Welcome to our heartwarming collection of the Top 13 Stories About Grief for kids to read online! Designed for children of all ages, our bedtime stories are available in a variety of formats, including pdf, free online reading, downloadable, printable, with pictures, and even audio options. These famous, classic, and good fairy tales are perfect for boys and girls, as they are not only fun and entertaining but also offer valuable lessons to learn. These educational, short stories can easily be integrated into your child’s learning journey, whether they are in preschool, kindergarten, or elementary years.

Stories about grief are essential for children. Through these tales, they can gain a better understanding of loss, empathy, and how to handle difficult emotions. Our stories with moral messages help children develop essential life skills they can carry with them as they grow older. Moreover, our collection features easy-to-read English worthy of the early years foundation stage (eyfs) for toddlers and young children alike.

By reading these stories to kids or encouraging them to read single-handedly, you’re providing an opportunity for them to grow and learn in a fun, engaging way. So, embrace this fantastic compilation of night-time, story-time, and read-aloud selections for a touching and unforgettable experience at bedtime, as little ones fall asleep to peaceful tales that promote growth and understanding despite life’s inevitable ups and downs. Don’t hesitate, and download the best stories about grief and cherish the joy of learning together with your children today!

Top 13 Stories About Grief for kids to read online:

1. The Little Match Girl: The story is about a poor girl who on the last evening of the year, is trying to sell matches on the chilly streets. To keep herself warm, she ends up lighting the matches and each time, she experiences beautiful visions, until the last match brings her to the heaven where she finds her grandmother. Sadly, the next day people find the little girl, who had frozen to death on the last night of the year, but they did not know that she had gone to heaven.
2. The Nightingale: In this story, a Chinese emperor discovers the beauty of a nightingale’s singing but becomes obsessed with a golden bird instead. The fake bird eventually breaks down, and the emperor falls ill until the real nightingale returns to heal him with its singing. The emperor promises to keep the nightingale a secret and use its reports on the country’s events to be a better ruler. There is a downloadable PDF version of the story available.
3. Father Frost: In this story, a young girl named Natasha is mistreated by her stepmother and stepsisters. Her stepmother plans to marry her off to Father Frost, but when he arrives, he is kind to her and rewards her with beautiful clothes and gems. Her stepsisters, who are not kind to Father Frost, are not rewarded and left to freeze. Natasha then meets a kind man and they live happily ever after.
4. Theseus and the Minotaur: A little boy named Theseus, who lived with his mother at the foot of a mountain, sets out to visit his father in Athens after proving his strength by lifting a rock. He becomes renowned for his bravery after defeating monsters and robbers along the way. At Athens, King Aegeus tells him about the Minotaur, a creature lurking in a labyrinth under the castle of King Milos on the island of Crete, who feeds on young Athenians taken as offerings. Theseus volunteers to be one of the seven youths and seven virgins and kills the Minotaur with the help of the king’s daughter, Ariadne, whom he rescues from jail. Although victorious in his quest, he causes his father to fall to his death by forgetting to change the ship’s black sails to white.
5. Sisterly Love in a Snowglobe: The story is about a little girl named Lily who lost her sister in a tragic accident and struggled with her grief. Her parents gave her a snowglobe as a present that her sister had left for her, and whenever she shook it, it would remind her of all the good memories she had with her sister. Over time, Lily learned that her sister would always be with her in her heart and didn’t need the snowglobe anymore. She knew that her sister was watching over her as her guardian angel.
6. Unstoppable: The Tale of a Determined Cheerleader: This story is about a girl named Noa who loves cheerleading. One day, she has a terrible accident and becomes paralyzed from the shoulders down. Despite the devastation, Noa is determined to recover and live a full life. She works hard, trains with physical therapists, and eventually makes it back onto the cheerleading team. Noa becomes an inspiration to her teammates with her positivity and determination, and although there are bad days, she finds a community of supportive friends who cheer her on. The story ends on a hopeful note, with Noa ready to take on the world.
