Our bedtime stories

Bedtime stories to read online. Here you’ll find notoriously familiar tales but also fables, folk stories, educational stories, sleep stories, and legends from all around the world. We work hard to cover every corner of storytelling.

Hans Christian Andersen

The Flying Trunk

min

4.01

A story from a collection of fairy tales compiled by the famous storyteller Hans Christian Andersen. An unusual story about the light-hearted son of a merchant, who wastes all of his inherited money. The only thing left of the fortune in the end is a trunk. However, he is a master storyteller, and is able to come up with really interesting fairy tales. Thanks to them, he enchants the royal family itself.

Short stories

Aesop

The Honest Woodcutter

min

4.67

Honesty pays off. A woodcutter was cutting a tree when his ax slipped and fell to the bottom of the mountain stream. Luckily for him, Mercury, the god of water, saw how miserable the woodcutter was and decided to help. But not before he had tested him.

Stories for 8+ years old

Greek Fable

Pelops

min

4.13

This fable teaches us that even in the past people could tell the difference between good and evil intentions. Although the story is typical of the time in which the fable originated, the main theme is still relevant today. Pelops longs for the beautiful Hippodamea and decides to fight for her heart. But her father will give his daughter as a bride only to one who can defeat him in a four-carriage race. However, the loser must pay with his life.

Folk stories

Hans Christian Andersen

Thumbelina

min

4.82

A classic story by the world-famous author Hans Christian Andersen. Various traps await the charming Thumbelina. First, she is kidnapped by a frog who wants Thumbelina as a bride for her son, and later she is threatened with marriage to a blind, heartless mole. Eventually she finds her longed for happiness and love.

Short stories

Aesop

The Tortoise and The Hare

min

4.74

The hare was always showing-off, mocking the tortoise for being so slow and boasting about his running speed. Fed up with all the ridicule, the tortoise suggests holding a race. The hare finds this a completely comical idea and laughs his head off. But of course he cannot resist the opportunity to humiliate her, so a race is promptly organised. Let’s find out how they get on.

Folk stories

Brothers Grimm

Hansel and Gretel

min

4.46

A story from a collection of fairy tales compiled by the Brothers Grimm. The story is about two siblings who get lost in a forest and come across a gingerbread house. However, they have no idea yet that there is a danger waiting for them: an evil witch.

Animal stories

Hans Christian Andersen

The Ugly Duckling

min

4.91

A famous story by Hans Christian Andersen about a duckling which thought it was ugly. The duck hatches a nest full of beautiful yellow ducklings, but one of them (which hatched last) is somewhat grey. Every animal mocks him, so the duckling decides to leave so as not to suffer their laughter.

Folk stories

Hans Christian Andersen

The Little Mermaid

min

4.62

One of Andersen's most famous and beautiful fairy tales. A touching story about the love of a little mermaid who falls in love with a prince. Because of love, the mermaid becomes human and sacrifices not only her voice, but ultimately her own life.

Science stories

Tereza Sebesta

Louis’s Love of Light

min

4.56

At a young age Louis became fascinated by light, above all else. From staring at a flame to playing with its effects, he explored light’s many mysteries. As an adult, he studied further and went on to design theatre scenography, enchanting audiences across Paris. But he still wanted to do more. His ultimate mission: to capture light. And that he did.

Animal stories

Joseph Jacobs

The Three Little Pigs

min

4.75

This is a slight enhancement of the well-known fairy tale. Three playful pigs each build a house in the meadow. Two of them don’t feel like putting much effort into it, simply wanting the task to be achieved as soon as possible, while the other brother works hard and long to construct a sturdy house. Naturally, the hungry wolf exploits the laziness of the two careless pigs…

Folk stories

Indian Tale

Aladdin and the Magic Lamp

min

4.7

Never lose your faith, even in hard times. Good will always win in the end. A world famous classic tale about a naïve boy named Aladdin. An evil wizard uses him to obtain a magic lamp. When he gets trapped in the tomb, the powerful genie who lives in the lamp helps him.

