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.

2200+ 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.

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The Best New Kids Short Stories

Children’s stories have been around for hundreds of years. Before the days of bitesize cartoons and colourful picture books, enchanting tales like Hansel and Gretel, Little Red Riding Hood, and Sleeping Beauty were passed down from parent to child. In every corner of the world, stories for children were revised and repeated, until they trickled into the 21st century — where they’re still as popular as ever (with a little help from Disney magic). 

These days, of course, hundreds of thousands of short stories for kids exist alongside these immortal folk-tales. But that doesn’t mean they’ve lost any of their charm. The wild imaginations of little ones gives writers free reign to be as wacky as they like. Celebrated children’s authors like Roald Dahl and Rudyard Kipling have written some incredibly inventive and funny short stories for kids, bringing to life unforgettable characters and exotic talking animals. 

Where can I find new short stories for kids, every week?

Penned by a diverse group of writers from around the world, the children’s stories brought together in this collection were all written for Reedsy’s weekly writing contest. While lots of our writers explore dark and even steamy themes, some prefer to keep things PG. And far from being tame and boring, these child-friendly stories are some of the most beautifully-written and exciting stories we read!

At the top of the page you’ll find all the kids stories that have been shortlisted by our panel of judges — so what better place to find your next bedtime read? And if you like anything you discover, remember to “follow” the writer to get a notification whenever they post a new story. Who knows, you might find your little one’s new favourite author!

And if you'd like to read the best of the best entries from across 40+ genres, be sure to check out Prompted, our new literary magazine — there's a free copy waiting for you.