Welcome to the Top 46 Stories About Journeys for kids to read online! This fantastic collection features a range of bedtime stories that will captivate the imagination of children everywhere. Available in PDF format, these free and easily accessible stories can be downloaded, printed, or even enjoyed as audio versions in English, making it convenient for story time or read aloud sessions. Each tale comes with fun pictures, making it suitable for early years and preschool-aged children, as well as those in kindergarten and elementary school. This fantastic assortment of stories, including many classic fairy tale journeys and adventures, are perfect for both boys and girls.

Stories About Journeys are an important part of children’s literature as they provide learning and educational opportunities while keeping the content engaging and fun. These short stories often come with a moral lesson that helps children to develop values and understanding of the world around them. The excitement of going on a journey, encountering new places, and meeting interesting characters can inspire young minds and foster a love for reading. Reignite the magic of story time for your toddlers, preschoolers, and kindergarten or elementary students EYFS with these classic, good, and famous bedtime tales, carefully selected to make children sleep, learn, and dream. Happy reading!

Top 46 Stories About Journeys for kids to read online:

1. The Fantastic Journey to School: The story is about a boy named Leo who travels to school on an old bus driven by Mr. Jones, who sometimes falls asleep while driving. One day, the bus turns into a magical vehicle that can fly, taking the children on an incredible adventure. They visit a magnificent playground, a bus stop in the clouds, and a land of sweets and candies. The bus safely returns the children to school, and they can’t wait to go on another adventure with Mr. Jones. A downloadable PDF of the story is available.
2. A Winter Journey to Grandma’s House: On a snowy day, a young boy named Ben decides to visit his grandma, who lives many miles away, by ice skating to her house. He packs a backpack with supplies and sharpens his skates. His father sees him and decides to join him on the adventure. They enjoy their time together, arriving at grandma’s house where they spend a cozy night by the fire before skating back home. Thanks to Ben’s resourcefulness and his father’s support, they were able to visit grandma and spend a wonderful winter’s evening together. The story is available for download as a PDF ebook.
3. Dr. Dolittle on a journey: A group of animals, guided by a swallow, travel by ship for six weeks towards Africa. While on their journey, they encounter flying fish and porpoises who provide them with onions to replenish their food supply. They hit a rock during a storm, causing the ship to sink, but all the animals and the doctor reach Africa safely using a lifeline. Once on shore, they meet a man who takes them to see the king of the Jolliginki.
4. The Worsted Doll: The story follows the life of a knitted worsted doll who is created by Good Mother Munster and secretly imbued with a boy’s wishful spirit. Theodor, the boy-doll, is accidentally brought into a family of dolls but is met with ridicule and contempt when he tries to assert his new role as a father. After falling out with his adopted family, Theodor travels with them to Germany, where he escapes to find the house of Good Mother Munster and hide behind a chest. He is later discovered, welcomed back with open arms and finds true happiness with Good Mother Munster and her husband.
5. Dr. Dolittle is finally back home: After traveling in a gypsy wagon with the Pushmi-Pullyu and stopping at various circuses, Dr. Dolittle returns to his home in Puddleby-on-the-Marsh. The animals were happy to be back, but the house and garden were in bad shape. They spent the winter together, sitting around a big warm fire, and the doctor read to the animals from his books. In Africa, the monkeys in the palm trees wondered if the good man will ever come back, and Polynesia the parrot hoped he would, while the crocodile growled at them to sleep.
6. Dr. Dolittle and Too-Too the Owl hear something: In this story, Dr. Dolittle and his animal companions are traveling on a pirate ship they acquired from some friendly sharks. While exploring the ship, they come across a locked door that they suspect holds the pirates’ treasure. Despite searching for the key, they can’t open the door and hear a mysterious sound coming from inside. The owl, Too-Too, eventually hears someone crying and insists they try to help. Dr. Dolittle decides they must break down the door with an axe to help whoever is inside.
