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

Patience

1. Bunu is very excited for her tooth to fall out. And yet she must wait. Why do you think it was good for her to wait – to be patient – for her tooth to fall out?

2. What do you think might have happened if she was impatient (this means ‘not patient’)?

3. Do you think it is important to be patient in life? Why or why not?

Bedtime story written by Rashma Thapa Gurung

Illustrated by Canato Jimo

Music Video from zapsplat.com

OTHER CREDITS:

This story: The Very Wiggly Tooth is written by Reshma Thapa Gurung. © Pratham Books, 2018. Some rights reserved. Released under CC BY 4.0 license. ‘The Very Wiggly Tooth’ has been published on StoryWeaver by Pratham Books. www.prathambooks.org; Guest editor: Mathangi Subramanian

* THE STORY ‘THE VERY WRIGGLY TOOTH’ WAS CREATED BY PRATHAM BOOKS AND IS LICENSED UNDER A CREATIVE COMMONS -BY-4.0 LICENSE. MINOR FORMATTING CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE ORIGINAL WORK FOR EASE OF READING ON OUR WEBSITE.

The Very Wriggly Tooth | Bedtime Stories | Free Books Online

Bunu has a wriggly tooth! How can she help it fall out quicker?

URL: https://www.storyberries.com/bedtime-stories-the-very-wriggly-tooth-free-books-for-kids-online/

Author: Storyweaver

Editor's Rating:
5

The post The Very Wriggly Tooth first appeared on Bedtime Stories.

Many children are gentle at heart, but what is not practiced is forgotten, and kindness is a virtue that is also learned. The art of being a good, kind, empathetic and co-operative person is best begun in early childhood.

How does being kind help our kids?

If children can create an environment of peace around themselves, and not act from a place of selfishness or aggressiveness, they are more likely to be appreciated by others and have healthier self-esteem.

Kindness helps everyone

Kind and compassionate children have a greater sensitivity to people, animals and the planet, which results in a better world.

How do I nurture kindness?

Please read on….Storyberries offers free children’s books, and tips for parents, on the valuable virtue of kindness.

The power of gratitude

Children who know how to be grateful for their families, the people around them, the toys they play with, the opportunity to study, and for their home, develop more empathy and compassion for other people. A grateful child will often be more likely to show kindness and compassion. Find ways to encourage gratitude in your child daily, and show gratitude yourself to provide them with regular modelling for a grateful attitude to life.

Real acts of kindness

Doing social deeds is also an education in kindness. By watching your example, and joining in as appropriate, children get used to giving empathy and acting in kindness. Raising money for a charity or another good cause, offering our time to collect items for those most in need, raising funds for sick children, or finding homes for abandoned cats and dogs, are just some examples.

It’s fun to do things together!

Children are generally very supportive of the people around them, and this is crucial in fostering goodness. They are easily motivated because participation excites them so much. Feeling integrated pleases them and their curiosity gives them wings. Joining in is fun, and if we integrate them into household activities they will gradually acquire the habit of being responsible collaborators. This is very advantageous for them because they then don’t see routine tasks as a burden, but as an activity to enjoy doing together.

Nurturing emotional intelligence

Children need to be able to recognize and manage their own emotions in order to understand others. We can talk about emotions and feelings with them whenever we have the chance, and also encourage our children to give expression to how they feel. The goal of emotional intelligence is to cultivate goodness, making it grow alongside empathy and love.

Practising patience in communication

This life-enriching skill can also be one of the most difficult to learn, but it’s all about trying again and again. A patient child can listen to others without being disturbed. Listening does not mean debating or having to agree with what is said; it is about waiting and then finding the right moment to express ourselves.

Loving kindness

Using many affectionate words and loving, tender gestures (and not only when we want to congratulate or reward) is really important. Spontaneous acts of affection are also a very effective way to convey warmth and kindness. “Just because” moments are easy to foster when children are feeling calm, and they can be very simple – we don’t need to go out of our way to do special things.

 

Some Free Books About Kindness At Storyberries

‘Please’ and ‘Thank You’ Simha!

