Short Stories for Kids (Free Printable)
Updated November 2026 · 38 free printables
Every reading passage on this page is a free printable short story for kids, written just for this site: a hen who guards her eggs, a red kite stuck in a tree, a class goldfish named Bubbles, a paper boat race, a young detective and her beagle, and a rainy day lemonade stand that turns into a hot cocoa stand.
The stories are short enough to read in one sitting, from five sentences for kindergarten to about 170 words for 3rd grade, and each one has a colored picture and a few questions to talk about. Print one for bedtime, a car ride or a quiet moment in class.
All 38 Short Stories for Kids (Free Printable), One by One
Every page in this collection is listed below. Each one is described in detail on its own theme page, linked next to it.
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1. The Hen and the Pig: Kindergarten Reading Passage
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2. Sam and His Cat: Kindergarten Reading Passage
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3. The Bug on the Rug: Kindergarten Reading Passage
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4. Fun in the Sand: Kindergarten Reading Passage
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5. The Duck and the Frog: Kindergarten Reading Passage
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6. Ben Gets on the Bus: Kindergarten Reading Passage
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7. Pip the Pup: Kindergarten Reading Passage
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8. A Snow Day: Kindergarten Reading Passage
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9. The Lost Red Kite: Grade 1 Reading Passage
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10. Fern the Frog's Big Jump: Grade 1 Reading Passage
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11. Busy Bees: Grade 1 Reading Passage
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12. Owen and the Puddles: Grade 1 Reading Passage
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13. Penguins Are Birds: Grade 1 Reading Passage
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14. A Trip to the Library: Grade 1 Reading Passage
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15. Apple Picking Day: Grade 1 Reading Passage
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16. Our Moon: Grade 1 Reading Passage
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17. Max and the Garden Snail: Grade 2 Reading Passage
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18. From Caterpillar to Butterfly: Grade 2 Reading Passage
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19. Bubbles the Class Fish: Grade 2 Reading Passage
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20. Why Leaves Change Color: Grade 2 Reading Passage
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21. The Class Bake Sale: Grade 2 Reading Passage
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22. Farmers Feed Us: Grade 2 Reading Passage
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23. Where Does Rain Come From?: Grade 2 Reading Passage
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24. The Paper Boat Race: Grade 2 Reading Passage
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25. The Mighty Blue Whale: Grade 3 Reading Passage
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26. The Case of the Missing Lunch: Grade 3 Reading Passage
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27. Exploring Our Solar System: Grade 3 Reading Passage
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28. Aria and the New School: Grade 3 Reading Passage
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29. How Animals Survive Winter: Grade 3 Reading Passage
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30. The Rainy Day Lemonade Stand: Grade 3 Reading Passage
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31. Ants Work as a Team: Grade 3 Reading Passage
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32. Marcus and the Giant Pumpkin: Grade 3 Reading Passage
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33. Read and Draw: Animals (Kindergarten)
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34. Read and Draw: Color Sentences (Kindergarten)
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35. Read and Draw: Counting Sentences (Kindergarten)
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36. Read and Draw: Up in the Sky (Kindergarten)
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37. Read and Draw: Yummy Food (Kindergarten)
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38. Read and Draw: At the Beach (Kindergarten)
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Tips for parents and teachers
- Read the story aloud first with lots of expression, then let your child read it back to you.
- Stop at an exciting part and ask, "What do you think will happen next?"
- Ask how a character felt at the beginning and at the end of the story.
Did you know?
- Every story has a beginning, a middle and an end; kids who can retell all three understand the story well.
- Short stories are perfect for new readers because finishing a whole story builds confidence.
- A story's setting is where and when it happens, like a pond on a sunny day or a library on a Tuesday.
Fun ways to use your printables
- Draw a comic strip that retells the story in four boxes.
- Change one thing in the story, like the weather or the animal, and tell the new version together.
- Keep a reading log and add a sticker for every story your child reads.
How to print
Click Download PDF and print at 100% on US Letter or A4 paper. Page 1 is the worksheet and page 2 is the answer key, so choose “page 1” in the print dialog if you only want the practice page. Every worksheet is free for home, homeschool and classroom use, so print as many copies as you need.
Frequently asked questions
What ages are these short stories for?
They are written for children from about 5 to 9 years old, kindergarten to 3rd grade. The grade label on each page tells you how long and how hard the text is.
Can I read the stories aloud to younger kids?
Of course. Preschoolers enjoy the kindergarten and grade 1 stories as read-alouds, and the colored pictures help them follow along.
Do the stories have a lesson?
Many do, gently: keep trying (Fern the frog), take good care of a pet (Bubbles the class fish), be brave on a first day (Aria) or change your plan when things go wrong (the lemonade stand).
Are there true stories too?
Yes. Half of the passages are nonfiction about real animals, weather and space, such as penguins, honeybees, the water cycle and the blue whale.