7. Dr. Dolittle receives a warning from the rats: After the doctor and his animal friends rest, a rat warns them that the ship they came on is going to sink. The doctor and his friends leave the ship as soon as possible and find an island where they meet canaries that help them find fresh water and food. Later, two swallows inform the doctor that pirates are on his ship, and if they hurry, they can take a pirate ship that is parked nearby and escape. They creep onto the pirate ship and find it empty.
8. Part 1: Bob and Betty’s Summer with Captain Hawes: The story is about Bob and Betty spending their summer at the coast with Captain Ben Hawes, an old sailor with endless stories of strange adventures. He takes them on a sail in his boat and shows them how boats and ships are built. They also play on the beach, go fishing and clamming with their friend Patsey Quinn. Every day brings new fun adventures, and the children enjoy their time to the fullest.
9. Dr. Dolittle receives a message from Africa: In this story, the animals are gathered around the fire when the monkey Chee-Chee brings news of a disease spreading among the apes in Africa. The doctor wants to help but they don’t have enough money to buy tickets, so he sets out to borrow a boat. After packing and locking up the house, the animals set sail, with Gub-Gub, the pig, excitedly exploring the ship and Polynesia, the parrot, giving advice on what to bring. Swallow, who has been to Africa many times, guides them on their journey.
10. The Adventure of the Daughter of the King of Ireland: In this story, young King Hettel of Denmark seeks the advice of his counselors to find a wife. They suggest the beautiful Hilda, daughter of the wild King Hagen of Ireland, but warn that negotiations with King Hagen will not be easy. Yarl Wate, along with Horant, Frute, and Yrolt, are sent to carry out the mission. After a difficult journey, they arrive in Ireland, where Horant’s sweet singing captures Hilda’s heart, and they plot a way to bring her back to Denmark. They successfully kidnap Hilda but are pursued by King Hagen and his men. A fierce battle ensues, leaving many wounded, but peace is eventually made between the Irish and Danish kings, and the wedding feast continues.
11. The Shipwreck of Robinson Crusoe: The protagonist of the story recounts how he went on a voyage to Guinea with a ship to trade goods. The ship faced a terrible storm, lost its way and eventually, he was the only survivor when they reached an island. He felt lost and helpless without any means of survival, only finding fresh water to drink. He had to spend the night on a tree to protect himself from wild animals.
12. Horaizan: The story tells of two wise men, Jofuku of China and Wasobiobe of Japan. Jofuku sought out the herb of immortality to please a tyrant ruler, but his journey was full of hardships and his companions died. He eventually arrived on the Island of Eternal Youth where the inhabitants did not know of pain, suffering, or death. Wasobiobe accidentally arrived on the island but longed to go home because of the word “humanity” written on his heart. The crane that took him back warned that he would die soon since he had been on the island for a hundred years. Wasobiobe asked to be placed on the sand by a fisherman, where he died, reflecting on his own mortality and the word written on his heart.
13. Schippeitaro: In this Japanese folktale, a young warrior goes adventuring and finds himself lost in a magical forest where he discovers a village that is terrorized by the Spirit of the Mountain, who demands the annual sacrifice of a girl from the village. The boy borrows a dog named Schippeitaro and uses it to trick and kill the monster, saving the girl’s life and freeing the village from its terror. A festival is held every year in memory of the young warrior and Schippeitaro.
14. The Bronze Ring: A king hires a gardener to tend to a neglected garden surrounding his palace. The gardener’s son falls in love with the king’s daughter, but the king disapproves and sends both him and the son of his prime minister on a quest to a faraway land to win the princess’s hand. The gardener’s son uses a magical bronze ring to complete challenges and return first, winning the princess’s hand in marriage.
15. The Brave Little Tailor: The story is about a little tailor who kills seven flies and makes a belt that says “Seven in One Blow.” He then goes on an adventure, impresses a giant, catches a unicorn and kills two giants. The king offers him his daughter’s hand if he catches a wild boar with the hunters, which he does. The king regrets his offer and plans to imprison the tailor, but the tailor overhears the plan and tricks the king’s men. Eventually, the tailor becomes the king and lives happily ever after.
