Welcome to our fantastic collection of the Top 36 Stories About Gratitude, specially designed for kids and children of all ages! These bedtime tales are perfect to read online, or even better, you can download them in PDF format for free to enjoy at your leisure. Our printable, learning-based stories will provide endless educational fun for preschoolers, toddlers, EYFS, and kindergarten kids.

These short, famous stories are not only appealing to boys and girls, but they are also easy to understand and accompanied by beautiful pictures to enhance story time. Each tale comes with a moral lesson about gratitude, making them perfect for early years and elementary students. You can even listen to them with the audio option to make the learning experience more interactive and engaging for your children.

Stories About Gratitude are essential for teaching our little ones the importance of appreciating the blessings in their lives. They help instill the value of being thankful for the people, experiences, and opportunities that come their way. These tales not only entertain but also instill strong values, making them must-read classics for kids from all walks of life.

Our fantastic collection features a mix of fun and exciting stories that will make English language learning more enjoyable, improve reading skills and comprehension, and allow critical thinking to blossom. With easy, read-aloud narrations, bedtime will turn into a magical experience as children embark on their journey through the adventures of their favorites characters.

These stories are perfect for girls and boys to enjoy during their night-time routines, helping them wind down, explore their minds, and drift off to a peaceful sleep. So, gather your little ones around and let them embark on a wonderful world of gratitude-filled stories, catered to inspire and educate young minds.

Top 36 Stories About Gratitude for kids to read online:

