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Discover weekly, the best short stories

Looking for a steady supply of kids short stories? Every week thousands of writers submit stories to our writing contest.

150+ Kids Short Stories to read

Submitted by writers on Reedsy Prompts to our weekly writing contest. Whether you plan to read them aloud or just indulge your own childlike imagination, look no further! The most magical tales live in this collection of free short stories for kids.

Kids Short Stories – Page 6 of 10

The best papi

Submitted to Contest #315

"If you mix the milk and the flower then I'll crack the egg", Ryan suggests as he smiles at his son. "But I wanted to do the egg", Art, his 5 year old, whines. Ryan raises an eyebrow at him. "What is that, darling?" "Can I cracked the egg, please, daddy?" Art asks in his sweetest voice. Ryan chuckles. "If you really want to, I can show you how to do it. But I thought you always let daddy do that so your hands wouldn't get sticky?" Art crosses his little arms across his chest. "When I was a little baby, yes. But I am a big boy now. I can crac...

7 likes 1 comment 1
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Those Apart

Submitted to Contest #315

On the leeward side of the island, my mother launched the boat. She would launch the skiff from the shore and row out to where the waves would saunter in. As a young child, I was frightened of the dark and cried in fear. As the boat began to rock, my voice and concerns became silent. The gentle rocking of the waves would roll and soothe my tears. The stars would shine down to assure me that all the eyes in the sky and all the dark of night had seen and heard my cries.The moon lit a streak in the water, giving my mother’s heart direction. Thi...

2 likes 0 comments 0
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Fire Will Rain Down

Submitted to Contest #314

The Legend of the Darkest Night: There will come a day Where world will be faced with a fright By a baby born On the darkest night Fire will rain down The baby will hold the crown Prophesized by the Head Witch of the North, this Legend has dictated my fate before I was even born. The day of the darkest night I was taken by a metal giant, as so many others were. I only remember hearing the king say, “Take him away! The vile creature will not take my crown.” Meer children were murdered, simply for being born. I had been lucky enough to be sav...

5 likes 0 comments 0
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Nellie, the Hat Man, & Me

Submitted to Contest #314

My baby sister Sally’s crying wakes me up. Sally is five years old and I’m 10. There are only two bedrooms in our house, so we sleep in the same room. It’s a whimpering kind of cry. The kind of crying that a little girl does when she doesn’t get her way, not the crying she does when she’s hurt. Still, I hate to hear her cry, so I get out of bed and go over to where she’s lying. I reach out in the darkness until I feel her curly, blonde hair and stroke her head as if she was my dog, Scruffy. “Hey, there, sissy, what’s wrong?” I whisper. I am...

10 likes 5 comments 5
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Life according to the dog

Submitted to Contest #314

Life according to the Dog I sit here in this boat staring at the boy, Sam, whom I spend most of my time with. I was a puppy when Jill and Peter brought Sam home from the hospital. He was all wrinkled and small and was either crying , eating, sleeping, or pooping back then but he grew to be my best friend. He is ten years old now with his dark hair cut into some messy short shag that hangs in his eyes and a body that is tall for his age. At this moment we are in the small boat on Lake Erie with him attempting to catch a fish bigger than his f...

2 likes 0 comments 0
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Star Goddess

Submitted to Contest #314

It’s the last day of school and Eleanor is day dreaming. She sits on her knees in her classroom chair, chin resting in her hands, her eyes unfocused. A soft stream of sunlight pours onto her desk. Someone calls her name. She perks up out of her daze. A dozen blinking eyes stare in her direction. Her classmates are giggling. “Eleanor,” the teacher repeats her name. “It’s your turn.” Faintly remembering what her class was doing, she turns absent-mindedly towards a random page in the book. They were talking about summer, the science of seasons,...

12 likes 2 comments 2
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The Sky Walking Dragon of the Ship Destiny's Dreams

Submitted to Contest #314

Before I grew into a blue, partly furry, partly scaley, four legged, flying, walking, and swimming being, with ears that can rotate and spin, descended from ancient creatures, my life began near the ocean. After I was born, I cuddled up to my mama most of the time. Then one day, someone picked me up. My heart gave a leap, and started pounding fast. I slipped and bounced in their arms, and opened my eyes wide. "Where was my mama? What was happening?" My thoughts whirled, my body twitched, and sharp, strange emotions filled me. Panic grew, and...

20 likes 4 comments 4
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Jefferson’s Diary: Tales of the Pawfect Gentleman.

