Bedtime stories for ages 4 to 5

6 short, calm stories to read aloud. Each one takes 3 to 4 minutes and ends in sleep.

The Owl Who Kept the Night QuietAt the edge of the village stood an old banyan tree, and in the banyan tree lived an owl named Ullu Dada. Every night Ullu Dada had one job. He kept...Ages 4 to 5 · 4 minutes
Mira's Pillow GardenMira could not sleep. She turned to the left. She turned to the right. Her bed felt too big and the night felt too long.Ages 4 to 5 · 3 minutes
The Little Cloud Who Looked for a BedA little white cloud had been floating all day. It had watched the farmers in the fields and the children coming home from school. Now the sky was...Ages 4 to 5 · 3 minutes
The Night the Kitchen Went to SleepAll day long the kitchen had been the busiest room in the house. Now dinner was over. The last roti had been eaten. Amma wiped the counter, switched...Ages 4 to 5 · 3 minutes
The Blanket FortIt had rained all evening, and Kabir and his little sister Noor could not go out to play. So they built a fort.Ages 4 to 5 · 3 minutes
The Boat on the Sleepy RiverAt the end of the day, old Majhi Baba untied his little boat. He did not need to fish any more today. He was only going home, down the river, with...Ages 4 to 5 · 3 minutes

What suits this age

At four and five, children want a little something to happen: a cloud looks for a bed, an owl goes round hushing the noises of the night, two children build a fort out of a blanket. But at bedtime the "something" must be small and safe. In these stories nobody is lost, chased or in danger. A character looks for rest and finds it.

How to read them

They take three to four minutes each. This is the age of "one more story", so agree on the number before you begin. Children of this age also start to imagine vividly once the light is off; a story that ends in a cosy, pictured place, such as a pillow garden or a boat on a slow river, gives the mind somewhere pleasant to go. Each story has a short note on how to read it.

Other ages

For the whole evening, from bath to lights out, see a simple bedtime routine.