1. The Nightingale: The story is about an Emperor who, after receiving a book, discovers the enchanting voice of a nightingale living in his garden. The nightingale agrees to sing for the Emperor but later escapes after the Emperor is given a golden bird. Eventually, the fake bird breaks, and the nightingale returns to sing and heal the Emperor who was deathly ill. The nightingale promises to sing and tell the Emperor about events in the country, and they keep it a secret. The story ends with the Emperor greeting his servant kindly after being healed by the nightingale.
2. The Yellow Dragon: The story is about a boy named Woe who welcomed a stranger, the yellow dragon, into his home. Though the stranger was unusual, Woe’s family treated him well and with hospitality. The next day, a great storm hit the land, but Woe’s family was the only one that survived, prompting the emperor to ask Woe for the reason for their safety. When Woe showed the dragon scale, their home lit up and the emperor invited Woe to work for him as a magician. The story teaches to always be kind and hospitable to strangers.
3. The Big Sausage: In a time of famine in Königsberg, the people were despondent and had no hope for the future. The wisest people from the city came together to find a solution, and it was decided to make a big sausage from the last coins in the town treasury. The sausage was made by all the butchers in town with pigs, pepper, salt, and other spices brought from the sea. The sausage was cut up and divided for every citizen to have a piece, and they were allowed to take as much sausage home as they could carry. The citizens had hope again for the future, and the next year the harvest was successful, ending the famine.
4. The Ungrateful Son: In this story, a man and his wife hide a roasted chicken from the man’s old father, but the chicken turns into a duck that viciously attaches itself to the ungrateful son’s face. The son must feed and take care of the duck or face its wrath. Eventually, the son realizes his mistake and asks for forgiveness from his father, who grants it. The duck turns back into a chicken, and they were able to share a meal together. The story highlights the importance of sharing and forgiveness.
5. The Elves and the Shoemaker: A poor shoemaker finds that shoes are made during the night after he cuts leather. Eventually, he discovers that elves are making the shoes and his fortunes change when customers pay much more than they should. Just before Christmas, he and his wife make clothes for the elves as a thank you, and when the elves receive them, they dance and sing. The shoemaker never sees them again, but lives happily ever after. An ebook is available for download.
6. Uncle Wiggily makes a cherry pie: In this story, Uncle Wiggily leaves a family whom he helped earlier and travels to seek his fortune. He comes across a cave where a hedgehog lives and becomes friends with him. Seeing that the hedgehog is unwell and wants to eat cherry pie to feel better, Uncle Wiggily teaches him how to make it. They make a cherry pie together, and when a circus dog named Percival comes by and is feeling sad, they offer him some pie to make him feel better. They all stay at the hedgehog’s cave and eat cherry pie together. The story ends with the characters enjoying more cherry pie the next day.
7. Little Gretchen and the wooden shoe on Christmas morning: In this story, Little Gretchen and her Granny live in a small log hut in a forest. They are very poor, and Granny has to collect fallen twigs to sell in the village market, while Gretchen dreams of having a toy for Christmas. Despite being told by her Granny that they can’t afford to have a Christmas, Gretchen leaves her wooden shoe outside on Christmas Eve in case Santa Claus comes and leaves a surprise. The next day she finds a bird with a broken wing in her shoe, and she and Granny spend the day caring for it and sharing boughs of pine with others. Gretchen realizes that the love and kindness they shared was the most important part of Christmas.
8. The Spoiled Timmy and Wise Santa: This story is about a spoiled boy named Timmy who is always asking for more toys. On Christmas Eve, Santa Claus takes Timmy with him to deliver gifts to poor families, where Timmy sees how happy and grateful they are for even the smallest gift. Timmy learns to appreciate what he has and starts giving away some of his toys to those in need. Santa is pleased with Timmy’s change of heart. A downloadable PDF version of the story is provided.
9. A Family Christmas Surprise: In this story, Olivia and Jayden’s parents, who usually work on Christmas Day, surprise them by taking the day off to spend it with the family. The children are overjoyed at their parents’ arrival and are given wonderful presents too. From that day on, Olivia and Jayden are never sad on Christmas again, only happy to spend it with their loved ones.
10. The Miracle of the Cruse of Oil: This is a story about the Maccabees, a group of warriors in Israel fighting against an evil king who wanted them to abandon their religion. After winning the war, they discovered they only had enough oil to light their temple’s menorah for one night, but miraculously, the oil lasted for eight nights. This became the basis for Hanukkah, a holiday where people light candles on a menorah for eight nights to celebrate the miracle of the oil and the power of faith. The story highlights the importance of faith, gratitude, and remembrance of blessings in our lives. The post also includes a link to download an eBook version of the story.
11. The Christmas Story: The story is about the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, where he was laid in a manger because there was no room for them at the inn. Shepherds came and told Mary and Joseph that an angel had told them that a savior had been born and they went to see the baby. As Jesus grew up, he became known for his kind heart and helped others. One Christmas, as an adult, Jesus and his disciples transformed a small amount of bread and fish into enough food to feed an entire village. This event became a reason to celebrate and remember the birth of Jesus, expressing gratitude for the love and joy he brings into the world every Christmas.
12. A Christmas Tale of Friendship: The story is about a stray cat who is lonely and hungry on Christmas Eve. He tries to find a home by going to houses, but he ends up being chased away. Eventually, he finds a group of stray cats who share a meal, but they attack him. Just when he is about to give up, he sees an older woman through a window, and she invites him in. They share a meal and become best friends, never feeling lonely again. The link to the downloadable ebook is provided.
