Welcome to our fantastic collection of the Top 25 Stories About Nocturnal Animals, specially curated for kids to read online for free! We know that children of all ages, from early years and preschool to kindergarten and elementary students, love bedtime stories and fairy tales. That’s why we’ve created this downloadable and printable PDF of engaging and educational short stories to tell, with pictures and easy-to-read text. Each story in this list, from the classic to the new, is perfect for boys and girls, and comes with an accompanying audio file in English, so you can enjoy story time and read aloud moments with your kids.

Nocturnal animals are the curious creatures of the night, roaming and exploring our world while we sleep. Our selection of stories will inspire your little ones to learn about these amazing animals and their fascinating nighttime habits. With morals and themes that resonate, these tales will pique the interest of toddlers, preschoolers, and older children alike, while they dive deep into the world of night-time adventures.

The importance of Stories About Nocturnal Animals lies in how they showcase the fascinating and unique aspects of these creatures and their lives after dark. As children follow the adventures of these remarkable animals, they will learn valuable lessons about the natural world and develop a strong curiosity for the environment. These stories help kids to understand the diversity of creatures on our planet and encourage them to appreciate the wonders of nature.

These entertaining, fun, and engaging stories are perfect for children and will surely become a favorite. Let your kids immerse themselves in this exciting collection of famous, longer, and classic tales about nocturnal animals during their bedtime reading, night time story sessions, or simply for a fun and educational story time. Give your children a fantastic journey into the enchanting world of nocturnal animals and watch their love for reading grow!

Top 25 Stories About Nocturnal Animals for kids to read online:

