you looking for short moral stories for kids across the web? Stories are one of the easiest ways to develop good values in your child. Reading aloud short moral stories for kids can be a source of enjoyment and teaches them important lessons. The art of storytelling strengthens the bond between parents and their children. A short story with morals helps your child in differentiating between right and wrong behaviours. If you are looking for a short story in English online, the list below will be helpful to you.
What are Short Moral Stories for Kids?Short moral stories for kids are simple, engaging tales that teach important values such as honesty, kindness, respect, empathy, and responsibility in an easy-to-understand way.
How Moral Stories Are Beneficial for Kids?So many short moral stories for kids in English are available all over the internet. Short moral stories teach important life lessons to your children in an easy and fun way. Children have a shorter attention span, and short stories can captivate their attention for longer. Story-telling time can be a fun zone where your kid can spend some quality time with you. Storytelling also helps your kid increase their creativity and imaginative quality. Storytelling helps kids develop good listening skills and increase their focus.
Moral stories play an important role in teaching children values and good behaviour from an early age.
Common Moral Values Children Learn from StoriesHonestyKindnessRespectEmpathySharingResponsibilityTips on Making Story Interesting for Your KidsAs a parent, you have to make storytelling time as interesting as you can. Try to read stories in an imaginative way, trying to showcase the persona of the character. When reciting a story, change your voice and tone to showcase different characters. Read stories from picture books where your kid can actually see the characters and the storyline. After the story, ask your kid what they learnt from the short story with morals. Discuss the lessons and learning of each story after your storytelling session.
Top 30 Moral Stories for KidsWe have a list of exciting short stories that are definitely going to keep your kid hooked throughout the storytelling session. These short moral stories for kids in English are a complete source of motivation, morals, entertainment and lessons.
1. The Fox and the GrapesWho has not heard about the famous story of a fox and the grapes he could not get? It is a story about a fox who saw juicy grapes hanging on a beautiful vine. He made a lot of effort to get the grapes from the vine, but could not get them after various attempts. At last, when he got tired, he decided to stop and said the grapes were definitely sour.
Moral: This story teaches us that it is very easy to despise something that we cannot have. When the fox did not get the grapes he wanted, he declared the grapes sour.
2. The Proud RoseOnce upon a time, in a desert, there were two plants, a rose and a cactus. Rose had a luscious red colour and petals full of life. She was very proud of the way she looked. Rose used to mock the cactus for its ugly appearance while the cactus remained silent. Other plants tried to insert some sense in the rose but she was way too full of herself. On the arrival of summer, the desert became arid with no water left for the plants. In the absence of water, the rose started to lose its beauty. She looked at the cactus as if a bird was trying to peck the cactus with its beak for water. Rose felt shameful for her wrongdoings and asked the cactus for some water. The cactus agreed to help her and gave water to the rose throughout the summer as a friend.
Moral: This story teaches us that we should never judge anyone by the way they look. Everyone is blessed with a unique quality, and we should not belittle anyone.
3. The Milkmaid and Her PailMolly was a milkmaid whose job was to milk cows and sell milk. She used to daydream about the things she would buy with the money that she did not have right now. One day, she was going to the market carrying her pail full of milk. As she was on her way, she saw a chicken and started daydreaming about buying a chicken and selling her eggs. She started to dream those other milkmaids would be very jealous of the things Molly got from selling eggs and milk. And then she spilt all the milk from the pail in the excitement of her dream. She went back to her home with an empty pail and no money with her. Her mother asked her the reason behind this incident. Molly told her the whole story whereafter her mother preached that she should not count her chickens until they hatched.
Moral: This story teaches that we should not daydream but rather take realistic action towards our goals.
4. The Golden TouchOnce there was a king whose name was Midas. King Midas did a deed as an act of kindness for a satyr- a spirit of nature. On this act of Midas, the god of wine called Dionysus granted him a boon. Midas wanted his touch to be of gold. When Dionysus warned about the shortcomings of his desired boon, Midas remained adamant. Midas got blessed with his desired boon. He was very excited about his new powers. Midas touched items turning them into gold. When Midas got hungry, he tried to eat food with his hands but it turned into gold. Midas groaned in hunger that he would starve this way. Seeing Midas in distress, his daughter tried to comfort him. She too turned into gold after embracing her father. Midas cried about the fact that this golden touch was not a blessing after all.
Moral: Excessive greed results in one's downfall.