13. The Ice Sliding Fox: In a forest far away, a sly and serious fox enjoyed sliding down icicles and having fun in the snow in secret. One day, a little squirrel spotted the fox having fun and told the other animals. The fox realized that there was no point in hiding its playful nature and started to enjoy life more openly. It became a happier animal and learned the importance of having fun and enjoying life. An ebook download is available.
14. The Snow Globe Family: A boy named Jack has a bad attitude towards his family, but when he tells them he won’t miss them when they’re gone during a heated argument, his family disappears. He discovers that an evil snow queen has locked them in a snow globe as punishment for his behavior. Jack does everything he can to make amends and bring his family back, and in doing so learns the importance of family, kindness, and forgiveness. With persistence and the help of the snow queen, Jack is finally able to save his family and become a better person.
15. Winter Solstice Celebration: In a small village, a hard-working family of farmers prepares for the winter solstice by slaughtering most of their cattle to have one last plentiful meal together. They reflect on the year that has passed and gather around the fireplace to tell stories, sing songs, and play games, bringing them closer together as they face the challenges of the winter months ahead. They retire to bed feeling warm and content, knowing that every day after the solstice will bring them one step closer to spring. An ebook (PDF) to read offline or print is available for download.
16. The true spirit of Christmas: The story follows Sophia, who wants to host the perfect Christmas dinner for her family but realizes she has spent too much money. She meets a kind stranger who reminds her of the true spirit of Christmas, and she returns all the expensive things she bought. Instead, Sophia invites her family to her small house and asks everyone to bring a dish and a small gift. The dinner is a huge success, and Sophia learns that the most important thing about Christmas is being together with loved ones. The family starts a new tradition of hosting the dinner at someone’s house every year.
17. How Patty Gave Thanks: In this heartwarming story, the barn animals happily recount how a thankful little girl named Patty came to visit, thanking them for all the things they provide for her family. Patty’s kind words and thoughtful gifts made the animals feel appreciated and loved, and they settle in for the night feeling happy and content. The story emphasizes the importance of gratitude and appreciation for all the good things in life.
18. Goody Two Shoes: This is a story about a brother and sister, Tommy and Margery, who wandered about, poor and lonely, without parents to take care of them. One day, a kind gentleman took pity on them and helped Margery get a new pair of shoes. Eventually, Tommy became a sailor and Margery lived with a kind woman named Mrs. Smith. Margery was overjoyed with her new shoes and people in the village started calling her “Goody Two Shoes” because she was always showing off her two new shoes.
19. The Scorpion and the Tortoise: A scorpion and a tortoise make a vow to never separate and the tortoise offers to carry the scorpion on his back to help him cross a river. Halfway across, the scorpion tries to sting the tortoise, but in response, the tortoise sinks his back beneath the water and shakes off the scorpion. The story ends with a download link for an ebook version of the story.
20. Dr. Dolittle in the Fishing Village: In this story, the doctor and his animal friends find a red-haired fisherman who had been marooned by pirates. Jip the dog helps the doctor locate the man and they bring him back with them to the fishing village. The grateful villagers offer the doctor gifts and accolades, including a watch and a gold collar for Jip, who has proven himself to be the smartest dog in the world. The doctor and his animals eventually set sail back to their home in the City-by-the-Pond.
21. Dr. Dolittle at the Ape Council: In the story, after Dr Dolittle tells the apes that he is leaving, they decide to give him a present to show their gratitude. They consider giving him coconuts and bananas, but Chee-Chee suggests giving him a rare animal. The apes ask which animals humans have not seen before, and they ultimately settle on the Pushing Pullyu. They decide to give it to Dr Dolittle as a gift before he returns home to his city to pay his debts.
22. The four musicians: Four musicians encounter a haunted castle and decide to play music for the ghostly count. As a reward, the count gives them beech branches to take home for their children. Three of the musicians throw theirs away as they believe their kids won’t like the beech nuts. However, the bass player keeps it as a memento and discovers that the branch has turned into real gold. The other musicians search for their branches but find nothing, leaving them regretful of their mistake.
23. The White Doe: The story is about a queen who wished for a daughter, but due to her ingratitude towards the Fountain Fairy, her daughter was locked in a tower and could not see daylight until her fifteenth year. When a prince fell in love with her portrait, she decided to visit him, but a wicked plan executed by jealous women caused her to transform into a deer. The prince eventually found her, preserved her life, and later they married after being reunited in a cottage with the help of a fairy.
24. The Tree: The story is about a tree that grows from blooming buds to delicious fruit, with obstacles of frost and wind along the way. Despite these challenges, the tree generously gives its fruit to a girl passing by, and continues to bear fruit for all who appreciate and cherish it. An ebook (PDF) download is also available.
25. A Barnyard Talk: The story is about a group of farm animals – a rooster, hen, cat, and dog – who argue about which one of them is the cleverest and most important. The farmer overhears and reminds them that they all have important roles to play in keeping the farm running smoothly. The animals are then given treats by the farmer and are happy and content. The story emphasizes the importance of teamwork and the value of individual contributions to a community.