16. The Queen of Lanternland: A young prince goes on a journey and ends up in Lanternland, an underground kingdom ruled by a beautiful queen who is about to marry the powerful wizard Dragondel. The Prince disguises himself as a kitchen boy and sneaks on board Dragondel’s ship to the wizard’s castle, where he learns about the talisman that controls the dangerous whirlpool that surrounds Dragondel’s island. With the help of a friendly black cat, the Prince creates a replica of the talisman and swaps it with the real one. When Dragondel sails to Lanternland to claim his bride, the Prince, the Queen, and her loyal servants are ready with the talisman to save themselves from the whirlpool. They sail back to Lanternland, where the Prince and Queen marry and live happily ever after.
17. The Lost Half Hour: The story follows Bobo, the foolish youngest son of a widow who is taken in by Princess Zenza and made fun of by the entire castle due to his stupidity. After setting out to find a lost half-hour, Bobo takes care of Father Time’s horses for a year, is given the lost half-hour, and returns home to help people along the way. Bobo saves Tilda, the kitchen maid, from a dragon and, through time travel, he and Tilda live happily ever after.
18. How the Speckled Hen Got Her Speckles: The story follows a little white hen who finds a letter and wants to deliver it to the king. Along her journey, she meets a friendly fox, a river, and the fire, who all want to join her in her mission. When they reach the palace, the king insults her dirty letter and orders for her to be thrown into the poultry yard. The fox jumps out of her little brown basket and kills all the fowls, creating chaos which helps the little white hen escape. As the story ends, it explains how the little white hen became the first speckled hen, and all speckled hens today are descended from her.
19. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: The Council with the Munchkins: In the story, a young girl named Dorothy and her dog Toto are swept away by a powerful cyclone and transported to a land of incredible beauty. There, she meets a group of oddly-dressed people called Munchkins who inform her that she has accidentally killed the Wicked Witch of the East by having her house fall on the witch. The Witch of the North, who is a good witch, advises Dorothy to go to the City of Emeralds at the center of the country to seek help from the Great Wizard of Oz. The only problem is that getting there may be a long and arduous journey, and danger lurks along the way.
20. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: How Dorothy Saved the Scarecrow: A girl named Dorothy is left alone and begins to feel hungry, so she cuts herself some bread and gives some to her dog, Toto. She fills a pail with water from a nearby brook and, while Toto barks at birds, she gathers some fruit from a tree for breakfast. She then prepares to leave for the City of Emeralds, putting on her clean gingham dress, taking a basket of bread, and finding a pair of silver shoes that had belonged to the Witch of the East. She sets out on the yellow brick road and rests by a cornfield, where she meets a stuffed Scarecrow who desires a mind. She offers to take him to the Oz if he wants to come with her. They set out together, and Toto eventually warms up to the Scarecrow.
21. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: The Road through the Forest: In this excerpt from “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” Dorothy, the Scarecrow, and Toto continue their journey along the yellow brick road and encounter a rough and desolate area. The Scarecrow, with no brains, repeatedly falls and has to be helped up by Dorothy. As they walk, Dorothy tells the Scarecrow about her home in Kansas. They eventually come to a forest where it grows dark, and the Scarecrow suggests they turn into a nearby cottage for the night. Dorothy falls asleep quickly, but the Scarecrow stays awake all night.
22. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: The Rescue of the Tin Woodman: In this story, Dorothy and her friends the Scarecrow and Toto come across a tin man who has been rooted to the spot for over a year from rusting. Dorothy helps him by oiling his joints, undoing the crude spell that has frozen him into place. The Tin Woodman had once been an ordinary man, but the Wicked Witch of the East enchanted his axe so that it became dangerous and and cut off his limbs, which he later replaced with tin. He saw that the greatest loss he had known was the loss of his heart, and so he seeks out the Wizard of Oz to request one. Meanwhile, the Scarecrow wants brains, and Dorothy wishes to return home to Kansas. They all decide to join forces and continue their journey together.
23. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: The Cowardly Lion: In this excerpt, Dorothy and her companions – the Tin Woodman, Scarecrow, and Toto – travel through a thick forest, encountering danger from wild animals. They meet a lion who is a coward, and he joins their journey to ask the Wizard of Oz for courage. Along the way, the Tin Woodman accidentally kills a beetle, which deeply upsets him, as he is always careful not to harm any living creature. The group sets off on their journey again, with the lion walking beside Dorothy, and the Tin Woodman learning a lesson about being kind to all creatures.
24. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: The Journey to the Great Oz: In this story, a group of travelers camp out in the forest when they come across a wide ditch that they cannot cross. The Cowardly Lion offers to jump over it and carry them all over on his back, one by one. Later, they encounter two Kalidahs – monstrous beasts with bodies like bears and heads like tigers. Afraid they will be attacked, the travelers cross a bridge made from a chopped-down tree, and the Scarecrow has the end of the tree chopped off once they are all on the other side, causing the Kalidahs to fall into the gulf below. The travelers then come across a river, and the Tin Woodman builds them a raft to float to the other side.
25. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: The Deadly Poppy Field: In this story, Dorothy and her companions are making their way to the Emerald City and have just built a raft to cross a river. However, they soon find themselves swept away by the current and the Scarecrow is left behind. The Lion attempts to rescue him, but they all fall asleep in a field of deadly poppies. They manage to rescue Dorothy, but leave the Lion behind as he is too heavy to move. They eventually lay Dorothy on soft grass and wait for her to wake up.
26. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: The Guardian of the Gate: In this excerpt, Dorothy and her friends continue their journey to find the great Wizard of Oz, encountering various challenges along the way. They are saved from danger by the field mice and are welcomed into the Land of Oz by its emerald-green inhabitants. They reach the Emerald City and are greeted by the Guardian of the Gates who requires them to wear special glasses to avoid being blinded by its brightness. They then prepare to meet the great and powerful Oz who they hope will grant their wishes.
27. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: The Rescue: After being rescued by Dorothy, the Cowardly Lion is pleased to hear that the Wicked Witch who imprisoned him is dead. Dorothy releases him and the group goes to the castle and frees the enslaved Winkies, who are grateful and hold a feast. Dorothy, Lion, and the Winkies go on a quest to rescue Tin Woodman and Scarecrow. They find Tin Woodman in poor condition and bring him to the castle where Dorothy gets the Winkies to fix him using their tinsmith skills. They then reunite with Scarecrow after cutting down a tall tree and continue their journey to Emerald City. Before leaving, the group is given gifts by the Winkies and Dorothy finds the Golden Cap in the Witch’s cupboard, which she wears while carrying her sunbonnet. The Winkies cheer them on as they leave.
28. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: The Winged Monkeys: In this story, Dorothy and her companions get lost on their journey back from the castle of the Wicked Witch. They are aided by the Queen of the Mice and eventually call upon the Winged Monkeys using the charm of Dorothy’s Golden Cap which she acquired earlier in her journey. The King of the Monkeys explains that they are bound by an agreement to fulfill three wishes of the Cap’s owner and tells a story of how this came to be. The travelers arrive at the Emerald City thanks to the help of the Winged Monkeys. Downloads of the story are provided.
29. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: Attacked by the Fighting Trees: After saying goodbye to their friends, Dorothy and her companions journey through a green field and a thick wood, where they encounter trees that seem to be fighting them. The Tin Woodman chops down a branch and they discover that the first row of trees can bend their branches to keep strangers out. Later, they come to a white china wall, which they need to climb over. The Tin Woodman makes a ladder for them to climb.
30. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: The Dainty China Country: In this story, Dorothy, her friends and her pet dog touch a China wall while on their journey. In order to reach the other side, they climb over the wall using a ladder that was made from wood by the Tin Woodman. On the other side, they encounter a strange country made entirely of China. There, they meet small people, cows, sheep and horses, also made of China. Dorothy and her friends accidentally break a cow’s leg and a church as they walk through. They finally leave the China country by climbing over another wall.
31. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: The Lion becomes the King of the Beasts: A group of travelers find themselves in a difficult and wild country full of creatures. The Lion is delighted by the forest and tells the party it would make a perfect home for him even though the others disagree. Eventually, they come across a large gathering of beasts holding a meeting. The Lion learns that they are troubled by a giant spider-like creature that eats animals and has killed all the other lions in the forest. The Lion kills the monster and becomes the King of the Forest. He plans to return to rule over the animals after Dorothy is safely on her way home.
32. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: The Country of the Quadlings: In this story, the Scarecrow, Dorothy, the Tin Woodman, the Cowardly Lion, and Toto encounter a group of armless creatures called the Hammer-Heads who refuse to let them pass. They try to fight back but fail until they call upon the Winged Monkeys to carry them over the hill and into the beautiful country of the Quadlings. They are welcomed by friendly people and given food before continuing their journey to visit the Good Witch who rules the South Country.
33. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: Glinda the Good Witch grants Dorothy’s Wish: In this story, Dorothy and her companions clean themselves up before meeting the Witch Glinda, who agrees to help Dorothy get back to Kansas in exchange for the Golden Cap. Glinda also helps the Scarecrow, Tin Woodman, and Lion find their own kingdoms to rule. Dorothy discovers that her Silver Shoes can take her anywhere in the world in three steps, so she says goodbye to her friends and uses the shoes to return to Kansas. She lands near her family’s new farmhouse, but loses her Silver Shoes in the process.
34. The Owl And The Cat: This is the story of an Owl and a Cat who embark on a journey across the sea to find a ring so they can marry. They encounter a Piggy-wig who sells them his ring, and they are married by a Turkey on a nearby hill. The newlyweds dance under the enchanting light of the moon, celebrating their love and magical adventure together, bound by love and friendship forever. You can download the ebook version of the story in PDF format.
35. The Duck And The Kangaroo: The story tells of a Duck who longs for adventure beyond his pond. His friend the Kangaroo agrees to carry him on his back as they travel the world together. The Duck prepares for their journey, and they set off on an adventure, traveling over fields and seas, hopping the whole world three times round. In the end, they find friendship, adventure, and love in one another, and their story is told and cherished for generations to come. The ebook can be downloaded for reading offline or printing.
36. The Jumblies: The Jumblies are a group of adventurous creatures with green heads and blue hands who decide to set sail in a sieve despite warnings of danger from their friends. As they sail away, they encounter challenges and collect treasures but eventually return home, having grown wiser and inspired others to pursue their own adventures. This tale celebrates courage, imagination, and the limitless possibilities of exploration. A downloadable PDF version of the story is available.
37. The Nutcrackers And The Sugar-tongs: Two best friends, Nutcrackers and Sugar-tongs, dream of grand adventures beyond their quaint kitchen. They select ponies from the stable and ride all around the town, leaving the household in awe. The duo vows never to return, embracing newfound freedom as they ride off into the sunset. Their tale inspires generations of kitchenware to dream of exciting escapades. The story also includes a download link for an eBook (PDF) to read offline or print.
38. Uncle Wiggily and the Campfire: In this story, Uncle Wiggily gets trapped in a berry bush and the bush helps him dig a tunnel to escape. He then sets out on his journey to seek his fortune, but after searching through a hollow stump, a bark house and a house made of clothespins with no luck, he ends up camping in the woods with a friendly cat. During the night, a three-headed wushky-woshky tries to attack them, but Uncle Wiggily manages to scare him off with a blazing campfire. The next day, Uncle Wiggily and the cat continue their adventure together.