5. A Wise Old OwlAn old owl used to live on an oak tree. The owl used to observe the things happening around him. One day, he saw a small boy help an old man carry a heavy basket. Another day, he saw a little girl who was shouting at her mother. As he started to notice things, he became quieter. As the day passed, he became even more quiet and started to listen more. The owl kept hearing stories and conversations of other people. He heard a story of an elephant who jumped the fence and a conversation where the man was saying that he never made any mistakes in his life. The old owl saw what happened to the people and heard what they were talking about.
In his life, he witnessed how some people changed for the better and some for the worse. By observing other people, the owl in the oak tree became wiser with each passing day.
Moral: Being an observer and listening more makes a person wiser.
6. The Farmer and the WellThere was a farmer who needed water for his farm. He bought a well from his neighbour. His neighbour was a cunning person. When the farmer visited to draw water from the well, the neighbour stopped him. He said that he had right over the well, not on the water. In distress, the farmer went to the emperor to get justice. The emperor gave the duty of resolving this issue to Birbal. Birbal was the wisest one out of nine courtiers of the emperor. Birbal asked the neighbour if he had sold his well to the farmer. The neighbour agrees that he sold the well but not the water inside the well.
Birbal says that if he had sold the well to the farmer, he should take out his water from the well or pay rent for that water. After realising that his scheme had failed, the neighbour apologised and went back to his home.
Moral: Cheating will not get you anything, and you will definitely pay for it.
7. Elephants and FriendsA lonely elephant was walking in the forest in search of a good friend. The elephant met the monkey and asked him for his friendship. The monkey declined because the elephant could not swing on the trees like him. The elephant kept moving and met the rabbit. He asked the rabbit for his friendship, but the rabbit declined as the elephant was too big for his burrow. The elephant continued and met a frog and asked him the same question he asked the other animals. The frog declined his friendship because the elephant could not jump like him. Elephants asked the same question to various animals but received the same answer.
Later, the same day, the elephant saw all the animals running out of fear. The elephant stopped the bear and asked him about the reason for that hurry. The bear told him that a tiger had attacked them. The elephant politely asked the tiger to stop attacking all the animals, but the tiger rejected his request. Finding no other option, the elephant attacked the tiger and shooed him away. All the animals were thankful to the elephant and said that he was the exact size to be their friend.
Moral: Friends can be of any size and shape.
8. A Glass of MilkA poor boy used to sell newspapers to pay his school fees. One day, he was very hungry and decided to go to his neighbourhood to get food. He asked several people, but nobody gave him food. After various efforts, one girl offered him a glass of milk. She denied taking any money for it. Several years later, the girl got sick, and no doctor was willing to treat her. She decided to go to the town's best doctor for her treatment. The doctor spent months on her treatment, even when she could not afford his fees. When the girl got her hospital bill, she had tears in her eyes. It mentioned, "Paid in full, with a glass of milk".
Moral: Acts of kindness are always rewarded.
9. The Bundle Of SticksThere was an old man with three sons. These sons used to fight with each other. The old man made various attempts to unite his sons but failed miserably. The old man got sick after some months, and still, the sons were fighting with each other. He decided to teach his sons an important life lesson. He gathered his sons and gave them a bundle of sticks. And then he asked each of them to break the stick, and the winner would have got the reward. Each son easily broke the stick given to them and asked for their reward. The old man says that it is not over yet.
They had to break the bundle of the stick, and whoever broke it would receive the reward. Each of the sons tried to break the bundle, but they failed. The father then said that it was easy to break one individual but not a united group. The old man told them that if they remained united, nobody could cause them harm, but if they kept fighting each other, anyone could take advantage of it.
Moral: There is strength in unity.
10. The Bear and the Two FriendsOne day, two friends were walking in a forest. As they knew the forest could be dangerous, they promised to remain close to avoid danger. Out of nowhere, a giant bear approached them. Out of the two friends, one quickly climbed up to a nearby tree, leaving his friend behind. The left-behind friend did not know how to climb up, so he used his brain. He lied there pretending to be dead. The bear visited the friend on the ground and tried to smell him. Considering him dead, the bear went another way. The second friend knew that bears do not touch dead creatures. The friend on the tree came down and asked his friend what the bear said to him. The second friend said that the bear advised him to never believe in fake friends.
Moral: Always choose your friends wisely.