Emotions and empathy

Irish Legend

The King’s Secret

min

4.41

This Irish legend tells of King Maon and the secret he was extremely ashamed of. However, no secret can be kept secret forever. Eventually, the king has to face his greatest fear – the fear of shame and ridicule.

Folk stories

Charles Perrault

Sleeping Beauty

min

4.79

A classic tale from Charles Perrault’s collections about a beautiful princess who falls asleep for a hundred years on the day of her fifteenth birthday. After a long time, rumours about the cursed kingdom, in which everything has fallen into eternal sleep, reach a young prince. He sets his mind to freeing the sleeping princess and saving the whole kingdom.

Around the World

Japanese Legend

The Story of Chrysanthemum

min

4.73

This Japanese story explains why the chrysanthemum – a hugely adored flower of the Orient – has so many petals. It is thanks to a mother who saved her sick child with her wit.

Around the World

Puerto Rican Legend

The Owl’s Story

min

4.51

This Puerto Rican legend explains why owls only come out at night. The reason lies in the fact that a long time ago, there was a great celebration, at which the other birds kindly helped the owl. However, she did not pay them back with the same coin at all, and on the contrary, abused their willingness to help.

Folk stories

Charles Perrault

Cinderella

min

4.81

In one of the most famous classic fairy tales of all time, we learn about modest Cinderella, who has to stand the heartless behaviour of her stepmother and half-sisters. However, thanks to the help of a magic fairy, she will finally have a happy ending.

Folk stories

Hans Christian Andersen

The Little Match Girl

min

4.44

This touching story reminds us to be more attentive, empathetic, and caring. It has a sad ending and is about a poor girl who wanders the streets alone in winter. No one either notices, or helps her.

Folk stories

Brothers Grimm

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

min

4.82

This is a world famous story where good again wins over evil. When the beautiful Snow White escapes from the evil queen, seven dwarves living in a modest hut deep in the woods help her out.

Folk stories

English Tale

The Baker’s Daughter

min

4.63

A greedy baker in a small English town has been deceiving customers for years with his dishonest way of doing business. One day, his daughter, having learned her father’s devious methods, tries to cheat a poor old woman who comes into the bakery. Little does the girl know that it’s a fairy disguised as an old woman, and that if she insists on being deceitful, she’ll be justly punished.

Folk stories

English Tale

How Jack Went to Seek His Fortune

min

4.74

This fairy tale is about a boy named Jack who sets out to roam the world. Along the way, various animal friends join him, and when they encounter a house full of bandits, they do not get scared. On the contrary, they join forces and get the whole house for themselves, along with all the stolen treasure.

Stories for 5+ years old

Joseph Jacobs

Jack and the Beanstalk

min

4.74

Life is tough for an impoverished widow and her son… In order to survive the winter, the boy must sell their only cow. But instead, he trades her for a handful of magic beans. Little does he know that a single bean would grow into an enormous beanstalk overnight! The boy climbs it high up into the sky, where he defeats a fearsome giant and gathers many treasures.

Short stories

Readmio

Good Night, Farm Animals

min

4.8

This bedtime story takes us to a busy farm which gets calmer by the end of the day as its animals get ready to sleep. Children can wish good night to all of the animals and also prepare for their own sleep.

Folk stories

Carlo Collodi

Pinocchio

min

4.85

A world famous tale teaches us that lying doesn’t pay off. When a lone woodworker carves out a wooden puppet just for pleasure, it suddenly comes to life. The extraordinary puppet becomes a restless and adventurous boy called Pinocchio. But when he lies, his little nose starts growing.

