Short stories for kids in English with a moral: three to read aloud

Three short stories

1. The red kite string

Tara borrowed Ravi's spool of red kite string without asking. The wind was strong, and the string snapped. The kite sailed away over the rooftops, and the spool was left in a tangle.

Tara wanted to push the spool under her bed and say nothing. But her tummy felt heavy all afternoon. At dinner time she knocked on Ravi's door, held out the tangled spool and said, "I borrowed this without asking, and I lost your kite. I am sorry."

Ravi was quiet for a moment. Then he smiled. "Thank you for telling me. Let us untangle it together." By evening the string was neat again.

Moral: Telling the truth is hard for a moment, but it makes your heart light.

Read-aloud tip: Slow down and drop your voice when Tara decides to knock on the door.

• Why did Tara's tummy feel heavy?
• What would you say if you broke something that belonged to a friend?

2. The heavy basket

Neel was running to the park with his ball when he saw Granny Lata on the path. She was carrying a basket of guavas, and it was far too heavy for her.

Neel looked at the park. His friends were waiting. Then he looked at the basket. He tucked the ball under one arm and took the basket handle with the other.

"Which way, Granny?" he asked. They walked slowly to her gate, talking about guavas. Granny Lata gave him the ripest one. When Neel reached the park, his friends had saved him a place, and the guava tasted wonderful.

Moral: A small act of help can brighten two people's day.

Read-aloud tip: Pause before Neel decides and ask, "What do you think he will do?"

• What did Neel give up so he could help?
• Who could you help at home or at school today?

3. Kiko builds a nest

Kiko the sparrow wanted a nest of her own. She gathered twigs and stacked them in the mango tree. A gust of wind blew them down.

She tried again, and again the twigs fell. Kiko sat on a branch, feeling small. An old crow said, "Look at how the twigs cross each other." Kiko watched the crow's nest and noticed that the twigs were woven, not just piled.

On the next try she wove each twig into the one before it. The wind blew, and the nest stayed. That night Kiko slept in it, snug and proud.

Moral: When something does not work, look closely, learn and try again.

Read-aloud tip: Make a soft whooshing sound for the wind and let your child join in.

• What did Kiko do differently the third time?
• What is something you kept practising until you could do it?

How to use these stories

Read the story once, straight through, without stopping to explain. Children usually grasp the main idea by themselves. Then ask the first question and listen. If your child gives a surprising answer, follow it. The moral in each story is only our wording, and a child who explains it differently has understood it well.

In a classroom, read one story a day and let pairs act it out. Repeat favourites as often as your child asks.

More to explore on Rangooo

Browse more moral stories for kids, let the story picker suggest a tale for tonight, check what your child remembers with the moral quiz, or read our gentle bedtime stories for 5 year olds. Teachers can find ideas on our for teachers page.

Questions

What age are these short stories for?

They are written for children of about five to seven, but a younger child can listen along and an older one can read them aloud to a sibling. Read each story first and choose what suits your child.

How long does each story take to read?

Each story is under 150 words, so reading aloud takes about a minute. Most of the time goes on the two questions afterwards, which is where the talking happens.

Are these stories original?

Yes. The three stories were written for Rangooo and are not retellings of any existing tale. You are welcome to read them aloud at home or in class.

How do I help my child remember the moral?

Ask the child to say the moral in their own words before you read ours. Then link it to something from their own day, such as a time they shared, helped or tried again.