In this lovely book exploring the importance of good manners, Simha learns that his friends feel happier, and are more willing to co-operate, when he treats them with kindness and good manners.

My Best Friend Crow

A beautiful tale of a young girl who feels sad that her grandmother chases away the crows when she feeds the pigeons in the park. Through her acts of kindness Rusty becomes best friends with Crow.

The Fairy Garden

The fairies at the bottom of the garden are delighted to find gifts left out for them by a girl and her golden cat. The kindness of the young girl builds trust and soon they all become friends.

 

Article by Luzmery M. Romero Gamboa and Fleur Rodgers

Luzmery works in the area of clinical psychology as a psychotherapist for children, adolescents and families. Since 2016, she has run a Psychological Center in Venezuela called Psicoluz. She offers workshop facilitations to parents, is involved in recreational activities for children, and has been working as a freelancer since 2017 performing online psychotherapy. 

Fleur is a meditation teacher in France and uses a compassion and loving-kindness based approach to meditation and slow-minded living. Fleur posts regularly to Instagram @rodgers.fleur . She has two children, is a qualified teacher in adult education and is the founder of Timeouttobreathe.com 

The post Helping kids to be kind first appeared on Bedtime Stories.

“Time to learn to climb and jump.” Mama Squirrel looked at those three fuzzy-tail baby squirrels all squashed tight in the nest.

The three fat little baby squirrel stared back, big eyes and perky ears. A bit scary leaving their tight cozy nest, but now the baby squirrels were getting bigger and it was a squash.

“Out you come.” Mama Squirrel stood on a branch.

“Climbing, balancing and jumping.”

The three little squirrels pushed each other to get out first…

And then it happened – they couldn’t. “You can’t?” Mama Squirrel squeaked.

“You can’t?” Owl joined in with a hoot; he always does.

“You can’t?” Crow landed on the branch.

“You can’t?” Woodpecker flew down with a peck.

“What’s the problem?” Owl always liked to know. A tear fell down the first baby squirrel’s cheek.

“We can’t because our tails are twisted and tangled.”

“Aah.” Crow crowed. “How did that happen?”

Mama Squirrel took a closer look.

“Twigs and a squashy nest, and those little squirrels squirm and wriggle far too much.”

The three little squirrels all started to howl and wriggle. Mama Squirrel yelled as loud as a squirrel could.

“Keep still, you’ll make the tangle worse.”

“That’s right.” Owl hooted. “Listen to your mother and don’t move.”

The three little squirrels tried to keep still but it was hard. Mama Squirrel took a closer look.

“I’ll pull out all the twigs and leaves.”

The three little squirrels tried to keep still but it was hard.

“Now, I’ll try to untangle your tails.”

The three little squirrels tried to keep still but it was hard.

Mama Squirrel tried to untangle the fuzzy furry tails.

The three little squirrels tried to keep still but it was hard.

“I’ll have to snip a bit with a bite or two, just keep still.”

“Snip a bit? Bite?” The three baby squirrels squealed.

“Just a bit, keep still and don’t wriggle and twist.”

The three little squirrels tried to keep still but it was hard.

Mama Squirrel snipped a bit with a bite in the middle where the bushy tails were knotted together.

The three little squirrels tried to keep still but it was hard.

Owl shook his head.

“Twisted and tangled.”

Crow crowed.

“Muddled and matted.” Woodpecker jumped up and down.

“I’m a good pecker!”

But Mama Squirrel stopped snipping.

”I think it’s unmuddled now, just be careful you don’t tangle again.”

And so, it was the tangle was untangled – the three little squirrels carefully left the nest onto the branch of the tree. Each one had a tiny bit fuzzy of furry tail missing – but not so much.

“You need your tails for balancing and climbing and to keep you warm in winter.” Mama Squirrel told those three little squirrels.

“You listen to your mother.” Owl hooted “She knows best.”

“I could have pecked.” Woodpecker huffed and he flew off.

“I’m glad I haven’t got a bushy tail.” Crow crowed and flew off.

And then Mama Squirrel taught the little squirrels everything that squirrels need to know – climbing, jumping, finding nuts and acorns and staying away from bushy tail foxes and barking dogs.

