Free bedtime stories

Animal stories

• Farm Stories Explore farm stories about finding the way, settling down for the night, and following a rolling scoop. Choose a tale that fits your child’s mood.
• Horses and Ponies Explore stories about horses and ponies, from a ribbon walk to rainy-day grooming. Choose a read-aloud that suits your child’s mood.
• Stories from Prehistoric Times Explore stories set in Prehistoric Times, with playful characters, curious clues, and adventures to share with your child.

• Bibi’s Little Echo A little dinosaur finds her voice when her friends learn to listen. 6 min read
• Biscuit’s Muddy Map When Biscuit’s hoofprints seem to lead to Hazel’s henhouse, he tries a new path to show her where he’s really going. 7 min read
• Cleo’s Welcome Mat Cleo has made a cozy leafy mat for her friends, but one little dinosaur is taking his time to hatch. 7 min read
• Clover and the Puddle Foal Clover spots a foal in a puddle and wonders why it copies everything she does. 7 min read
• Daisy Finds the Way When Daisy loses sight of the pasture gate, familiar farm clues help her find her way back to the barn. 7 min read
• Fernie’s Hay Net When Fernie’s hay net keeps slipping away, Mason learns that a calm pause can help him find a better way. 7 min read
• Greta’s Hush-Hush Parade Greta and her friends plan a parade that won’t wake the animals resting inside the barn. 7 min read
• Jett and the Loopy Footprints Jett picks the biggest dinosaur track, hoping it will lead him to the finish first. 8 min read
• Junebug Finds the Herd When Junebug follows a blue butterfly over a hill, she must listen carefully to find her mother and the herd again. 6 min read
• Kira’s Gentle Landing Kira can fly across the valley, but landing on a rock takes a little more practice. 7 min read
• Lark and the Sweet Grass A young foal finds the courage to explore a streamside pasture at her own pace. 7 min read
• Millie’s New Goodnight Cluck A mother chicken’s unexpected squeak inspires a new bedtime song for her three chicks. 7 min read
• Murphy and the Flapping Shade Cloth Murphy wants to visit Dot, but a flapping shade cloth at the gate makes him pause and think about what to do. 6 min read
• Rosie’s Rainy-Day Brush When rain cancels Rosie’s meadow walk, she finds a comforting way to spend the afternoon with Graham. 7 min read
• Rufus and the Rolling Scoop Rufus chases a runaway feed scoop across the farmyard and figures out how to bring it back to the barn. 7 min read
• Wade and the Sailing Leaf When a leaf carrying lunch floats away, Wade and his mother follow the stream and find a way to bring it back. 7 min read
• Wally’s Wingtip Picnic Wally and Lottie find a clever way to enjoy a picnic together, even when wings, tails, and a runaway blanket keep getting in the way. 8 min read

Firefighters, police and helpers

• Firefighter Stories Browse firefighter stories for kids, with gentle tales you can explore together and choose based on your child’s interests.

• Goodnight from the Space Station From a humming space station, astronaut Jordan finds a warm, familiar way to send his daughter a goodnight message. 7 min read
• Jules and the Hose That Wouldn’t Stay Put Jules struggles to coil a training hose until she slows down and finds a steadier way to work. 8 min read
• Tasha’s Dinner Bell When the firefighters keep mishearing Tasha’s dinner call, a little brass bell may be just the thing to bring everyone to the table. 7 min read
• The Kite in the Oak Noah and firefighter Keira work patiently together to free his kite from an oak tree. 7 min read
• The Little Call on the Paper Map Leo helps create a firehouse adventure with a toy truck, a picnic blanket, and a gentle sound he chooses. 7 min read
• The Little Cardboard Street When the puppet show's paper street falls apart, Camille and two young visitors find a creative way to rebuild it before showtime. 8 min read
• The Pillow with One Crooked Corner As Rae tidies the fire station common room after a shift, one crooked pillow keeps catching her eye. 7 min read

Outer space

• Amazing Jobs Explore Amazing Jobs with three story picks for your family, from a quiet hello to a garden on Mars and a night in space.