39. The Time-Traveling Tie: A young boy named Timmy finds his father’s magical tie that takes him back in time to his father’s childhood home. Timmy learns about his father’s past and passions, and through their time together, they form an unbreakable bond. Timmy returns to the present with a deeper understanding of his father and a newfound appreciation for family ties. The story emphasizes the importance of cherishing the past and embracing the present to create a beautiful future.
40. Little Bear Cub: The story is about a Little Bear Cub who is bored and dissatisfied with his life in a vibrant forest. He dreams of becoming something greater than a normal bear, and manages to dress like a human and dance so well that a princess falls in love with him. However, he reveals his true bear behavior and is shamed, ending up chained and unable to roam freely. The moral of the story is to be content with who you are and not to seek validation through external means.
41. Emborg And The Animals: A young girl named Emborg sets out to buy a birthday gift for her mother, armed with a two-ore piece given as a “luck penny” by her mother. Along the way, she encounters several animals who offer her gifts of eggs, milk, cheese, wool, and even a pair of reindeer horns, all without asking for payment. With the help of a horse loaded with all her gifts, Emborg returns home to her mother with a beautiful bouquet of flowers. The story shows the kindness of animals and the joy of giving.
42. The Knight of the Bright Star: The story is about Prince Lorenzo, who longs for revenge after his father, the king, is killed and their wealth and castles are taken away. His mother advises him to seek happiness instead of vengeance and gives him a Star of Hope as his guide. Lorenzo travels to the City of Pleasure and, after abandoning his armor, realizes that this does not bring him happiness. He returns to his armor and journeys to help those in need, and his Star of Hope shines brightly again. Eventually, Lorenzo and his mother are reunited with their former home due to the loyalty of the king’s soldiers.
43. The Box of Flames: A poor peddler named Joga sells a ring to a mysterious girl who disappears shortly after. She tells Joga to go to the King for payment, and if he refuses to tell him that he will find the exact amount in a box of streaming flames. Joga and his wife go to the King, who uses the box to give Joga the exact amount for the ring. The King then tells how the box came to be, and the two leave with a bag of gold. Joga sees the girl in the forest again, wearing the ring, as they leave.
44. Billy Bull’s Lesson: The story follows Billy Bull, a young frog who wants to explore the world beyond his pond. He boasts to a duck that he can jump over trees and then sets off on his journey. On the way, he gets thirsty and encounters a boy who catches him to use as bait. After escaping, he meets the duck again, who tethers him to a lily pad as a lesson to stay near the water. The story highlights the importance of appreciating one’s natural abilities and not overestimating oneself.
45. Ozma and the little wizard: In this story, Princess Ozma and the Wizard of Oz go on a journey to see if everyone in the Land of Oz is happy. They come across a man who is bothered by three mischievous Imps, who annoy travelers passing through the valley. Ozma and the Wizard seek out the Imps, who turn out to be quite troublesome. The Wizard eventually changes them into three buttons, which he will keep and watch over until they turn into silver and gold. Ozma is pleased with the Wizard’s clever magic.
46. The Oat Cake: The story is about two oat cakes, one of which does not want to be eaten. The first oat cake was eaten by the farmer, while the second rolled away to avoid being eaten. The second oat cake then went on an adventure, but every time it thought it found a safe place, it was almost eaten. It finally fell into a fox’s hole, and the fox ate it. The moral of the story is that sometimes, when trying to avoid something, we end up making mistakes and putting ourselves in more danger.

In conclusion, the Top 46 Stories About Journeys offers kids an exciting and diverse array of adventures from around the world, igniting their imagination and teaching valuable life lessons along the way. These stories, with their engaging characters and mesmerizing tales, transport young readers to faraway lands, encourage bravery and determination in facing challenges, and emphasize the importance of friendship and family bonds. Furthermore, these journeys empower kids to dream big, embrace their curiosity, and never give up, leaving them with a sense of wonder and a thirst for exploration that will last a lifetime.