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Stories for 5+ years old

These stories should be understandable for five years olds. However, we believe they can be fun at any age above that as well. The age requirements are based on vocabulary, topics, and overall story length.

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Short stories
The Russet Dog

Celtic Tale

The Russet Dog

5
 min
5
+
4.66

This Celtic tale brings you a merry story of a savvy fox. When her beautiful russet coat becomes a home for annoying fleas, the fox thinks of a clever way how to get rid of them.

Stories for 3+ years old
The (Steadfast) Tin Soldier

Hans Christian Andersen

The (Steadfast) Tin Soldier

9
 min
3
+
4.66

In Hans Christian Andersen’s traditional story, you will learn about the fate of a tin soldier who is a little different from the others. He is in for quite an unexpected adventure - experience it with him!

Wellbeing
The Fidgety Thoughts

Monika Cavojova

The Fidgety Thoughts

8
 min
3
+
4.66

This bedtime story explores what it’s like inside a child’s mind in the evening, where fidgety thoughts find it difficult to settle down and get ready to sleep.

Folk stories
The Fairy

Charles Perrault

The Fairy

7
 min
5
+
4.65

A classic story showing that modesty, decency and humility always pay off. When a girl helps a fairy dressed up as an old woman, she repays her generously. But the evil stepmother wants only the best also for her own daughter. So she sends her to the edge of the forest to wait for the old woman, help her, and receive a reward. But helping others merely for selfish reasons may not pay off in the end...

Stories for 5+ years old
Cristiano and a Mysterious Voice

Readmio

Cristiano and a Mysterious Voice

7
 min
5
+
4.65

Cristiano is a poor little boy, but he has a dream: he wants to be the best football player ever. He practices as much as he can, with whatever he can. He even makes his own ball! Then one day, he hears a mysterious voice coaching him… Read the first story about Cristiano for free. It contains true facts from the life of Cristiano Ronaldo.

Wellbeing
The Little Superhero

Dominika Sakmarova

The Little Superhero

8
 min
5
+
4.65

Although little Mark is still only a kindergartener, he so very badly wants to be a superhero. However, he’s afraid of many things, and his elder brother makes fun of him for that. How can a superhero ever be scared of anything? But when the boys go for a day-out at the theme park, Mark learns something very important about superheroes... You too will learn what that is after reading this story!

Christmas stories for kids
The Christmas Mermaid

Katarina Gondova

The Christmas Mermaid

8
 min
3
+
4.65

Christmas, that magical time of year, is just around the corner. For Alice, who lives in the Czech Republic, this Christmas turns out to be especially magical. While she’s Christmas shopping with her mum, she comes across something she would never have dreamed of: a tiny mermaid! What does she do with her and how do Alice and the little mermaid spend Christmas?

Around the World
The Golden Pears

Austrian Tale

The Golden Pears

12
 min
5
+
4.65

In this Austrian folk tale you will hear about a tree that produced the best pears in the whole kingdom and about three brothers who wanted to take the sweet pears to the king as a gift. What happened to them and how were they rewarded for their behaviour?

Folk stories
The Story of Wood

Slovak Tale

The Story of Wood

4
 min
5
+
4.64

Laziness never pays off. A legend tells us that a long time ago, people didn’t have to drag the wood from the mountains. It just simply came by itself to the right place. But one day a woman wanted to make her way home easier, and got onto the wood so that it carried her. However, it didn’t move. From that time on, people have had to work hard to take wood home from the mountains.

Short stories
John’s Fable

Slovak Tale

John’s Fable

5
 min
5
+
4.64

This is a story from a collection of Slovak folk tales. The resourceful servant John wins a chest of coins from his master. His master, being bored, had offered it to anyone who could make up a story so unbelievable that they wouldn’t even believe themselves as they spoke. Everyone who tried had left without success. John, his servant, is the last one to give it a try.

Folk stories
Jack the Pea Boy

Pavol Dobsinsky

Jack the Pea Boy

15
 min
3
+
4.64

Those who are smart will overcome any difficulties. Pavol Dobšinský’s story tells us about a boy who is small as a pea but also incredibly strong.

