Welcome to the Top 53 Stories of the Seasons – an incredible collection of tales that children of all ages will love. Whether you’re looking for a bedtime story to read, a free PDF to download, or a printable version to keep on hand, we’ve got you covered. These stories have been carefully curated to provide an engaging learning experience and offer educational benefits while keeping the young minds entertained. Our compilation features short tales that are easy to tell and come with pictures to further captivate the little ones. Find the best audio versions, perfect for a night-time session, and watch your child’s imagination soar.

Stories of the Seasons are a celebration of the beauty of the natural world and have been chosen to enchant both boys and girls alike. Get ready to venture into the world of classic fairy tales, fun adventures, and moral lessons that can be enjoyed during storytime. These tales cater to children in their early years, from preschool and kindergarten, to elementary students and even toddlers in the EYFS stage. Reading aloud these stories will surely make the night time more enjoyable and magical, as it introduces them to the wonders of each season in English, with longer stories that keep them hooked till their eyes close in sleep.

The importance of Stories of the Seasons lies in the opportunity they give kids to explore and appreciate the different aspects of each season. It allows them to learn about new traditions, customs, and experiences while fostering a love for reading. Not only do these stories capture the essence of the changing seasons, but they also evoke emotions and teach valuable life lessons tailored for your child’s age group. So, settle down, prepare for a memorable storytime, and dive into this fantastic collection with your young ones, creating memories that they’ll cherish for a lifetime.

Top 53 Stories Of The Seasons for kids to read online:

1. Little Ida’s Flowers: In this story, Little Ida’s cousin tells her that flowers go to a ball every night, but her grumpy neighbor calls it a fabrication. Little Ida puts her wilted flowers in her doll’s bed, and at night, she hears music and sees her living room filled with dancing flowers, which also borrow her doll’s bed. The next day, Little Ida finds her flowers wilted again and buries them in the garden so they can come back more beautiful next summer. There is also an eBook available for download.
2. Bart The Bear Hibernates: The story is about Bart, a brown bear who hunts for food to prepare for hibernation. He enjoys his favorite food, salmon, and berries while saying goodbye to his forest friends. As he goes to sleep in his cozy den, he dreams of adventure and fun with his friends. A downloadable PDF version of the story is available.
3. The Gingerbread Man: This is a story of a little old man and woman who create a gingerbread man while baking cookies. The gingerbread man comes to life, runs away from them, and encounters a barn of shredders, a field of lawnmowers, a cow, a pig, and a fox, all of whom he boasts about outrunning. However, the fox eventually catches and eats him. The story can be downloaded as an ebook.
4. The Leaf Dresses: On a windy day in October, the wind blew with a message for the trees inviting all leaves to a big party as their days would soon grow shorter. The leaves dressed up for the occasion in colorful red, yellow, and brown. A few stubborn leaves stayed behind, and one of them suggested covering the flowers from winter. They all agreed and made children happy with their beautiful colors. A little girl found a bunch of these leaves and took them to school. The story ends with links to download the eBook in PDF format.
5. The Squirrel Family: The Squirrel Family lived happily in a big hollow tree in the forest, but when winter was approaching, they needed to collect enough nuts to survive. Daddy Squirrel asked his children, Betty and Budge, to help, but Budge was not used to working, and he ran away to play with other squirrels, leaving his family to work harder collecting nuts. Sadly, Budge got caught in a trap but managed to escape and found his way back home. The family was pleased to have him back and had a feast in his honour. Budge learned that it’s better to work hard, and now he’s one of the hardest-working squirrels in the forest.
6. The Plane Tree: Two travelers seek shade under a Plane Tree and comment on its uselessness, prompting the tree to speak out of indignation and remark on the ungrateful nature of humans for failing to recognize their blessings. A downloadable ebook of the story is provided.
7. The North Wind And The Sun: In this fable, the North Wind and the Sun argue over who is stronger. They decide to see who can make a traveler take off his cloak, and the North Wind starts with a strong gust of wind. But the traveler resists and the Sun shines its warm rays on him, causing him to take off his cloak voluntarily. The fable shows that kindness and gentleness can be more effective than force and aggression.