11. The Clever RabbitOnce upon a time, a cruel lion hunted animals every day in the forest. The animals feared for their lives, and to prevent killing all at once, they decided to send one animal to the lion each day as his food. One day, it's a rabbit's turn to be served as a lion's meal. The rabbit purposely arrived late and told the lion that there was another lion on the way and he had challenged him. The lion got furious and asked to see the rival. The rabbit led him to a deep well and told the lion that the rival lived in a den in this well. He pointed at the lion's reflection. The foolish lion roared and jumped in, thinking it was his enemy. He drowned, and the animals were free from his terror. This story is one of the many moral stories for kids that teach valuable life lessons through simple and engaging narratives.
Moral: Intelligence is more powerful than strength. A wise mind can defeat the strongest enemy.
12. The Lion and the MouseA lion was sleeping, and a mouse disturbed his sleep. The lion caught the tiny mouse and tried to kill her under his paw. The mouse pleaded with the lion to spare her life and promised to repay the lion in the future. The lion laughed, thinking how a tiny mouse would help him, but he freed her anyway. Days later, hunters trapped the lion in a net. Hearing his roar, the mouse quickly chewed through the ropes, setting the lion free. The lion smiled and realised that even the smallest friend could be helpful.
Moral: No act of kindness is ever wasted. Even the smallest creature can help in big ways.
13. The Fox and the StorkIn a jungle lived a fox and a stork. They were neighbours. The fox was clever and cunning. On the other hand, the stork was generous and kind. One day, the cunning fox decided to have some fun with Stork. He invited Stork for dinner and purposely served soup on a shallow plate. The stork, with her long beak, could not eat it, and the fox laughed at it. The stork felt embarrassed and disappointed. Later, the stork invited the fox and served food in a tall jar. This time, the fox could not eat. The fox realised his mistake and felt ashamed.
Moral: We should treat others the way we want to be treated. Tricking others can backfire on us.
14. The Boy Who Cried WolfOnce upon a time, there was a shepherd boy in a village. He often tricked the villagers by shouting, "Wolf! Wolf!" But when they ran to help him, he laughed, and the villagers realised he had pranked them. One day, a real wolf came. The boy cried for help, but no one believed him. The wolf ate his sheep, and the boy regretted his lies. Such moral stories for kids help children connect everyday actions with important values.
Moral: If we lie often, people will not trust us even when we tell the truth.
15. The Dog at the WellA thirsty dog was thirsty and went to drink too well. He saw his reflection in the well. He thought it was another dog, and he barked at it. His bark echoed, and he got scared. A wise cat nearby laughed at him and told him that it was just his reflection. The dog realised his mistake and peacefully drank water.
Moral: Fear is often created in our own minds. We should not be scared of things we don't understand.
16. The Thirsty CrowOnce upon a time, there was a crow who lived in a forest. One day the crow was thirsty. He found a jug with little water inside. He tried reaching for water to drink it but failed. Then, he got an idea. He collected small pebbles and dropped them into the jug. Slowly, the water rose, and he drank happily.
Moral: Intelligence and hard work can solve any problem.
17. Lazy JohnThere was a boy named John. John was always lazy. He always avoided work. His mother warned him that laziness would bring trouble one day, and that day came too soon. The roof of the house had a hole in it, and John ignored it. One day when it rained, water entered the house and ruined everything. John regretted his laziness.
Moral: Hard work and timely action prevent problems in the future.
18. The Ant and the GrasshopperThere was a hard-working ant who collected food throughout the summers, while the grasshopper always played and sang. When winter came, the grasshopper had nothing to eat. He begged the ant for food, but the ant reminded him of his laziness. The grasshopper learnt a lesson about hard work.
Moral: We must work hard today to enjoy a secure future.
19. The Golden EggA farmer lived in a village with his family. He had a hen that laid a golden egg daily. He used to sell the eggs and make a profit every day. But one day he got greedy for more, and he killed the hen, hoping to find all the gold inside. But there was nothing. He lost everything.
Moral: Greed leads to loss. Patience and contentment bring true happiness.
20. The Greedy DogA hungry dog found a bone and happily carried it. While crossing a river, he saw his reflection in the water. Thinking it was another dog with a bigger bone, he barked. His bone fell into the river, and he lost everything.
Moral: Greed can make us lose what we already have.
21. The Cock, the Mouse & the Little Red HenThere were two houses on two hills: a shabby one with a hungry fox with its cubs living in it, and a neat one with a red hen, a cock, and a mouse. All were caught when the lazy cock and mouse allowed the fox to enter. However, they were saved by the intelligent hen, and the fox vanished from view. As a reward, the hen took a break while the mouse and cock took care of everything.
Moral: Being lazy can lead to trouble, but intelligence and hard work can save the day.