And if you see a squirrel with a lump of furry fuzz missing from its tail – it’s one of the tangled squirrels!  

© Andrea Kaczmarek 2020

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

Patience

1. Have you ever tried to untangle something? How did you do it?

2. How do you think patience helps in fixing a tangle? 

Short Story for Kids written by Andrea Kaczmarek

Illustrations used under license.               

The post Tails In A Tangle first appeared on Bedtime Stories.

BEDTIME STORY WRITTEN BY ROHINI NIKEKANI

ILLUSTRATED BY RUCHI SHAH

OTHER CREDITS:

* THE STORY ‘’NOT NOW NOT NOW‘ WAS WRITTEN BY ROHINI NILEKANI AND IS © PRATHAM BOOKS, 2011. SOME RIGHT RESERVED. IT IS LICENSED UNDER A CREATIVE COMMONS -BY-4.0 LICENSE. MINOR FORMATTING CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE ORIGINAL WORK FOR EASE OF READING ON OUR WEBSITE.

Pratham Books is a not-for-profit organization that publishes books in multiple Indian languages to promote reading among children. www.prathambooks.org.

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

Patience

1. The little boy in this bedtime story thinks that adults always say “not now, not now”. Do you think this is true? Why do you think parents might sometimes say “not now?”

2. Can you think of some things you could do to help yourself wait when you’re told “not now”?

The post Not Now, Not Now! 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.

There were once three Billy Goats who lived in a meadow at the foot of a mountain, and their last name was Gruff. There was the Big Billy Goat Gruff, and the Middle-sized Billy Goat Gruff, and the Little Billy Goat Gruff. They all three jumped about among the rocks in the meadow and ate what grass they could find, but it wasn’t very much.

One day the Littlest Billy Goat Gruff looked up at the high mountain overhead, and he thought to himself, “It looks as though there were a great deal of fine grass up on the mountain. I believe I’ll just run up there all by myself, without telling anyone, and eat so much grass and eat so much grass that I’ll grow to be as big as anybody.”

So off the Little Billy Goat Gruff started without telling his brothers a word about it. He ran along, tip-tap, tip-tap, tip-tap, until at last he came to a wide river, with a bridge over it.

Now the Little Billy Goat did not know it, but this bridge belonged to a great, terrible Troll, and the little goat had not gone more than half-way across when he heard the Troll shouting from under the bridge.

“Who’s that going across my bridge?” shouted the Troll in his great loud voice.

“It’s me, the Littlest Billy Goat Gruff!” answered the Little Billy Goat in his little bit of voice.

“Oh! it’s the Littlest Billy Goat Gruff, is it? Well, you won’t go much farther, for I’m the Troll that owns this bridge, and now I’m coming to eat you up.” And with that the Troll looked up over the edge of the bridge.

When the Little Billy Goat Gruff saw him, he was very much frightened. “Oh, dear, good Mr Troll, please don’t eat me up,” he cried. “I’m such a very little goat that I would scarcely be a mouthful for you. I have a brother who is a great deal bigger than I am; wait till he comes, for he’d make a much better meal for you than I would.”

“But if he’s much bigger than you are he may be tough.”

“Oh, no, he’s just as tender as I am.”

“And a great deal bigger?”

“Oh, yes, a great deal bigger.”

“Very well then, I’ll wait for him. Run along!”

So the little goat ran on, tip-tap! tip-tap! tip-tap! across the bridge, and on up the mountain to where he was safe. And glad enough he was to be out of that scrape, I can tell you.

Now it was not very long after this that the Middle-sized Billy Goat Gruff began to think he’d like to go up on the mountain too. He did not say anything about it to the Great Big Billy Goat Gruff, but off he set, all by himself—trap-trap! trap-trap! trap-trap! After a while he came to the bridge, where the Troll lived, and he stepped out upon it, trap-trap! trap-trap! trap-trap!

He’d barely reached the middle of it when the Troll began shouting at him in his great, terrible voice:

“Who’s that going across my bridge?”