1. Mr. Fox cuts the Cottontails: In this story, Mr. Fox decides to host a dinner to improve his reputation among the wood animals. However, two of the Cottontail family members run into trouble with Mr. Dog on their way to the feast, spoiling the party. Mr. Fox subsequently decides to cut the Cottontails off his visiting list because they are easily tracked and have no sense. The story ends with an explanation of why the Cottontails are never invited to any dinners hosted by the wood animals.
2. The Fox And The Grapes: The story is about a fox who tries to reach a delicious bunch of grapes hanging from a vine, but fails repeatedly. When he fails to reach them, he decides to give up and walk away, convincing himself that the grapes may not have been worth it in the first place. The story ends with links to download the ebook version of the story.
3. The Birds, The Beasts, And The Bat: In this story, the Birds and the Beasts go to war with each other due to past grievances. The Bat family attempts to remain neutral but sides with the winning party. After the war, the Birds and the Beasts team up to drive out the Bats for their deceitful behavior during the conflict. The Bat family then hides away in the night and avoids daylight.
4. The Lion, The Bear And The Fox: In this fable, a bear and a lion fight over a stray kid, but both end up wounded and unable to continue. Just as they lament their lack of cooperation, a fox runs off with the prey, leaving them to regret their combative behavior. The story highlights the importance of sharing and cooperation.
5. The Fox And The Stork: The Fox invites the Stork over for dinner, but serves soup in a shallow dish that the Stork can’t eat, while the Fox easily drinks it. Later, the Stork invites the Fox over for dinner and serves the food in a jar with a narrow neck, so that the Stork can easily access it but the Fox can’t. When the Fox complains, the Stork calmly reminds him not to play tricks on others unless he can endure the same treatment.
6. The Fox And The Lion: In this story, a young Fox is frightened by a Lion when they first meet, but each time they encounter each other, the Fox becomes braver. Eventually, the Fox walks right up to the Lion and casually greets him without fear. An ebook version of the story is available to download.
7. The Owl And The Grasshopper: The story is about an old owl who is disturbed during her sleep by a loud grasshopper. Instead of getting angry, the owl tricks the grasshopper with flattery and invites him to taste her wine, which turns out to be a trap to eat him. The moral of the story could be “Beware of flattery, it may hide harmful intentions.”
8. The Wild Boar And The Fox: A wild boar is sharpening his tusks when a fox comes by and tries to make fun of him for preparing for danger that he can’t see. The boar tells the fox that he needs to be ready for danger, and it’s important to prepare his weapons ahead of time so that he can defend himself when the time comes. A downloadable PDF of the story is available for offline reading.
9. The Ass, The Fox, And The Lion: In this story, an Ass and a Fox are friends who help each other to get food. However, one day they come across a Lion who scares the Ass. The Fox promises to make a deal with the Lion to save them both. He tricks the Ass into a pit, and the Lion eats him and kills the traitor Fox.
10. The Dogs And The Fox: In the story, a group of dogs were tearing apart the skin of a lion when a fox saw them and mocked them for attacking a dead animal. The fox warned them that if the lion were alive, it would have easily defeated them with its sharp claws. The story teaches the lesson that one should not underestimate their opponents, even if they seem weak or defeated.
11. The Fox And The Leopard: In the story, a Fox and a Leopard are arguing about their looks after a meal. The Leopard boasts about its coat, while the Fox talks about its tail. The Fox decides to end the argument by pointing out that intelligence is more important than looks, and suggests that the Leopard could benefit from being smarter in the head and leaner in the body.
12. The Cock And The Fox: In this story, a wise old Cock is confronted by a crafty Fox who tells him that all animals have decided to live in peace and friendship. However, the Cock becomes suspicious and claims to see two Dogs approaching, causing the Fox to flee. The Cock then goes to sleep, happy that he has outwitted his cunning enemy. A PDF version of the story is available to download.
13. The Ice Sliding Fox: In a forest far away lived a fox known for its hunting skills and serious demeanor. But in secret, the fox loved to slide down icicles and play in the snow. When a squirrel discovered its guilty pleasure, the fox realized there was more to life than being tough and serious. It began enjoying life and playing with the other animals in the forest, becoming much happier and no longer feared by others. A downloadable PDF version of the story is available.
14. The fox and the horse: In this story, a farmer abandons his old horse and demands that it become stronger than a lion before returning. A fox comes to the horse’s aid, tricking a nearby lion into getting tied up to the horse and dragging it back to the farmer’s stable. The farmer changes his mind and allows the horse to stay and be taken care of. The story emphasizes the importance of loyalty and kindness.
15. The Baby Snow Owl: A baby snow owl is born in a cozy nest on the tundra. His parents teach him all the valuable lessons to survive in the Arctic winter. Although reluctant, the baby owl ultimately learns to leave the nest and grows a thick coat of feathers and downy feathers “slippers” to help him survive. After many weeks of hard work, the little snow owl makes his first successful flight and learns to catch its own food. Thanks to the lessons and guidance of his parents, he’s ready to take on the world.
