Stories

Short audio and video stories for children to enjoy with a grown-up. Each story is calm, clear and predictable, with simple words, gentle sound and no sudden noises or flashing.

What our stories are like

• Short: most stories last between 2 and 5 minutes
• Clear: simple words, one idea at a time, and the same shape every time
• Calm: soft voices, quiet music and no flashing lights
• Inclusive: captions and transcripts for every video

For parents

Stories about everyday moments, such as going to the dentist, a new school or a change in routine, can help children know what to expect. Watch or listen together, pause whenever you like and talk about the pictures.

All 16 classic stories and 12 poems now have a calm read-aloud recording. Press play on any story page, or listen to them all in one place.

Listen to the audio stories

All stories

All 16 classic stories, each with calm pictures, a read-aloud recording, a feelings question and a gentle lesson to talk about.

Goldilocks and the Three BearsA girl named Goldilocks goes into the bears’ house, tries their porridge, chairs and beds, and then says sorry.Read and listen →The Three Little PigsThree pigs build houses of straw, sticks and bricks, and the strong brick house keeps them all safe from a huffing wolf.Read and listen →Little Red Riding HoodA girl in a red cloak takes food to her grandma, talks to a wolf she should not have talked to, and a woodcutter…Read and listen →The Tortoise and the HareA slow tortoise keeps going, step by step, and wins a race against a fast hare who stops to sleep.Read and listen →The Ugly DucklingA grey baby bird who looks different from the ducklings grows up and finds out he is a swan, and finds friends who…Read and listen →The Gingerbread ManA gingerbread man runs away from everyone, learns to be careful with a tricky fox, and comes safely home again.Read and listen →The Lion and the MouseA big lion lets a little mouse go, and later the mouse helps the lion get free from a rope net.Read and listen →The Three Billy Goats GruffThree goat brothers cross a bridge to reach green grass, and a grumpy troll under the bridge learns to share.Read and listen →The Little Red HenA little red hen plants wheat and bakes bread all by herself because her friends will not help, and then they…Read and listen →The Enormous TurnipAn old man grows a giant turnip, and it takes everyone, right down to a tiny mouse, pulling together to get it out…Read and listen →The Boy Who Cried WolfA shepherd boy tells a trick about a wolf twice, so when a real wolf comes nobody believes him, and he learns why…Read and listen →The Ant and the GrasshopperAn ant works hard all summer to save food while a grasshopper plays, and in winter the ant kindly shares and the…Read and listen →The Princess and the PeaA wet princess arrives at a castle in a storm, and a queen tests her with a tiny pea hidden under a big pile of…Read and listen →The Elves and the ShoemakerTwo tiny elves secretly make shoes for a poor shoemaker each night, and the shoemaker and his wife thank them by…Read and listen →The Crow and the PitcherA thirsty crow cannot reach the water at the bottom of a jug, so she drops in pebbles one by one until the water…Read and listen →The Monkey and the CrocodileA clever monkey shares fruit with a crocodile, and when the crocodile tries to trick him, the monkey stays calm…Read and listen →