Ten Cuddles In A Bed Are Too Many

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.