• A Quiet Hello When Casey’s noisy welcome startles Pippo, the two find a gentle way to say hello among the stars. 7 min read
• Ari and the Little Mars Garden Ari searches the greenhouse for a gentle, steady shade to make a cozy place for Dot, a tiny seed on Mars. 6 min read
• Max and the Moonberry Buns Comet Max’s swishing tail keeps sending the moonberry bun basket on unexpected trips around the neighborhood. 7 min read
• The Blue Kite Over Mars Riley and Pebble try to find a smooth spot where a blue kite can soar over Mars. 8 min read
• The Lantern Path Tess and Zuzu follow a trail of star-shaped stones through a puzzling valley on their way to Lantern Hill. 7 min read
• Toby and the Wiggly Box Toby and Skipper steady a sliding box of night-lights on their way to a space station. 6 min read

Fantasy and magic

• Dragon Stories for Kids Explore three dragon stories with gentle characters, cozy settings, and bright adventures for young readers and read-aloud time.
• Unicorn Stories Explore stories in our unicorn collection and choose a title that suits your child’s interests and your next reading moment together.

• Emery and the Lantern Leaf Unicorn Emery and Flick discover how a simple leaf can help them carry a lantern safely to their garden picnic. 8 min read
• Fern and the Friendly Echo A little dragon explores a new cave and listens for the perfect peaceful place to sleep. 7 min read
• Gusset’s Knightly Parade Dragon Gusset and castle mouse Dot turn a too-small knight costume into an outfit made for a parade. 7 min read
• Lila and the Little Moon Button Lila the unicorn and her friend Nib follow a tiny clink through the woods as they search for her missing moon button. 7 min read
• Marlowe and the Moonlit Ribbon When Marlowe takes a wrong turn in a moonlit dragon race, he has to decide what matters most. 8 min read
• Penny’s Gentle Glow Penny must find a gentler way to light the lanterns before she and her friends can walk safely through the mountains at dusk. 8 min read
• Rhea and the Cloud Peak Beacon When the wind threatens the beacon above her sleeping valley, Rhea and Tuck find a way to keep its light shining. 7 min read
• Sasha and the Silver-Reed Bridge A young unicorn and her friend work together to quiet a singing bridge and carry a glowing bluebell across a moonlit stream. 7 min read
• The Hill’s Soft Hum Two unicorn friends follow a mysterious nighttime hum and discover the quiet music of the wind. 7 min read
• The Warm Rock on Sunny Ledge Kip isn’t sure there’s room on his favorite warm rock for a new dragon named Wren. 8 min read

Adventure

• Pirates and Treasure Explore Pirates and Treasure stories with your child, from a little ship and a patchwork flag to a map that turns.

• Ellie and Sunny’s Goodnight Tune Captain Ellie and her parrot Sunny practice a soothing tune for their crew under the moonlight. 7 min read
• Kiki and the Captain’s Button A shiny button, a toppled pile of blankets, and a small pirate parrot facing a big choice. 8 min read
• Nell and the Little Ship When Nell’s little ship gets stuck on a sandbar, she and her crew must find a gentle way to set sail again. 8 min read
• Pepper’s Patchwork Flag When the Moonbeam’s colorful flag keeps sliding down its pole, Pepper has an idea to help it stay put. 8 min read
• The Map That Turned Nico and June follow a puzzling map across a cove as the rising tide slowly changes the clues. 8 min read

Seasons and holidays

• Christmas Bedtime Stories for Kids Free Christmas bedtime stories for kids ages 4 to 7: reindeer, Santa’s elves, snowy adventures and cozy Christmas Eves – each one ends calmly, ready to read aloud.

