Are you on the lookout for very short stories for preschoolers that not only entertain but also teach valuable lessons? Look no further! We’ve put together a delightful collection of bite-sized stories, perfect for sharing with little ones.
These are ideal for bedtime, storytime, or even when you’re just looking for a fun way to spend some quiet moments with your preschooler. Let’s jump right in and enjoy these 40 simple yet meaningful stories!
40 Very Short Stories for Preschoolers
1. The Boy Who Cried Wolf
Once upon a time, a little shepherd boy looked after his sheep on a hill. He got so bored that he thought it would be funny to trick the villagers.
So, he yelled, “Wolf! Wolf!” even though there was no wolf. The villagers came running, but they found no wolf, and the boy laughed at them. They warned him not to lie.
But the boy didn’t listen, and he did it again a few days later. This time, the villagers were even angrier. But one day, a real wolf came, and when the boy cried for help, no one believed him.
The wolf scared away all his sheep, and the boy learned a valuable lesson about telling the truth.
Moral: Always be truthful, or people may not believe you when it really matters.
2. The Midas Touch
This is the 2nd very short story for preschoolers. King Midas loved gold so much that he wished everything he touched would turn into gold.
A magical god granted him this wish, but soon Midas realized his mistake. His flowers, food, and even his beloved daughter turned into gold when he touched them!
Midas begged the god to take the wish away, and thankfully, the god did.
Midas learned that love and happiness are more important than any treasure.
Moral: Be careful what you wish for, and don’t let greed take over your life.
3. The Golden Egg
A farmer had a goose that laid a golden egg every single day. It was wonderful!
The farmer and his wife were happy, but soon greed got the best of them. “Why take just one egg a day?” thought the farmer. “We could get all the eggs at once!” So, they decided to cut the goose open to get all the golden eggs.
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But when they did, there were no golden eggs inside. They had lost their goose and its golden eggs forever.
Moral: Greed can make you lose everything. Appreciate what you have.
4. The Miser and His Gold
There once was a miser who loved his gold so much that he buried it in a secret spot in his garden.
Every day, he would dig it up, count the coins, and bury it again. He never used it but just liked having it.
One day, a thief stole all the miser’s gold. The miser cried and cried. His neighbor said, “Why are you so upset? You never used the gold anyway, so what’s the difference?”
Moral: Wealth is only valuable if you use it for something meaningful.
5. The Tortoise and the Bird
A tortoise saw a bird building her nest one day and couldn’t help but tease her. “Your nest looks so flimsy compared to my strong shell,” the tortoise said.
But the bird smiled and replied, “My nest may be small, but it’s warm and cozy, and I can share it with my family. Your shell is strong, but you live all alone.”
The tortoise realized that a happy home is more important than a fancy one.
Moral: A loving home, even if simple, is better than a lonely mansion.
6. The Cows and the Tiger
Four cows lived together and were the best of friends. They always stayed together, and because of this, no predator dared to attack them.
But one day, the cows got into an argument and went their separate ways.
A hungry tiger, who had been waiting for an opportunity, attacked them one by one. The cows were no match for the tiger when they were alone.
Moral: Unity is strength. We are always safer and stronger when we stick together.
7. The Fox and the Stork
A clever fox once invited his friend the stork over for dinner. The fox served soup in shallow bowls, which he could easily lap up, but the stork, with her long beak, couldn’t drink any of it.
She went home hungry and disappointed.
A few days later, the stork invited the fox for dinner. She served the soup in tall jars, perfect for her beak but impossible for the fox to reach.
The fox went home hungry, realizing that it’s important to treat others kindly.
Moral: Treat others as you want to be treated.
8. The Rooster and the Jewel
One day, a rooster was searching for food when he uncovered a shiny jewel. It sparkled in the sunlight, but the rooster had no use for it.
“This jewel may be precious to someone,” he said, “but I’d much rather find a grain of corn.”
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And with that, the rooster went back to searching for something he could actually use.
Moral: What is valuable to one person may not be valuable to another. Know what’s important to you.
9. The Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing
A wolf wanted to sneak into a flock of sheep but knew he couldn’t do it without being noticed. So, he dressed up in a sheepskin and quietly joined the flock.
The shepherd didn’t notice the wolf in disguise.
But that evening, when the shepherd came looking for a sheep to cook for dinner, he mistakenly picked up the wolf, thinking it was a sheep. That was the end of the wolf!
Moral: Deceit can backfire and lead to your downfall.
10. The Oak and the Reeds
A tall, strong oak tree stood proudly in the forest. It often boasted about its strength to the nearby reeds, saying, “Look how sturdy I am.