8. The Farmer And The Snake: The story is about a farmer who finds a frozen snake in his field and revives it with his body heat. However, once the snake regains its strength, it bites the farmer, killing him. The farmer’s last words serve as a warning not to show kindness to those who are untrustworthy.
9. Sparrow’s search for the rain: The story is about an Indian girl who refuses to marry men who are not interesting to her. Her suitors try unsuccessfully to win her over but are met with rejection, and eventually resort to causing her harm. Her father banishes the culprit, Whirlwind, but he is also the one responsible for bringing the rain. When he and his blind friend Rain disappear, the land suffers greatly. The animals are unable to find them, but a small sparrow successfully locates them and convinces them to return. The Chief promises to spare the sparrow from being hunted or killed in gratitude for its success.
10. Santa Claus: The story describes the magical arrival of Santa Claus on Christmas Eve night. He rides in a sleigh pulled by tiny reindeer with jingling bells, dressed in fur to protect against the cold winter wind. Santa Claus carries a pack full of toys for all the good little boys and girls, knowing exactly what each child wants. Although the children never see him, they all wake up to find their stockings filled with treats and toys. The story ends with the image of a happy Santa Claus laughing as he rides over the world spreading joy.
11. The Snowman: In the story, a Snowman comes to life and wishes to move like the boys he sees sliding on the ice. He also becomes fascinated with a stove he sees through a window and dreams of sitting by it. However, a wise old dog warns him that he will melt if he approaches the stove. Despite his yearning for the warmth, the Snowman stays outside and eventually melts away as the weather gets warmer. The story highlights the fleeting nature of life and the power of desire.
12. The ice king and his wonderful grandchild: The story tells of the fairy Uller, the patron of winter, and his wife Skadi, the huntress. They had six daughters who were transformed into one entity by the fire fairy Vuur, and they had a child named Stoom who was mischievous and caused explosions. Although he was difficult to control, people learned to harness his power and use him as a tool, which made him one of the most valuable servants and friends all over the world.
13. The snowdrop: The story is about a snowdrop flower that eagerly longs for the arrival of summer. Despite harsh weather conditions and doubts from those around it, the flower perseveres, standing strong in its confidence and joy. It eventually becomes the first and only flower to bloom, bringing beauty and hope to those who see it. Although its fate brings it through different hands and places, it ultimately finds a home in a book, treasured forever.
14. The Pomegranate seeds: The story is about a young girl named Proserpina who is taken by King Pluto to the underworld after she pulls out a bush with brilliant flowers. Her mother, Ceres, launches a search for her and eventually discovers that her daughter has been taken by King Pluto. She makes her way to the underworld to retrieve her daughter. In the end, Proserpina is allowed to return to her mother, but as she had eaten six pomegranate seeds, she must spend six months each year in the underworld.
15. King Frost and King Winter: In this story, King Winter, a selfish and spiteful king who lives in a strong palace made of ice, orders his fairy servants to collect and bring him the gold and precious stones that were spread by King Frost on the trees in the forest. After the winter fairies destroy the trees and collect the leaves in bags, King Winter discovers that the bags are full of brown leaves instead of treasure. Out of anger, he decides to attack King Frost’s palace, but his fairies lose the battle and he is left alone with King Frost and his army of frost fairies. King Frost takes revenge on King Winter by plucking bits of his magic cloak and covering the trees with it. The forest looks beautiful again, but King Winter is left tattered and alone.
16. Prince Winter: The story is about the Prince of Winter, an old man with cold, stern eyes who rules over the land with terror, making everything dead and empty. He dislikes and hates the birds and trees that protect and give shelter to other creatures during his reign. The Prince of Spring tries to push Winter away so that the other seasons can follow but fails. Eventually, Spring arrives in the valley with his green cloak and flute, forcing the Prince of Winter to leave and giving nature a chance to flourish again.