Submitted to Contest #314

Jefferson’s Diary: Tales of the Pawfect Gentleman. The journal entries of a cheeky, curious, and utterly lovable dog’s view of life with his humans. Day 1: The Link of Destiny My human picked up the walking link. That was it. Destiny called. I leapt from my throne (a plush donut bed, thank you very much) and galloped to her side. Yes! Link me to you, woman, and let us conquer the outdoors. Four minutes later… The air was rich with mystery. I tugged her toward a suspicious patch of grass, clearly marked by the droppings of a rival. I sniffed...

2 likes 2 comments 2
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The Summer of Nine

Submitted to Contest #314

It was the hottest day of the year and any shade to hide from the oppressive heat was nearly impossible to find. One lone tree stood out among the many ball fields and provided sparse relief for the few huddled underneath. As everyone watched intently, cheers suddenly erupted from the dugout as the player slid into home plate for the winning run. The team had won their final game of the season and were crowned Champs. As the players and coaches leapt to their feet, hooting and hollering, they all scrambled onto the field with exuberance. Onl...

5 likes 2 comments 2
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Lost and Found

Submitted to Contest #314

Lost and Found Tommy opened his eyes to the sound of his mother’s footsteps coming down the hall. He knew that stride. That was her, “I’m-not-really-thrilled-with-you-right-now” walk. If knew what was good for him, he’d jump out of bed right now and show her he was already up and halfway ready for school. Tommy rolled over. The nice thing about being 10, he thought, is that I don’t have to do what’s good for me. So Tommy’s back was to the door when his mother threw it open and used her Minnesota voice to say sternly,...

3 likes 0 comments 0
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Six-year-old's Summer

Submitted to Contest #314

“You’re lucky you get to stay home and enjoy the nice weather,” Daddy said to Jacob as they stood on the back porch admiring the green grass and breathing in the rich summer smells. “I have to go into my office all day. I’m going to miss you.” Jacob leaned against Daddy’s leg to show he would miss him too. Playing in the backyard was more fun together than alone. Daddy tussled Jacob’s hair and said enviously, “Don’t have too much fun while I’m gone. And listen to Mommy. She’s watching from the window.” Daddy final...

2 likes 1 comment 1
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Melting Ice cream

Submitted to Contest #314

CW: Themes of emotional abuse I stared at the growing pool of rainbow as the dropped Popsicle lay splattered on the asphalt, the wooden stick jutting out like a sad little flag. I tilted my head, curious. The heat slowly coaxed more of the sweet, sticky goo into the swirling puddle. I didn’t know why it was so mesmerizing. Maybe it was boredom. Maybe it was because Mama had told me I had to stay outside until the sun went down. School had let out a few weeks ago, and Mama said she couldn’t be fooling around with me all day. I didn’t know wh...

1 like 0 comments 0
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From Wags to Riches

Submitted to Contest #314

Today was the day that my life completely changed. Where did my dear human family go?It was a dark, stormy night. There was thunder and lightning everywhere. My family had suitcases packed, and were loading items onto a truck. I heard a lot of yelling, and crying, and then the truck drove away. I was confused and scared, and had no idea where my human family went. They left me a little kibble and water. The apartment felt cold, and I hated the sound of rumbling thunder. I felt scared. I wish that someone was there with me. As the rain patter...

5 likes 1 comment 1
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How I Got My People...And My Job

Submitted to Contest #314

Everyone has a different theory how I came to my hooman arrangement- I think the stories are funny, but they are all wrong.Daddy says that I showed up because I escaped from a bloodhound farm. My cub-brother Randy claims he found me. Mama likes to say that Hershey, one of my family’s previous doggie borders, led me here after he died, because he knew they needed someone like me. Mama would be happy to know her story is the closest to being right. But Hershey didn’t come back as a ghost- he was my business partner for a long time. Hershey ran...

1 like 0 comments 0
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Ears-A-Plenty

Submitted to Contest #313

Once upon a time in the village of Wishyouwell there lived a crabby old woman called Ears-A-Plenty. She was called Ears-A-Plenty because it was true, she did have more ears than the average two or three that we might have nowadays. Yes, she even wore the extra ears, sprouting from the top of her head, gathered up with a velvet ribbon like a bouquet of posies. Ears-A-Plenty was a shopkeeper, the best shopkeeper for miles around. Each morning, smells of coffee and buttered toast wafted on the breeze, gathering customers to her. Once inside the...

15 likes 13 comments 13
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RBE | Illustrated Short Stories | 2024-06

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