The wind can’t move me, but it bends you weak reeds!”
One day, a terrible storm came. The oak stood tall, refusing to bend, but the wind was so strong that it snapped the oak in two. The reeds, however, bent with the wind and survived.
Moral: Flexibility can be more valuable than stubbornness.
11. The Dog in the Manger
A dog found a comfortable spot in a manger full of hay.
When the cows came back from the field, they were ready to eat the hay. But the dog wouldn’t let them near it, even though he couldn’t eat the hay himself.
The cows were frustrated, but the dog wouldn’t budge. Finally, the farmer chased the selfish dog away.
Moral: Don’t prevent others from enjoying something you can’t use.
12. The Four Students
Four students didn’t like studying and decided to skip their exam. They went to their professor and lied, saying they had a flat tire on the way to school.
The professor agreed to let them take a makeup test the next day.
The next day, the professor gave them a test with only one question: “Which tire was burst?” The students realized they couldn’t fool the professor after all.
Moral: Lying will eventually catch up with you.
13. The Boasting Traveler
A traveler returned from a trip and bragged about all his amazing adventures.
He boasted about how far he had jumped while visiting the island of Rhodes.
A bystander, tired of the boasting, said, “There’s no need to tell us. Pretend this is Rhodes and show us your jump!”
he traveler couldn’t do it and quietly left.
Moral: It’s better to show your abilities than to boast about them.
14. The Camel and the Baby
One day, a baby camel was curious about his body and asked his mother, “Why do we have humps on our backs?”
His mother explained that their humps store water, helping them survive in the desert.
The baby then asked, “Why do we have big feet?” His mother replied, “Our feet are wide so we can walk on the desert sand without sinking.”
The baby camel thought again and asked, “Then why are we in a zoo?”
Moral: Your abilities are best used in the right place.
15. The Farmer and the Well
A farmer bought a well from his neighbor, but when he went to use it, the neighbor said, “I sold you the well, not the water inside it!”
The frustrated farmer didn’t know what to do, so he went to a wise man for help.
The wise man told the neighbor, “If the water is yours, take it out of the well. Otherwise, let the farmer use it.” The neighbor realized he had been outsmarted.
Moral: Cheating others will not get you far.
16. The Ant and the Grasshopper
During the summer, the ant worked hard gathering food while the grasshopper spent his time singing and having fun. “Why don’t you join me and relax?” asked the grasshopper.
The ant replied, “I’m preparing for winter. You should, too.”
But the grasshopper didn’t listen. When winter arrived, the grasshopper had no food, but the ant was prepared.
Moral: Work hard today to be prepared for tomorrow.
17. The Donkey and the Load of Salt
A merchant’s donkey was carrying a load of salt across a river when he accidentally fell into the water.
The salt dissolved, and the load became lighter, which made the donkey happy. The next day, the donkey purposely fell into the river, thinking he could lighten his load again.
But this time, the merchant filled the bags with sponges. When the donkey fell into the water, the sponges soaked up the water, and the load became even heavier.
Moral: Trying to avoid work through tricks won’t always work.
18. The Wolf and the Crane
A wolf had a bone stuck in his throat and couldn’t remove it. Desperate, he asked a crane for help, offering her a reward. The crane used her long beak to pull the bone out, and the wolf was relieved.
When the crane asked for her reward, the wolf sneered, “Isn’t it enough that I didn’t bite your head off?”
Moral: Don’t expect a reward for helping bad people.
19. Two Silly Goats
Two goats met on a narrow bridge, each wanting to cross to the other side. The bridge was too narrow for both to pass at the same time.
Neither goat wanted to back down, and they began to fight.
In the end, both goats lost their balance and fell into the river below.
Moral: Stubbornness and fighting won’t solve problems.
20. The Wind and the Sun
The wind and the sun argued about who was stronger. To settle the dispute, they decided to see who could make a traveler take off his coat.
The wind blew as hard as he could, but the traveler only held his coat tighter.
Then the sun gently shone its warmth, and soon the traveler took off his coat. The sun had won.
Moral: Kindness and gentleness are more effective than force.
21. True Friends Love You Anyway
Krishna and Sudama were childhood friends, but as they grew up, Krishna became a rich king, while Sudama remained poor.
One day, Sudama’s wife asked him to visit Krishna and ask for help. Reluctantly, Sudama went to Krishna’s palace, carrying some simple rice snacks for his friend.
Krishna was overjoyed to see his old friend and treated him with great kindness. Sudama, feeling embarrassed, didn’t even ask for help.
When he returned home, however, he found that Krishna had magically transformed his small hut into a beautiful house.
Moral: True friends love you for who you are, not what you have.