Stories for 3+ years old

Marian Dyno Buric

The Motor Coach

min

4.83

It’s in our nature to replace old things with new things – things that are nicer and more modern. An old Motor Coach learned that the hard way. He couldn’t keep up with the demand of the modern times and was replaced with better, much faster high-speed trains. After long years of loyal service, the Motor Coach ended up in a cold, dark corner of a depot, like a useless old piece of rusty metal. Nowadays, it can only think back to those happy times when it used to take families with kids on their trips up to the mountains. Or could there still be someone who cares about the old train’s fate? You’ll find out in this story.

Bedtime stories

Readmio

Good Night, Forest Animals

min

4.6

The young listener is invited to glide through the forest at dusk on top of a babbling brook and bid good night to the different animals. As it gradually grows dark, we visit each creature and help them prepare for sleep, waving and wishing them sweet dreams… Until, finally, it’s time for the listener to close their eyes and enter dreamland.

Around the World

Irish Tale

The Brewery of Egg-Shells

min

4.16

When a mother goes to the cradle in the morning, she realizes her baby has been swapped with a fairy. She gets a lot of different advice, but only takes the advice of a famous healer to get her baby boy back.

Folk stories

Hans Christian Andersen

The Emperor's New Clothes

min

4.64

This is a story all the children around the world know. Being constantly adored is the only thing that brings meaning to the emperor’s life. Two crooks who pretend to be weavers take advantage of his weakness. They tailor a breathtaking dress for the emperor. He feels so unique in it. However, there is a catch, which he must surely discover sooner or later....

Questions about bedtime stories

What age is the best to start reading to kids?

As soon as possible. For toddlers, rhymes are a great way to start. The rhythm keeps it interesting for the ears. Frequent reading is crucial for training sound recognition. At around 2-3 years, when their passive vocabulary becomes large enough, it’s good to start with longer stories (around 5 minutes). Keep in mind we are not machines, every child is different. Some start to enjoy storytelling sooner than others. Just keep it with the flow.

Can I read Readmio stories in a book?

At the moment, we don't offer a printed collection of all the Readmio stories - it would be a really thick book! What you can do, though, is download and save each story in pdf format, which you can then printout if you like to read from paper rather than from a screen. To enjoy the sound effects, simply scan the QR code in the pdf to open the story in the app, place your mobile phone or tablet next to you, and your device will accompany you as you read. Some reader salso like to pair their device with a bluetooth speaker :)

Why is it good to read to children at bedtime?

Children love bedtime stories for several reasons:

story time provides an opportunity for children to bond with their parents or caregivers. It's a special time when they can snuggle up together and share a quiet moment before sleep.
stories transport children to magical worlds, allowing their imaginations to soar.
the familiar routine of reading a story before bed can create a sense of predictability and safety.- listening to stories helps children develop their language skills.
listening to stories helps children develop their language skills.
stories often convey important messages about love, friendship, empathy, and perseverance and can help children make sense of what they experienced during the day.
the rhythmic cadence of storytelling and the soothing tone of a parent's voice can help children relax and unwind, making it easier for them to fall asleep.

What is the number one bedtime story?

What each of us thinks is the "number one" bedtime story is very subjective, and varies based on our cultural background, personal preferences, and individual experiences.
Here are some examples of classic bedtime stories from our Readmio library that are loved by many:
Cinderella by Ch.Perrault,
The Little Mermaid by H.CH.Andersen,
The Three Little Pigs by J.Jacobs,
Pinocchio by C.Collodi,
The Gingerbread House - Hansel and Gretel by the Brothers Grimm.
These stories are often chosen for their timeless appeal, making them ideal choices for bedtime reading to children.

Do bedtime stories help children fall asleep?

Over time, a bedtime reading habit does build associations that trigger and enhance sleepiness and relaxation – with repetition, bedtime reading becomes a very powerful sleep cue. Psychologists generally agree that bedtime stories can have positive effects on children's cognitive, emotional, and social development, as well as on their sleep habits.

What are 5 benefits of reading?

1. Reducing stress and helping the child relax.
2. Improving concentration and memory.
3. Expanding vocabulary and strengthening writing abilities.
4. Increasing knowledge.
5. Boosting imagination and creativity.