26. The Silkworm: In a magical forest filled with mulberry trees, there lived a colony of hardworking silkworms. Flora, a young girl fascinated by the silkworms, requested they spin a fine, strong, and incredibly long silken robe for her. The silkworms worked tirelessly for days to create a magnificent silk robe with shimmering threads. Finally, they completed their masterpiece, and Flora thanked them with tears of gratitude in her eyes.
27. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: Away to the South: In this story, Dorothy and her companions mourn the loss of the Wizard of Oz but realize they now have control over the Emerald City. Dorothy wants to go back to Kansas and the Scarecrow suggests they ask the Witch of the South, Glinda, for help in crossing the desert. The group decides to go on the journey together with the Lion and Tin Woodman promising to protect Dorothy. They plan to set off the next morning.
28. Let It Rain: A girl named Rose is unhappy about the rain because she doesn’t want to stay inside all day. However, her father reminds her about how rain helps the flowers and trees grow, provides water for animals, and is necessary for making the wheat used to make bread. After considering all of these things, Rose realizes she is glad to see the rain falling.
29. Rock Me to Sleep, Mother: The protagonist of the story longs for the carefree days of childhood and wishes to become a child again. To their amazement, the wind grants their wish, and they are transported back to their golden days with their loving mother by their side. The love and comfort of their mother make them feel renewed, and they fall into a peaceful sleep, free from the worries of adulthood. The story emphasizes the unselfish and patient love of a mother, which can chase away pain and troubles and make one feel safe and protected.
30. Emborg And The Animals: A little girl named Emborg goes out by herself for the first time to buy a birthday present for her mother. On her journey, she meets various animals who offer her gifts, including a two-ore piece, wool, milk, cheese, eggs, horns, and a bouquet of flowers. She wonders how she will carry everything back home when a horse appears and carries everything for her. She returns home with her gifts and surprises her mother on her birthday.
31. The Tree of Swords: This is a story about a princess who was turned into a brindle cow by a wicked witch, and the only way to change her back was to get a pear from a tree by the mountain of ice. Many tried but failed until a poor peasant youth promised to try if he could have the cow before he set off. He eventually succeeded with the help of fairies, a three-headed troll, and a magic belt. The cow ate a bitter pear, turned back into the princess, and was returned to her loving parents. In gratitude, they offered the peasant youth treasure and rewards, but he preferred to keep the cow and marry a peasant girl instead.
32. The Lost Star: The story is about a little star that grows tired of its nightly duty and yearns to descend to Earth to discover what lies below. Despite warnings from its peers, the star eventually descends to Earth and finds itself lost. The little star is unable to convince the animals it encounters that it is indeed a star and longs to return home. With the help of the moon and some daisies, the lost star is able to find its way home after a long and arduous journey. However, the little star’s departure causes its peers to weep and move on, leaving it to shine alone in a distant part of the sky, far from its original home.
33. How Mr. Fox was saved by his Friends: The story is about Mr. Fox who had plenty of food in his pantry during the cold winter but refused to share it with his hungry friends. One stormy night, he decided to have a feast and fell asleep too close to the stove, causing his coat to catch fire. His friends came to his rescue and saved him from the burning house. Realizing the importance of friendship and the need to share, Mr. Fox promises to be kind to his friends in the future.
34. What Happened in a Garden: A beautiful butterfly boasts to a proud rose about her colorful wings. The rose becomes angry and insults the butterfly, saying that she’s more beautiful than any other flower in the garden. The butterfly suggests that the rose looks at herself in a nearby pool and soon both the rose and the butterfly get into trouble. The rose is saved by a weeping willow while the butterfly is saved by the rose. The rose is grateful to the willow, but the butterfly forgets to thank her savior and just flies away. The willow weeps over the foolishness of others, while a nearby bush feels merry because it has no family honor to uphold.
35. Nim-Nim’s Golden Wings: A little fairy named Nim-nim has never won her golden wings, and the Queen of the fairies decides to take her on a mission of doing good deeds. Nim-nim struggles to find meaningful work until the Queen takes her to the streets where the poor and suffering live. There, she discovers the joy of helping others and forgets about her quest for wings. Eventually, her kindness and hard work earn her the coveted golden wings, and she vows to continue doing good deeds no matter where she finds them.
36. The Fairies’ Dolls: In this story, the Queen of the fairies grants her little subjects a wish every year. When a little fairy wished for a doll, the Queen transformed the hollyhock flowers into dolls, warning the fairies to put them back in their place once they finished playing. The fairies played with their dolls with care, returning them to their spots every night, causing the hollyhocks to bloom more vibrantly than before. The fairies now had the most exquisite dolls with pretty dresses, and they were able to find them every night, as they always remembered to put them back in place.

In conclusion, the Top 36 Stories About Gratitude offer valuable life lessons and heartwarming tales that teach children the importance of being grateful for the people, experiences, and opportunities in their lives. By reading these stories, kids can better understand the impact gratitude can have on their own happiness, wellbeing, and relationships with others. In today’s fast-paced world where material possessions often take center stage, these stories serve as gentle reminders for children to appreciate the simple things and recognize the goodness in their lives. So, let’s embrace an attitude of gratitude and spread kindness and positivity, creating a brighter future for ourselves and the world around us.