Welcome to the world of enchanting tales, where we give you a curated list of the top 18 stories about ghosts, ideal for kids to read online. These aren’t your typical spook-tales, but rather funny stories that children will absolutely adore. Our ghostly narratives are perfect for preschool, kindergarten, and elementary-grade students. Better yet, they’re stories that can be read aloud, promoting interaction during bedtime reading sessions. Many of these tales are short, yet delivered in the best manner possible, complete with enticing illustrations and pictures to keep your kids engaged. What’s even better? These stories are part of an exclusive ebook collection that is available both online and in pdf format for those who wish to print them.

Stories about ghosts are not just entertaining but serve a bigger purpose. While they carry a theme of mystery and wonder, these tales also teach kids important morals, giving them valuable lessons whilst stimulating their imaginations. These stories can help children learn about bravery, kindness, and the value of friendship. By presenting these lessons in English through stories, toddlers and older kids alike can further improve their reading skills while enjoying an exciting theme. So, get ready to dive into these incredible ghost stories—free for you to explore at any time. Let your children embark on this entertaining literary journey!

Top 18 Stories About Ghosts for kids:

1. Who Will Be Scared?: A group of mischievous girls at a boarding school plan to scare their classmates and teachers on Halloween by pretending to be ghosts. However, their prank goes wrong when they get locked in a spooky storeroom and discover a skeleton hiding in the wardrobe. They are eventually rescued by their stern principal, who reveals that their teacher was behind the ghostly disguise. The girls learn a lesson about respecting others’ feelings and decide to behave better in the future. The story highlights the importance of not playing pranks at the expense of others’ comfort and happiness.
2. The Halloween Debate: In a small town, a boy and a girl have different views on Halloween. The boy claims that girls don’t enjoy Halloween and are scared of ghosts, while the girl argues that girls also enjoy the thrill of Halloween and have played pranks. To prove his bravery, the girl challenges the boy to face a real ghost. When a ghost appears, the boy runs away in fear, leaving his mask behind. The girl laughs and goes off to join a Halloween party, leaving the deserted mask and laughter behind in the town square.
3. A Christmas tree: This story describes a Christmas tree adorned with various objects that bring to mind childhood memories and fantasies. The narrator reflects on the joy and wonder associated with Christmas, and the special moments and experiences that the holiday season brings. The story also includes several ghostly encounters and supernatural occurrences, adding a touch of mystery to the narrative. Overall, it celebrates the traditions and emotions associated with Christmas and serves as a reminder of the importance of love, kindness, and compassion.
4. The Pumpkin Ghosts: Three friends in the town of Harvest Hollow, Jack, Patty, and Gus, share spooky tales about pumpkin ghosts. One haunts a field, another adds sweetness to pumpkin pies, and the third laments being canned instead of becoming a jack-o’-lantern. As they go to bed, they reflect on the magic these pumpkin spirits bring to their Halloween traditions.
5. The Haunted House: In a small town, five young friends embark on an adventure to explore a haunted house. They are filled with excitement and a little fear, but as they unravel the tragic story behind the house, their hearts pound even louder. When one of the friends sees something white in the window, they are terrified. However, their fear eventually turns to laughter when they discover that it was just the lost white cat of their youngest friend, Effie. They learn that not all ghosts are as they seem and decide to leave the haunted house behind.
6. Halloween Spirit: In a kingdom filled with hues of orange and black, the Halloween Spirit, a majestic girl with the power to summon magical creatures, finds herself alone. But soon, witches, goblins, ghosts, black cats, and children dressed as pumpkins join her, each bringing their unique charm to the Halloween celebration. The festivities are filled with laughter, scares, treats, and delightful tales, making Halloween the happiest and most mysterious time of the year.
7. Happy Halloween: Once upon a time, three young friends and their black cat, Shadow, celebrated Halloween in a small town. Molly enjoyed indoor activities, pretending to be a ghost. Tommy loved the outdoors, spotting witches and playing with Shadow. Sammy enjoyed both indoors and outdoors, pretending to scare each other. Every Halloween, their town became a thrilling playground where every corner held an adventure. They all agreed, Halloween is the time for fun. You can download the ebook version of the story to read offline or print.
8. A Christmas Carol: In this story, a wealthy and stingy businessman named Ebenezer Scrooge despises Christmas and treats everyone poorly. However, after being visited by three spirits who show him the impact of his actions, Scrooge experiences a change of heart. He becomes kind, generous, and embraces the true meaning of Christmas. He apologizes to those he wronged, helps the less fortunate, and finds joy in spending time with loved ones. Scrooge’s transformation leads to a happier and more fulfilling life.
9. The Courteous Prince: Once upon a time, a Prince fell in love with a girl of lower rank, but the King was determined to keep them apart. The King sought advice from an old witch, who said that the girl’s enchantment would only end when courtesy prevailed. The Prince, while hunting, sought shelter in an abandoned hunting lodge and was visited by a ghostly woman who requested he make a bed of heather for her. The next morning, the girl appeared in place of the ghostly creature and explained that the witch’s spell had been broken by the Prince’s kind actions. They returned to the palace and were happily married.