• A Place at the Christmas Table Ava and her family work together to make sure their neighbor has a welcoming place at the Christmas Eve table. 8 min read
• Amaya’s Christmas Tune Amaya hopes to surprise her neighbor with a Christmas tune, while making sure the music won’t disturb anyone nearby. 7 min read
• Ari’s Christmas Eve Rhythm Ari invites family and friends to turn little sounds into a gentle Christmas Eve rhythm. 7 min read
• Beck and the Bend in the Belt When a big present gets stuck at a conveyor belt’s tight bend, Beck and Luma find a gentler way to guide it through. 8 min read
• Benny’s Gentle Jingle Elf Benny and his friend Lila work together to make a bell that gives musical toy ducks a gentle jingle. 7 min read
• Bix and the Foggy Meadow When fog hides the way home, Bix and Fable work together to follow the fence back to their shed. 6 min read
• Bramble’s First Flight A nervous young reindeer discovers how a gentle hill and two trusted friends can make a first flight feel possible. 8 min read
• Bramble’s Moonlit Turn Young reindeer Bramble helps his team solve a ribbon tangle during a moonlit sleigh practice. 7 min read
• Della and the Wide Paper Star Della and her team must find the right formation to carry a giant paper star across the training field. 8 min read
• Ellis’s Moon Wish When clouds hide the moon on Christmas Eve, Ellis and Nina create a moon of their own. 8 min read
• Elsie and the Little Silver Bell A little silver bell sets the northern lights dancing just as Santa needs the stars to guide his sleigh to Elsie’s home. 6 min read
• Felix and the Wiggly Garland Felix and Ruby find a way to keep their wagon’s garland in place as it rolls through the Christmas parade. 8 min read
• Fern and the Evergreen Wreath Fern and her friends figure out how to get an oversized wreath through a narrow arch before the Christmas gathering. 7 min read
• Hazel’s Gentle Christmas Light A young Christmas star discovers that she doesn’t have to outshine the town’s tree to shine beautifully. 7 min read
• Ivy and the Three-Tailed Snow Dragon When fluffy snow won’t hold together, Ivy and Cole find a way to make a dragon with three splendid tails. 8 min read
• Jasper, Noodle, and the Wobbly Cart A wobbly cart and a clever sniffing dog turn Jasper’s Christmas parade practice into a little mystery. 8 min read
• Junebug’s Sky-Hop Garden Junebug and her cloud friend Pebble set out on a nighttime flight to plant peppermint seeds in a garden beyond the snowy mountains. 7 min read
• Lila and the Little Bird Path Lila follows tiny tracks in the snow and discovers that the birds need help reaching their feeder. 6 min read
• Lily’s Christmas Lights Lap At a glowing town rink, Lily sets herself the challenge of skating one full lap without holding on. 7 min read
• Mabel and the Steady Lights Mabel the cat leaves a bustling stoop to find a quiet garden corner beneath the steady Christmas lights. 8 min read
• Marcus and the Little Gold Star Marcus has a gold star for every December bus route, but a busy day makes him wonder when he’ll be able to mark the latest one. 7 min read
• Maren and the Moonlit Cloud Road Maren leads a sleigh team through the moonlit sky on a delivery to the lantern tower. 7 min read
• Maya and Cal’s Snowy Cocoa Café When their snow fort’s roof keeps sagging, Maya and Cal try a new shape and turn the backyard fort into a pretend cocoa café. 6 min read
• Nell Finds the Beat During a Christmas parade, Nell listens closely to help her marchers stay together when the band’s music gets loud. 7 min read
• Nora’s Christmas Cue When the microphone goes quiet at her school’s Christmas sing-along, Nora must find another way to cue her classmates. 7 min read
• Piper’s Little December Hello Piper makes the wait for Christmas feel brighter with a daily hello to Waffles, her neighbor’s friendly dog. 6 min read
• Pipkin and the Quiet Bow Pipkin finds a gentle way to quiet a musical bow and help a family of toy birds sleep before Santa’s sleigh takes off. 7 min read
• Poppy and the Moonlit Tree When a towering fir leans toward a mysterious golden glow, Poppy the tree sprite sets out to discover what it needs. 8 min read
• Raff and the Winter Garden Star As Christmas Eve approaches, young elf Raff wonders what will help a closed star-flower bloom in Santa’s workshop window. 7 min read
• Sam’s Christmas Fleet While waiting for a toy boat, Sam and Riley fold paper boats and discover that their Christmas game can begin right away. 8 min read
• Stella and the Snowy Sky Path A little star and a moon-moth follow a trail of tiny reflections through snowy clouds on Christmas Eve. 8 min read
• The Beat Beneath the Carol When a Christmas carol keeps going off track, Maisie finds a way for her friend Leo to join in. 8 min read