Short stories
The Wawel Dragon

Polish Legend

The Wawel Dragon

5
 min
5
+
4.64

This Polish legend tells about Wawel Hill, under which a terrible dragon settled and ravaged the whole countryside. However, the people eventually managed to defeat the dragon, thanks to the ingenuity of an ordinary shoemaker.

Bedtime stories for toddlers
The Clever Frog

Storytime Magazine

The Clever Frog

5
 min
1
+
4.64

Giuseppe the frog may be small but he is very clever – in fact, he considers himself the smartest frog in the pond! However, his pride and unwillingness to take any advice from others causes him a lot of trouble in the end.

Bedtime stories for toddlers
The Sad Scooter

Jana Kasparova

The Sad Scooter

6
 min
1
+
4.64

The new pink scooter is the best gift Becky could have wished for, but as the time goes by, she uses it less and less, until it spends most time left in a corner. With the help of her mother, Becky learns an important lesson: things we don’t use anymore can make other people happy and become useful once again.

Short stories
Jake’s Big Ears

Jana Kasparova

Jake’s Big Ears

6
 min
5
+
4.64

Jake’s classmates laugh at him because of his ears. They are too big, unlike the small ears of his friends. However, everything changes the moment Jake turns the mockery to his advantage. Find out what he can do, thanks to his ears, in this story about tolerance and diversity.

Short stories
Monkey-Business

Abby Voss

Monkey-Business

5
 min
3
+
4.64

As with many younger siblings, Clive feels like he’s a nuisance to his big sister. And indeed, Frances finally reaches her wit’s end with him. But then circumstances change, causing Frances to realise that her little brother is actually pretty great after all.

Nature stories
The Good-natured Imps

Katarina Mikolasova

The Good-natured Imps

11
 min
5
+
4.63

What (or who!) keeps plants healthy and ensures they grow well? The process of nurturing all the greenery is not always straightforward. In this story, we get to the root of it. Here you’ll be transported to the world in which teeny-tiny imps secretly look after the forest, taking good care of the natural environment and ensuring that it prospers.

Emotions and empathy
Grandma’s Magic

Dominika Sakmarova

Grandma’s Magic

8
 min
5
+
4.63

Read the story of Matt and his magical grandma. She owns neither a wand nor a wizard´s cloak. So how could she be magical? In this tale, you'll learn the importance of wonderful family relationships, and also about curiosity, learning, and dealing with emotions.

Bedtime stories
Short stories
Folk stories
Human body
Wellbeing
Emotions & empathy
Nature stories
Science stories
Around the World
Animal stories
Aesop's fables
For toddlers
For 3+ years old
For 5+ years old
For 8+ years old
Christmas stories

Questions about

Stories for 5+ years old

What types of stories are suitable for 5-year-olds?

For 5-year-olds, Readmio offers stories that are engaging, imaginative, and appropriate for their developmental stage. Suitable stories include tales of exciting journeys and discoveries that spark curiosity and imagination, but also stories featuring animals. Kids at this age tend to like stories that highlight the importance of making friends, working and playing together.

What are some signs that my child is ready for more complex stories?

Recognizing when your child is ready for more complex stories involves observing their developmental milestones and interests. Usually your child can already listen to and engage  with longer stories or follow a narrative without losing interest. If your child is using a more advanced vocabulary and can understand and use new words, they might be prepared for stories that introduce new and more challenging language. Once your child shows interest in a wider range of topics or asks questions about various subjects, they may benefit from stories that explore new and more sophisticated concepts. At Readmio, you can find a variety of stories that cater to different levels of complexity. If you notice these signs, exploring stories from Category for 5-year olds.

What themes are commonly explored in stories for 5-year-olds on Readmio?

On Readmio, stories for 5-year-olds commonly explore themes such as:

  • Friendship and Kindness: Stories that focus on building relationships, being considerate, and helping others.
  • Imagination and Creativity: Tales that encourage imaginative play and creative thinking.
  • Problem-Solving and Resilience: Stories that present simple challenges and how characters overcome them with determination and cleverness.

How long are usually the stories in this category?

Stories for 5-year-olds on Readmio are typically around 10 to 15 minutes long. This duration is ideal for maintaining the attention span of young children, providing enough time for a complete narrative without being overwhelming. The length allows for engaging stories that fit well into bedtime routines or short reading sessions throughout the day.