22. The Elephant and the Friends
A lonely elephant wandered through the forest looking for friends. She asked a monkey, “Will you be my friend?” but the monkey said, “You’re too big to swing on trees.”
hen she asked a rabbit, “Will you be my friend?” The rabbit replied, “You’re too big to fit in my burrow.”
The next day, all the animals were running in fear because a tiger was attacking them.
The elephant scared the tiger away, and the animals realized she was a great friend after all.
Moral: Friends come in all shapes and sizes.
23. The Wolf and the Shepherds
A wolf once tried to steal a sheep but was chased away by the shepherds. Later, the wolf returned and saw the shepherds roasting a lamb for dinner.
The wolf thought, “When I try to eat a lamb, I’m called wicked, but when they eat one, it’s fine.”
The wolf realized that sometimes people judge others for doing the same thing they do themselves.
Moral: Don’t be quick to judge others for things you do yourself.
24. The Young Crab and His Mother
A young crab was walking sideways on the beach. His mother scolded him, saying, “You should walk forward, not sideways.”
The young crab replied, “I would if I knew how, but I can only walk like this.”
The mother crab tried to show her son how to walk forward, but she found that she, too, could only walk sideways.
She realized she had been unfair in her criticism.
Moral: Don’t criticize others for something you can’t do yourself.
25. The Other Side of the Wall
A young woman loved her garden and worked hard to keep it beautiful.
One day, she planted a lovely flower next to the stone wall. Although she took great care of the plant, it never bloomed on her side of the wall. Frustrated, she considered pulling it out.
One day, her neighbor thanked her for the beautiful flowers on the other side of the wall. The woman rushed over and saw that the plant had bloomed on her neighbor’s side.
Moral: Your efforts can bring joy to others, even if you don’t see the results yourself.
26. The Fisherman and the Little Fish
One day, a fisherman caught a tiny fish. The fish pleaded, “Please let me go! I’m too small to be of much use.
If you let me live, I’ll grow bigger, and you can catch me again when I’m worth more.”
The fisherman thought for a moment and replied, “It’s better to have this small fish now than to risk losing it later.” And so he kept the little fish.
Moral: A small gain is better than losing everything.
27. The Thirsty Crow
A crow was very thirsty and searched high and low for water. Finally, he found a pot with a little water at the bottom, but he couldn’t reach it.
After thinking for a while, the clever crow began dropping pebbles into the pot. With each pebble, the water rose higher, until the crow could finally drink.
He happily flew away, feeling proud of his cleverness.
Moral: If you keep trying, you’ll find a solution.
28. The Honest Woodcutter
A woodcutter was chopping wood by a river when his axe slipped from his hands and fell into the water.
He was heartbroken, as he couldn’t afford to buy a new one. Suddenly, a spirit appeared and offered to help. She dove into the river and brought back a golden axe. “Is this your axe?” she asked. The woodcutter replied, “No, it isn’t mine.”
The spirit returned with a silver axe, but again, the woodcutter said it wasn’t his. Finally, she brought back his simple wooden axe.
The woodcutter smiled and said, “That’s my axe!” The spirit rewarded his honesty by giving him all three axes.
Moral: Honesty is the best policy.
29. The Fox and the Grapes
A hungry fox saw some juicy grapes hanging from a vine. His mouth watered, and he jumped up to reach them, but they were too high.
The fox tried again and again, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t reach the grapes.
Frustrated, the fox walked away, muttering, “Those grapes were probably sour anyway.”
Moral: It’s easy to say something isn’t good when you can’t have it.
30. The Dog at the Well
A mother dog told her puppies to stay away from the well, warning them it wasn’t safe.
But one curious puppy disobeyed and went to explore. When he looked into the well, he saw his reflection in the water and thought it was another dog.
Angry at the “other dog,” the puppy barked, and the reflection barked back.
The puppy jumped into the well to fight, only to find there was no other dog. Luckily, the farmer came and rescued him.
Moral: Always listen to the advice of those who care about you.
31. Controlling Anger
There was once a boy who struggled to control his anger. His father gave him a bag of nails and told him, “Each time you get angry, hammer a nail into the fence.”
The first day, the boy hammered many nails, but as time passed, he learned to control his anger and hammered fewer nails.
When the boy had finally learned to control his temper, his father told him to remove a nail each time he stayed calm.
Once all the nails were gone, his father said, “Look at the holes in the fence. Even though the nails are gone, the damage remains.”
Moral: Words said in anger can leave lasting scars.
32. The Wet Pants
One day, a little boy was sitting in class when he accidentally wet his pants.