16. The leopard and the ram: In this story, a ram and a leopard live near each other in the forest and both decide to build a house on the same site, unknown to each other. They work separately but finish building the house together. The two animals become good friends and their sons play together. The leopard is surprised that the ram brings home as much meat as he does from hunting. He sends his son to ask the ram how he does it, and young leopard learns the ram’s secret. Later, when the ram slips and falls on a wet floor, the leopard thinks it is an attack and flees to the woods, and since then, leopards have lived in the forest and rams in houses.
17. Frosty the Arctic Fox: The story is about a small and furry Arctic fox named Frosty who lives in a den in the snowy forest. Frosty goes on a journey to find a beautiful frozen lake and eventually hears a fox cub crying in the distance. Frosty helps the cub and the two become the best of friends, living happily ever after in Frosty’s den. The story emphasizes the joy of playing in the snow, the importance of keeping aware of danger, and the value of helping others.
18. The Hedgehog that Forgot to Hibernate: The story is about a hedgehog named Harold who loves to eat and drink and forgets to prepare for hibernation. As winter approaches, Harold realizes his mistake and sets out to find a warm place with plenty of food and drink. He finds a kind farmer who allows him to stay in his barn and gives him all the food he wants. Harold survives the winter and his friends join him in the barn for food and company.
19. Lucas and the dark forest: The story is about a young boy named Lucas who loved living in the forest but was afraid of the dark. One day he got stuck out in the dark and had to walk home alone, but he overcame his fear and realized the beauty of the dark. From then on, he wasn’t afraid of the dark anymore and frequently stayed out late in the forest. The story teaches us that facing our fears can open up a whole new world of beauty and wonder. There’s also a downloadable ebook (PDF) available to read offline or print.
20. Benny the scared bat: The story is about a bat named Benny who is scared of the dark due to his mother’s scary stories. He feels ashamed and is teased by other bats. Eventually, he sets out to conquer his fear and discovers that the forest at night is beautiful and nothing to be afraid of. He gains confidence and becomes known as “Benny the Brave” to other bats. The story teaches that sometimes our fears are unfounded and can hold us back from experiencing the world.
21. The Dark Isn’t Scary: The story is about a little boy named Anand who is scared of the dark. An owl named Whoot who is friends with Anand suggests that they swap eyes to help each other out. After giving it some thought, Anand agrees to the plan. With his new night vision, Anand explores the darkness and discovers that there is nothing scary out there. However, during the day, Anand realizes that he misses the beautiful colors of the flowers and green leaves of the trees. After thinking about it, both Anand and Whoot decide to swap back their eyes and are happy with the trade. Anand is no longer afraid of the dark and appreciates the day.
22. Mr. Fox’s House Party: In this story, Mr. Fox moves to a treehouse to get away from Mr. Dog and throws a house party for his friends. However, Mr. Dog shows up and eats all the bones Mr. Fox had for soup, causing chaos when he falls out of the treehouse with the other guests. Eventually, everyone forgives Mr. Fox, but he decides to move back to the ground floor of the forest and throws another party, making sure Mr. Dog is not invited.
23. The Tiger and the Fox: In this story, a Tiger moves into a forest and begins killing one or two jackals every day. The jackals and foxes come up with a plan to take turns being eaten by the Tiger. When it’s the Fox’s turn, he tricks the Tiger into jumping into a well, which he believes to be home to another Tiger. The trick works, and the Tiger drowns. The other animals are initially angry with the Fox for coming back alive, but he shows them the Tiger’s body in the well, and they are all relieved and grateful.
24. How Night Came: In the beginning of time, there was no night and the daughter of the Great Sea Serpent lamented the absence of darkness in her new home with man. Her husband sends three servants to retrieve night from her father’s kingdom, but they open the bag before arriving and unleash all the night creatures and darkness onto the earth. However, the daughter of the Great Sea Serpent is delighted with the new darkness and names the morning star and appoints a watchman of the night to signal the coming of dawn. The servants are punished for their disobedience and turned into monkeys, forever bearing a mark on their lips from opening the bag. Today, night quickly falls upon Brazil and the night creatures sing a chorus in the jungles at nightfall.
25. Mr. Owl And His Caller: In the story, Mr. Owl is disturbed by a tapping sound on his tree during the daytime. After finding Mr. Woodpecker tapping on the side of his house, Mr. Owl invites him in and discovers that his home is infested with insects. The next day, Mr. Owl moves to a nearby barn to avoid the constant tapping and make a home for himself. However, Mr. Woodpecker never realizes that he was the reason Mr. Owl moved, and he continues his work of searching for insects in the woods. The story highlights the importance of being mindful of one’s actions and the consequences they may have on others.

In conclusion, the Top 25 Stories About Nocturnal Animals is a captivating collection of tales that will take young readers on a thrilling journey into the enchanting world of night-dwelling creatures. These engaging stories introduce kids to the fascinating lives and unique adaptations of nocturnal animals, from the stealthy owl to the mysterious glowworm. While developing a deeper appreciation for the wonders of nature, children will simultaneously strengthen their reading and comprehension skills. It’s a real treat to snuggle under the covers with these delightful tales, discovering the magic that truly comes alive in the nighttime world of nocturnal animals.