• The Bell That Rang Too Soon Two young elves follow a tiny bell’s unexpected chimes to solve a gentle mystery in Santa’s workshop. 6 min read
• The Bell at Juniper Corner When Logan and Keira miss each other on Christmas Eve, a hand bell and a familiar meeting place help bring their families together. 6 min read
• The Bell in the Christmas Story When the library’s story bell goes missing, Ivy searches the reading corner and shelves before the children’s Christmas story can begin. 7 min read
• The Biggest Snow Angel On a quiet December evening, Sienna and Miles look for the perfect patch of snow to make their biggest snow angels. 7 min read
• The Card with the Red Envelope With her mom beside her, Lucy follows a tiny picture to deliver a Christmas card to its rightful recipient. 8 min read
• The Christmas Eve Picture Maya wants a Christmas Eve picture with everyone she loves, but getting the whole group into the frame takes teamwork. 8 min read
• The Christmas Eve Story They Made Together When Caleb and Mae want to read different books, they discover they can make a new story together. 7 min read
• The Countdown Without Chimes When the family clock stops chiming, Benji and Layla find another way to count down to Christmas Eve. 7 min read
• The Curved Way to Christmas When snow covers the straight path to his neighbor’s house, Miles helps find a safer way to deliver a Christmas card. 7 min read
• The Kitten Beneath the Bench At a Christmas open house at the fire station, a child helps a shy kitten feel safe enough to come out from beneath a bench. 8 min read
• The Lantern Curve When mist hides the route to a coastal town, Willa helps Santa find the way by following a curve of glowing porch lanterns. 8 min read
• The Last Line on Quinn’s List A blank line on Quinn’s Christmas wish list leads to an afternoon of paper stars and a new friendship. 7 min read
• The Last Link by the Window Jocelyn has one last paper link to add to the community center’s Christmas countdown chain—but the day keeps changing, and the link has gone missing. 8 min read
• The Little Cars on the Windowsill Oliver and Mrs. Bell find a gentle way to watch the days go by as they wait for Christmas Eve. 8 min read
• The Little Door in the Christmas Tree A tiny door in the Christmas tree leads Clara toward a magical chance to welcome her new neighbor. 8 min read
• The Ribbon Path Andre and Keira set out to make a picture in the fresh snow, but their footprints don’t go quite as planned. 7 min read
• The Rooftop Star’s Colors Ezra and Glint help a rooftop star gather the Christmas colors glowing across their neighborhood. 8 min read
• The Snow That Floated Up A magical gondola carries Cal to the North Pole, where a floating-snow problem calls for a clever shelter and a new friend. 7 min read
• The Song That Warmed the Hallway A series of Advent calendar notes helps Nora find a gentle way to welcome the new boy across the hall. 8 min read
• The Star in the Middle Jenna and Miles find a new way to arrange their yard decorations when their wooden star won’t light up. 8 min read
• The Stocking’s Silly Dance A playful Christmas stocking twists and dances while Jude and Callie try to retrieve a little wooden bird. 7 min read
• The Tracks Beneath the Hedge When snowfall hides a rabbit’s tracks, Eli discovers where they lead and finds inspiration for a Christmas card. 8 min read
• The Trail Beside the Hedge Ethan and Sofia follow tiny tracks through the snow, careful not to disturb the quiet shelter beneath the hedge. 8 min read
• Theo’s Secret Star Theo’s handmade star needs a song to shine, and he has to find a way to hang it as a surprise for his friends. 5 min read
• Three Rolls for Leo Nina saves three warm rolls for Leo, but Christmas Eve plans don’t go quite as she expected. 8 min read
• Tilly and the Quiet Oven When Tilly’s oven bell rings too soon, she learns to wait, watch, and trust the signs that her cinnamon muffins are ready. 6 min read
• Waltz and the Christmas Tune A twirling ornament helps Sadie and Kit search for the missing key to a Christmas music box. 7 min read
• Wes and the Wide Circle Wes wants to lead the holiday dance, but making room for Nia calls for a different kind of leadership. 7 min read
• Wren’s Moonlit Wrapping When Wren’s moon-patterned paper keeps curling up, she and Kit discover how the little gifts can help. 8 min read
• Zoe’s Christmas-Light Turn Zoe wants to show her cousin Dylan a skating turn, but the sparkling Christmas lights keep catching her eye. 7 min read
• Zoe’s Welcome Sign When the breeze keeps toppling her welcome sign, Zoe finds a sheltered spot where her visiting family can see it. 8 min read