10. The Four Ghosts: In a quaint town on the edge of a mysterious forest, two best friends, Maude and Laura, embark on an adventure to find the mythical beings that are said to reside there. They encounter four ghosts with captivating stories, only to discover that it was all part of a grand Halloween party organized by Maude’s mother, the Storyteller. The evening ends with a moral lesson about treasuring what you have and being true to yourself.
11. Two Ghosts: In a quiet town, two ghosts named Whisper and Moan come to life every Halloween. Whisper enjoys playfully startling people, while Moan unintentionally scares children with his mournful cries. One Halloween night, they unexpectedly meet at the graveyard and scream in surprise. After realizing they are both friendly ghosts, they laugh and decide to explore together. From then on, the children in town enjoy the presence of Whisper and Moan, finding comfort in their playful and gentle nature.
12. The Halloween Ghost: Granny Spriggins, a sweet old lady, goes to visit a graveyard on Halloween night. She encounters a witch, a ghost, and two skeletons in the church. Inside, she finds a motionless ghost, who tells her that this is what happens after death. Granny Spriggins asks how long it will be until she joins them, and the ghost replies that only time will tell. The story ends with a chilling scream, leaving Granny Spriggins with a Halloween memory she will never forget.
13. The Elfin Hill: A group of lizards overhear that there is something exciting happening on the Elfin Hill. They learn that important guests, including conjurors and will-o’-the-wisps, are expected. The hill opens and the old elf king’s housekeeper invites a night-raven to deliver the invitations. The guests arrive and enjoy a grand feast and entertainment, including dances and stories. The old goblin from the Dovre mountains and his two sons come to find wives among the elf princesses. The goblin sons, however, prefer to drink and make speeches, so they do not marry. The hill closes, and the lizards discuss their impressions of the event.
14. The Halloween Mystery Of The Vanished Boy: In the eerie season of Halloween, a curious boy disappears while wandering the streets. The neighborhood witch, ghost, jack-o’-lantern, owl, bat, and black cat each hold a clue to the boy’s mysterious fate. Every Halloween, whispers in the wind suggest that the boy’s spirit remains a part of the magical night.
15. The Flying Dutchman: In a stormy harbor, a determined captain insists on setting sail despite the dangerous conditions and the crew’s objections. As the ship departs, it transforms into a ghost ship with fiery red sails and a burned hull. Stories of the ghost ship, known as the Flying Dutchman, circulate, and it is feared by sailors around the Cape of Good Hope. One brave captain encounters the ship firsthand, but it passes through his vessel, leaving only an icy gust of wind. The fate of the Flying Dutchman remains unknown, but its absence brings hope that the crew has found peace after sailing the seas forever.
16. The Peony Lantern: In this story, a samurai named Hagiwara loses a special shuttle while playing a racket game. He becomes obsessed with finding it and eventually finds himself in a mysterious garden where he meets the Lady of the Morning Dew and her servant, O’Yone. Hagiwara falls in love with the Lady but is unable to find her again after their initial meeting. He becomes ill and weak, and upon discovering the graves of the Lady and O’Yone, he realizes they have died. Hagiwara mourns their loss and eventually encounters the spirits of the Lady and O’Yone visiting his house every night. However, with the help of a holy man, Hagiwara is able to protect himself from their visits. In the end, Hagiwara’s servant finds him dead, and a peony lantern is left behind.
17. Dividing The Dead: On a dark Halloween night, two boys named Tom and Jack disguise themselves as ghosts to gather apples from Farmer Brown’s orchard. They then decide to divide the apples in the graveyard, but Tom tries to keep the two biggest ones for himself. Jack suggests a fair way to divide the apples, but Farmer Brown overhears and believes they are dividing the dead. Terrified, he runs away, leaving the boys to laugh and share the apples. The villagers still tell the tale of the mistaken Lord and Devil dividing the apples on Halloween. You can download the ebook to read the full story offline.
18. The Halloween Ghosts: In the town of Maplewood, eight unique ghosts come to life every Halloween under the Harvest Moon, causing mischief and delight among the townsfolk. Each ghost has its own special character and whimsy, from a melancholic ghost who hums a haunting melody to a warm ghost that was once a cat by the hearth. They appear mysteriously and retreat into the shadows, leaving the town in awe. This enchanting spectacle is eagerly awaited each year, making Halloween in Maplewood a magical event.

In conclusion, the Top 18 Stories About Ghosts cater vividly to the imaginative minds of kids, offering thrilling yet age-appropriate narratives about the supernatural world. These tales, leaving a subtle shake of thrill, also imbue essential life lessons, empathy, resilience, and courage in the face of the unknown. As we journeyed through haunted mansions, met friendly ghosts, and even solved some spectral mysteries, we not only quenched our thirst for spooky adventure but also learned to look fear straight in the eye. These ghostly tales, albeit eerie, foster a fun and engaging way for children to read and broaden their online literary experience.