7. Conquering the Dark: A little girl named Mila becomes afraid of the dark after her mother passes away. Despite her attempts to cope, she becomes increasingly tired and anxious. In the end, with the help of a therapist and her mother’s memory, Mila conquers her fear and is able to get a good night’s sleep. Download links for the story are also provided.
8. The Yellow Dwarf: The story is about a queen who spoiled her daughter, Bellissima, so much that no prince wanted to marry her due to her demands. The queen sought advice from a witch guarded by lions, but on the way she encountered the Yellow Dwarf who demanded that she promise her daughter’s hand in marriage in exchange for safe passage from the lions. Later, the daughter sought the witch’s advice and encountered the Yellow Dwarf again. He reminded her of her mother’s promise and threatened her life if she didn’t marry him. The princess agreed, but fell unconscious and woke up in her bed. She eventually fell in love and married a handsome and generous prince, but their happiness was interrupted by the Desert Fairy who demanded that the princess marry the Yellow Dwarf. The prince fought the Yellow Dwarf and was killed, leading to the princess’s death as well. The mermaid transformed them into two palm trees that whispered love to each other for eternity.
9. Under the Willow Tree: The story is about two children who love playing in their gardens and their encounter with a candy man who tells them the story of a gingerbread couple. As they grow older, they become separated when the girl goes to live in Copenhagen to become an artist, while the boy becomes a shoemaker. The boy goes to visit her in Copenhagen and confesses his love for her, but she only sees him as a brother. The boy travels the world but eventually dies under an old willow tree while dreaming of the happiest hour of his life spent with the girl.
10. The Flute: The story is about a man and his daughter O’Yoné. After his wife dies, the man remarries, and the stepmother treats O’Yoné badly. The man goes on a trip to Kyoto and promises to bring back a gift for O’Yoné. Before he leaves, she gives him a flute. While in Kyoto, he plays the flute and hears O’Yoné’s voice telling him to return to Yedo. He rushes back but cannot find her. He eventually finds out that the stepmother killed her and buried her in the bamboo grove. The man avenges his daughter’s death and goes on a pilgrimage with the flute, which he carries close to his heart.
11. The Green Willow: The story is about a young samurai named Tomodata who was chosen by his Daimyo for an important mission. He was warned to ride straight ahead, without delay, without looking at women, and to bring news as quickly as possible. In the midst of a fierce storm, Tomadata lost his way and stumbled upon an old woman and her daughter living in a cottage. The daughter was called Green Willow and, despite his loyalty to his lord, Tomadata fell in love with her. They left together and lived happily for three years until Green Willow died suddenly. Tomadata spent the rest of his life traveling from shrine to shrine as a holy man. The story ends with Tomadata coming across the ruins of the cottage many years later and reciting a poem, lamenting his lost love.
12. The Rose Elf: This is a story about a Rose Elf who lives in a beautiful rose bush. One night, while he was away from his rose, he witnessed a horrible event, and he remained with the grieving girl who had lost her lover. The Flower Souls and the bees helped the Rose Elf to take revenge against the killer. The story ends with a message that behind the smallest petal of every rose can live a creature that can tell this whole story.
13. The Fairy Tulips: In a quaint village, an old woman tended to a magical bed of tulips that were loved by playful pixies who sang to their babies and made the garden come alive at night. When the old woman passed away, the new owner replaced the tulips with parsley, which angered the pixies and caused the parsley to wither. Despite this, the pixies continued to care for the old woman’s grave with beautiful flowers as a tribute to her love for the tulips. An ebook download is also available.

In conclusion, the Top 13 Stories About Grief provide a valuable resource for kids as they navigate the complexities of loss and emotions. Through relatable characters and situations, these stories offer insight, validation, and comfort to young readers who may be experiencing grief themselves. The tales inspire empathy and understanding, fostering resilience and emotional growth. By reading and discussing these stories, kids can learn that they are not alone in their feelings and that it is okay to seek support during times of grief – a powerful and essential life lesson.