago, a poor widow all alone with her little son, a six-year-old boy.

The house-door opened straight on to the hill-side and all round about were moorlands and huge stones, and swampy hollows; never a house nor a sign of life wherever you might look, for their nearest neighbours were the “ferlies” in the glen below, and the “will-o’-the-wisps” in the long grass along the pathside.

And many a tale she could tell of the “good folk” calling to each other in the oak-trees, and the twinkling lights hopping on to the very window sill, on dark nights; but in spite of the loneliness, she lived on from year to year in the little house, perhaps because she was never asked to pay any rent for it.

But she did not care to sit up late, when the fire burnt low, and no one knew what might be about; so, when they had had their supper she would make up a good fire and go off to bed, so that if anything terrible did happen, she could always hide her head under the bed-clothes.

This, however, was far too early to please her little son; so when she called him to bed, he would go on playing beside the fire, as if he did not hear her.

He had always been bad to do with since the day he was born, and his mother did not often care to cross him; indeed, the more she tried to make him obey her, the less heed he paid to anything she said, so it usually ended by his taking his own way.

But one night, just at the fore-end of winter, the widow could not make up her mind to go off to bed, and leave him playing by the fireside; for the wind was tugging at the door, and rattling the window-panes, and well she knew that on such a night, fairies and such like were bound to be out and about, and bent on mischief. So she tried to coax the boy into going at once to bed:

“The safest bed to bide in, such a night as this!” she said: but no, he wouldn’t.

Then she threatened to “give him the stick,” but it was no use.

The more she begged and scolded, the more he shook his head; and when at last she lost patience and cried that the fairies would surely come and fetch him away, he only laughed and said he wished they would, for he would like one to play with.

At that his mother burst into tears, and went off to bed in despair, certain that after such words something dreadful would happen; while her naughty little son sat on his stool by the fire, not at all put out by her crying.

But he had not long been sitting there alone, when he heard a fluttering sound near him in the chimney and presently down by his side dropped the tiniest wee girl you could think of; she was not a span high, and had hair like spun silver, eyes as green as grass, and cheeks red as June roses. The little boy looked at her with surprise.

“Oh!” said he; “what do they call ye?”

“My own self,” she said in a shrill but sweet little voice, and she looked at him too. “And what do they call ye?”

“Just my own self too!” he answered cautiously; and with that they began to play together.

She certainly showed him some fine games. She made animals out of the ashes that looked and moved like life; and trees with green leaves waving over tiny houses, with men and women an inch high in them, who, when she breathed on them, fell to walking and talking quite properly.

But the fire was getting low, and the light dim, and presently the little boy stirred the coals with a stick to make them blaze; when out jumped a red-hot cinder, and where should it fall, but on the fairy child’s tiny foot.

Thereupon she set up such a squeal, that the boy dropped the stick, and clapped his hands to his ears but it grew to so shrill a screech, that it was like all the wind in the world whistling through one tiny keyhole.

There was a sound in the chimney again, but this time the little boy did not wait to see what it was, but bolted off to bed, where he hid under the blankets and listened in fear and trembling to what went on.

A voice came from the chimney speaking sharply:

“Who’s there, and what’s wrong?” it said.

“It’s my own self,” sobbed the fairy-child; “and my foot’s burnt sore. O-o-h!”

“Who did it?” said the voice angrily; this time it sounded nearer, and the boy, peeping from under the clothes, could see a white face looking out from the chimney-opening.

“Just my own self too!” said the fairy-child again.

“Then if ye did it your own self,” cried the elf-mother shrilly, “what’s the use o’ making all this fash about it?”—and with that she stretched out a long thin arm, and caught the creature by its ear, and, shaking it roughly, pulled it after her, out of sight up the chimney.

The little boy lay awake a long time, listening, in case the fairy-mother should come back after all; and next evening after supper, his mother was surprised to find that he was willing to go to bed whenever she liked.

“He’s taking a turn for the better at last!” she said to herself; but he was thinking just then that, when next a fairy came to play with him, he might not get off quite so easily as he had done this time.

FAIRY TALES WRITTEN EDITED BY JOSEPH JACOBS

LET’S CHAT ABOUT THE STORIES ~ IDEAS FOR TALKING WITH KIDS

Bedtime

1. In the story, it seemed really difficult for the Mother to get her son to go to bed because he wanted to keep playing. What do you find hardest about having to go to bed?

2. At the end of the story, the boy goes to bed without being asked. What happened to make the boy go to bed by himself?

The post My Own Self first appeared on Bedtime Stories.