22. The Blue JackalOnce upon a time, a jackal entered a village searching for food. When dogs surrounded him, he accidentally dyed himself blue to evade them. When no animal recognised him, the jackal deceived the jungle animals into thinking he was a king. However, when he revealed himself by letting out a jackal-like howl, the animals attacked him and drove him out.
Moral: Be true to yourself and others; truth always comes out.
23. The Bear and the GardenerA lonely gardener met a lonely bear. They became friends and lived together happily. The gardener requested only one service from him: to keep the flies away from his face while he slept. One day, an annoying fly landed on the gardener's face. When the bear failed to shoo the fly away, he threw a stone to kill it, but alas, he killed the poor gardener as well.
Moral: It's better to have no friend than a foolish one.
24. The Pencil and the EraserThe pencil and eraser were best friends. Pencil loved to write, and the eraser always quietly corrected the pencil whenever it made a mistake. One day, the pencil regretfully said, "You get smaller each day because of me." The eraser smiled and replied, "I don't mind. I was made to help you whenever you make a mistake."
Moral: True friends help without expecting anything in return.
25. The Honest WoodcutterLong ago, a sincere and honest woodcutter lived in a small village. One day, his axe fell into a river and he became worried. Then, a god emerged and offered him an axe made of gold and silver, but he turned it down, claiming it wasn't his. God gave him all three as a reward for his honesty.
Moral: Being honest is always rewarded.
26. The Hare and the TortoiseA hare once challenged a slow tortoise to a race. The hare ran quickly but became overconfident and stopped to take a nap. The tortoise moved slowly yet steadily, never stopping. Alas! It was too late for the hare, for by the time he woke up, the tortoise had already crossed the finish line and won the race.
Moral: Patience and determination lead to success.
27. The Dog and the BoneA butcher threw a bone to a dog, and the dog ran home as quickly as he could with his reward. While crossing a bridge, he saw his reflection in the water and thought it was another dog with a bigger bone.
Greedy, he jumped to snatch it and dropped his own bone, losing it completely.
Moral: Greed can make you lose what you already have.
28. The Rose and the CactusA beautiful, proud rose often mocked a cactus, saying, "Look at you, so plain!"
The cactus remained silent and kind.
After a severe drought, the rose began to droop. The cactus generously shared water when she asked for help. Apologizing, the rose treated him kindly, and soon they became good friends.
Moral: True kindness and friendship matter more than appearances.
29. The Elephant and the AntsIn a faraway jungle lived a huge elephant who loved showing off his strength. He bullied smaller animals and even laughed as he splashed water on a tiny ant family.
That evening, a brave little ant entered his trunk and gave him a painful bite.
"Ouch! Stop!" the elephant shouted. Frightened, he promised never to bully anyone again.
Moral: Even the smallest can teach the biggest lesson.
30. The Three Little PigsOnce upon a time, three little pigs built houses of straw, sticks, and bricks. The first two pigs played all day, while the third worked hard.
One day, a huge wolf appeared and yelled, "Huff! Puff! I'll blow your house down!"
He blew down the straw and stick houses, but the brick house stood strong, keeping the pigs safe.
Moral: Hard work brings lasting results.
FAQs Related to Short Moral Stories for KidsQ1. What moral values do children learn from moral stories?A: Moral stories teach children essential values such as honesty, kindness, respect, empathy, sharing, patience, and responsibility. These lessons help shape positive behaviour from an early age.
Q2. Are these short moral stories suitable for preschool children?A: Yes, these short moral stories are written in simple language and are ideal for preschoolers aged 3–6 years. They are easy to understand and keep young children engaged.
Q3. Can these moral stories be used in schools or assemblies?A: Absolutely. These stories are perfect for school assemblies, classroom storytelling sessions, moral science classes, and value-based learning activities.
Q4. Can parents or teachers print these moral stories for offline reading?A: Yes, parents and teachers can copy or print these stories for personal or educational use. You can also save the page to access the stories offline anytime.
Q5. How often should parents read moral stories to children?A: Reading one moral story daily or a few times a week helps children consistently develop strong values, listening skills, vocabulary, and emotional understanding.
ConclusionShort Stories with morals are definitely going to improve your kids for the better. It is important to develop a storytelling routine in your kids' lives so that they can learn how to function in the real world with a hint of imagination. With the help of a short story, you can help your child develop qualities like honesty, integrity, unity and patience. Read the above-mentioned short moral stories for kids to your children that are full of lessons, entertainment and imagination.
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