Preschool, school and family

• Friendship Stories Explore friendship stories for kids, from A Leaf Between Two Letters to The Cloud Crew’s Breezy Ride. Choose a story for your next reading moment.
• Stories About Feelings Explore stories about feelings with your child, from welcoming a new friend to sharing a thoughtful picture and a moonlit surprise.

• A Leaf Between Two Letters When Avery’s flower seeds get soggy, a thoughtful letter from June helps two pen pals try growing beans together. 7 min read
• Calvin’s Jump-Rope Beat At a backyard playdate, Calvin and Zuri discover how a steady beat can help them jump rope together. 8 min read
• Ellis’s Picture Story Ellis finds a way to share a windy-day adventure with classmates who learn to listen and wait. 7 min read
• Evan and the Striped Lighthouse Evan is excited to see a striped lighthouse on an island, but first he has to figure out where the ferry is taking him. 7 min read
• Miles and the Moonlit Slipper Miles asks Mom to help him find his missing slipper in the dark hallway. 7 min read
• Nolan’s Welcome Plane After Nolan’s paper plane falls short in a classroom derby, he discovers another way to make the day special. 8 min read
• The Ball That Found Its Way When Luis is new at the playground, a red ball helps him find a way into the game. 7 min read
• The Boing-Boop Duet A bouncing ball and a friend’s gentle tap help Amir and Elsie discover a joyful little rhythm in the echoing school gym. 6 min read
• The Chalk Path Around the Park When Mason’s scooter ride has to stop, he and Lily draw and explore a winding chalk path instead. 7 min read
• The Cloud Crew’s Breezy Ride When a breeze keeps disrupting their backyard games, Mia and Parker find a way to turn both their ideas into one adventure. 8 min read
• The Half-Sign Fort When Kira is moving to a new home, she and Remy find a way to keep a piece of their cardboard fort close. 8 min read
• The Moon Picture In her new bedroom, Lena searches a jumble of moving boxes for the moon picture that makes a room feel familiar. 7 min read

Sports and games

• Ava and Dottie’s Ribbon Walk Ava and Dottie take on an arena ribbon game, one steady step at a time. 7 min read

Extra calm bedtime stories

• Extra Calm Stories Explore Extra Calm stories with your child, from a shy star to gentle taps and a quiet hollow. Choose the story that fits your moment.

• Lark and the Shy Star A young moonbeam carries a goodnight note across the sky to a shy star hidden behind a cloud. 6 min read
• Mossy’s Two Little Taps Mossy searches for just the right sound to carry his goodnight message across the meadow to Brindle. 6 min read
• Nimbus Finds a Quiet Hollow Nimbus and Mabel search a moonlit mountain for a sheltered spot where Nimbus can finally rest. 6 min read
• Piper and the Pond’s Plink Piper and Winnie set out with their mother to discover what keeps making a plink beside the pond. 7 min read
• Tavi’s Softest Goodnight Puff A little dragon learns to slow his breathing so his bedtime puff won’t send his blanket flying. 7 min read
• The Oak Tree Goodnight When an old oak blocks Cora and Finn’s windows, the cousins find a new way to say goodnight. 7 min read