“It’s me, the Middle-sized Billy Goat Gruff,” answered the Middle-sized Billy Goat in his middle-sized voice.

“Oh, it is, is it? Then you’re the very one I’ve been waiting for. I’m the Troll that owns this bridge, and now I’m coming to eat you up.”

At that the Middle-sized Billy Goat Gruff was in a great fright. “Oh, dear Mr Troll, good Mr Troll, please don’t eat me up! I have a brother that’s a great deal bigger than I am. Just wait till he comes along, for he’d make a much better meal for you than I would.”

“A great deal bigger?”

“Yes, a great deal bigger.”

“Very well then, run along and I’ll wait till he comes. Only the biggest goat there is is fit to make a meal for me.”

The Middle-sized Billy Goat was not slow to run along as the Troll bade him. He hurried across the river and up the mountain as fast as he could go, trappity-trap! trappity-trap! trappity-trap! And just weren’t he and his little brother glad to see each other again, and to be safely over the Troll’s bridge, and up where the good grass was!

And now it was the turn of the Big Billy Goat Gruff to begin to think he’d like to go up on the mountain too. “I believe that’s where the Little Billy Goat Gruff and the Middle-sized Billy Goat Gruff have gone,” said he to himself. “If I don’t look out they’ll be growing so fat up there that they’ll be as big as I am. I think I’d better go and eat the long green mountain grass too.” So the next morning off he set in the pleasant sunshine. Klumph-klumph! klumph-klumph! He was so big you could hear his hoofs pounding on the stones while he was still a mile away.

After a while he came to the bridge where the Troll lived, and out he stepped on it, klumph-klumph! klumph-klumph! and the bridge shook and bent under his weight as he walked. Then the Troll that lived under it was in a fearful rage. “Who’s that going across my bridge?” he bellowed, and his voice was so terrible that all the little fish in the river swam away and hid under the rocks at the sound of it.

But the Big Billy Goat was not one bit frightened.

“It’s me, the Biggest Billy Goat Gruff,” he answered, in a voice as big as the Troll’s own.

“Oh, it is, is it? Then just stop a bit—for you’re the one I’ve been waiting for. I’m the Troll that owns this bridge, and now I’m coming to eat you up!” and with that the great grey Troll poked his head up over the bridge, and his eyes looked like two great mill-wheels, and they were going round and round in his head with rage. But still the Big Billy Goat was not one bit frightened.

“So you’re a Troll, are you! And you own this bridge, do you? And now you’re going to eat me up? We’ll just see about that:

“I have a forehead as hard as stone,
And I’ll mash you all up, body and bone!”

When the Troll heard the Big Billy Goat talk to him that way he bellowed so that the Middle-sized Billy Goat and the Little Billy Goat heard him all the way up on the mountain where they were. He jumped up on the bridge and put down his big, bushy head and ran at the Billy Goat, and the Big Billy Goat put down his head and ran at the Troll, and they met in the middle of the bridge. But the Billy Goat’s head was harder than the Troll’s, so he knocked him down and thumped him about, and then he took him up on his horns and threw him over the edge of the bridge into the river below, and the Troll sank like a piece of lead and never was seen or heard of again.

But the Big Billy Goat went on up the mountain; and you may believe that his two brothers were glad to see him again, and to hear that the great wicked Troll was gone from under the bridge.

And after that they all stayed up on the mountain together, and the smaller goats ate so much grass and grew so fat and big that after a while no one could have told one Billy Goat from the other.

SHORT STORY FOR KIDS WRITTEN BY KATHARINE PYLE

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

Greed

1. The Troll could have eaten the first Little Billy Goat Gruff but he decided not to. Why did he decide not to?
2. What happened when the Troll waited for a bigger – and then bigger – Troll?
3. What do you think this says about being greedy?

Patience

1. The Little Billy Goat Gruff and the Middle-Sized Billy Goat Gruff were not able to fight the Troll, but instead used their words to buy time from the wicked Troll. Do you think it is sometimes a good idea to ask for more time if you can’t do something? Why or why not?

Book Information!

No schema found.

The post The Three Billy Goats Gruff first appeared on Bedtime Stories.