He was so embarrassed and afraid his classmates would make fun of him. As his teacher and a classmate named Susie walked toward him, Susie suddenly tripped and spilled her bowl of water in the boy’s lap.
Everyone thought the water was what had soaked his pants.
Later, the boy thanked Susie, who whispered, “I did it on purpose. I wet my pants once too.”
Moral: True friends will help you when you need it most.
33. Bad Habits
A businessman was worried about his son’s bad habits. He took the boy to a wise man, who showed the boy a small plant and asked him to pull it out. The boy did so easily.
The wise man then showed him a larger plant, and the boy pulled it out with some effort.
Finally, the wise man pointed to a large tree and asked the boy to pull it out.
The boy tried but couldn’t move the tree. The wise man said, “Bad habits are like this tree. The longer you wait, the harder they are to remove.”
Moral: It’s best to stop bad habits early before they become too hard to change.
34. Good Company, Bad Company
Two parrots lived in very different environments. One lived with a kind hermit and learned to speak kindly.
The other lived with a hunter and learned to speak harshly. One day, a traveler visited both parrots.
The first parrot greeted him with kind words, while the second parrot screamed and shouted angrily.
The traveler realized that the company we keep influences who we become.
Moral: Keep good company if you want to be a good person.
35. The Man and the Cat
A man saw a cat stuck in a bush, meowing for help. The man tried to free the cat, but the frightened animal scratched him.
Even though it hurt, the man didn’t give up and kept trying until he finally freed the cat.
Another passerby asked, “Why do you keep helping the cat when it keeps hurting you?” The man replied, “The cat is just acting on its instincts. I have the ability to show kindness.”
Moral: Be kind, even when others aren’t.
36. The Tortoise and the Hare
A hare was always boasting about how fast he was. He teased the slow tortoise and challenged him to a race.
The tortoise accepted, and the race began. The hare quickly ran ahead and, confident of his victory, decided to take a nap.
Meanwhile, the tortoise continued steadily on his way.
When the hare woke up, he saw the tortoise nearing the finish line. No matter how fast the hare ran, he couldn’t catch up, and the tortoise won the race.
Moral: Slow and steady wins the race.
37. The Wolf and the Goat
A wolf saw a goat grazing on a cliff and wanted to trick her into coming down.
“The grass down here is much tastier,” the wolf said. “Why don’t you come down and try it?” The goat smiled and replied, “You’re not inviting me for dinner. You want me to be your dinner!”
The wolf walked away, realizing his plan had failed.
Moral: Don’t trust someone with selfish motives.
38. The Lion and the Mouse
A tiny mouse accidentally ran across a sleeping lion’s paw. The lion caught the mouse and was about to eat her, but the mouse begged for her life, promising to help the lion one day.
The lion laughed but decided to let her go.
Some days later, the lion was caught in a hunter’s net. Unable to escape, he roared for help.
The mouse heard him and quickly gnawed through the ropes, freeing the lion.
Moral: Even the smallest acts of kindness can make a big difference.
39. The Two Friends and the Bear
Two friends were walking through the forest when they suddenly encountered a bear.
One friend quickly climbed a tree, leaving the other on the ground. The second friend, unable to escape, lay still and pretended to be dead. The bear sniffed him and then left.
When the danger had passed, the friend in the tree came down and asked, “What did the bear say to you?
The other friend replied, “He told me to never trust a friend who leaves me in danger.”
Moral: A true friend will stand by you in times of need.
40. The Bundle of Sticks
A farmer had four sons who were always quarreling. No matter how much he tried to make them stop, they kept arguing.
One day, the farmer gave each of his sons a stick and asked them to break it. They did so easily. Then he tied the sticks into a bundle and asked them to break the bundle. No matter how hard they tried, they couldn’t break it.
“When you’re united, you’re strong,” the farmer said. “But if you’re divided, you’ll be broken easily.”
Moral: Unity is strength.
These very short stories for preschoolers are perfect for engaging young minds while teaching important values.
Each tale is a fun, easy-to-read very short story for kids that comes with a moral, making them both entertaining and educational.
We hope you and your child enjoyed this collection of very short stories for preschoolers! Each story carries a moral that helps preschoolers learn important life lessons while keeping their curiosity alive. These very short stories are a perfect way to bond with your child over fun and education. Don’t forget to revisit these very short stories for preschoolers anytime you need a quick and meaningful story! Feel free to share these very short stories with others, ensuring that every preschooler gets to enjoy these enriching tales.
Whether you’re looking for very short English stories to read at bedtime or just want to introduce your child to timeless wisdom through storytelling, these very short stories with moral lessons will surely be a hit. Keep sharing these stories to spark imagination and instill valuable life lessons in the little ones. Happy reading!