17. The snowball: In this story, a little boy goes outside to play in the snow, and his snowball-making attracts the attention of nearby birds. When he goes inside, he places a huge snowball by the fire, but when he wakes up from his nap, the snowball has melted into a puddle. His mother knows what happened to it, but the reader is left to guess. Downloads of the story in PDF format are available for readers to enjoy offline or print.
18. The snowman and the boy: A group of children create a snowman that comes to life and asks for a hat to keep him warm. The snowman and a little boy go on an adventure to the Winter King’s palace to ask him not to let the sun shine the next day so that the snowman won’t melt. The Winter King can’t keep the sun from shining, but he asks the North Wind to freeze the snowman so he won’t melt. The boy then wakes up from his dream to see the snowman in the field frozen solid.
19. North Wind’s Frolic: The story is about the King of the Winds and his children. North Wind, the most boisterous, causes havoc when he decides to leave the castle for a frolic. He destroys gardens, fields, and trees, causing misery for the people. The King of the Winds summons North Wind and decides to keep him imprisoned in the castle during the summer when there are flowers and fruit. North Wind is only allowed to go out in winter when there are no more flowers or fruit.
20. Winter Solstice Celebration: In a small village, a family of hard-working farmers celebrates the winter solstice, which marks the beginning of the famine months. They slaughter most of their cattle to prepare for the long winter ahead and share a delicious feast of roast beef, mashed potatoes, and gravy. The family enjoys togetherness and joy, telling stories and playing games around the fireplace. They retire to bed feeling warm and content, looking forward to the longer days ahead that bring them one step closer to spring. An ebook download is available.
21. The Mail-Coach Passengers: On a bitterly cold New Year’s Eve, a mail coach arrives in town with twelve strangers, each representing a month of the year. They introduce themselves, revealing their professions, qualities, and quirks. The captain on duty takes their passports, which will be updated with their behavior over the next month. The story ends with a mysterious hint that in a year’s time, the author may be able to reveal what each passenger has brought to us.
22. The Chestnut Boys: The story is about three baby boys who are tucked away in a little green house by Mother Nature for a long sleep. As the days grow cooler and Jack Frost and the Wind come to play, the boys are ready to come out and play too. But they soon discover that the big world is not like their warm, soft little house. They grow tired and cold and ask Mother Nature to put them back to sleep. She covers them with snow until the warm sun, gentle breezes, and soft rain wake them up in the sweet springtime. The boys are revealed to be the Chestnut boys and the brown burr is their little house.
23. The Constant Dove: The story is about a white dove named Daisy who meets a busy little bird named Nuthatch. Daisy sees that Nuthatch is too preoccupied with finding bugs to eat to prepare for cold weather. Daisy, on the other hand, is wise and knows that kind hands will feed her with crumbs and grain all winter long. Nuthatch thinks Daisy is silly for not following him south in search of summer, but Daisy knows better and patiently waits for spring to come again.
24. Jack Frost and His Work: Jack Frost prepares for his seasonal work one evening with a box full of paintbrushes and some white sparkly stuff. People are expecting him to come to nip the grass and harden the ground, so they’ve brought in their plants and covered the little ones. Jack Frost also opens chestnut burrs to make them accessible, but has to destroy a little boy’s garden because he forgot to take in his plants. Though Alan is sad to see his garden ruined, he learns to take his plants inside before Jack Frost arrives.
25. The windflower’s story: In this story, a group of plants in a garden are curious about the little Windflower’s quiet nature and speculate whether she hides her ignorance or is a deep thinker. The Hollyhock suggests that the Windflower has a story, which piques the interest of the other plants. When they question her, the Windflower tells them that her family’s real name is Anemone and that they came into existence when a goddess created a flower in memory of someone she loved deeply. The Windflower also reveals that the reason behind their name is that the Wind fell in love with them and opened their blossoms. When a breeze comes to the garden, the Windflower flies away with the Wind, leaving the other plants wondering about the nature of their relationship.
26. Jack the preacher: The big Evergreen Trees in the woods are confident that they awaken the spring flowers and insects with their calls to action. However, the truth is that it is Jack-in-the-pulpit, a little woodland preacher, who wakes them up every spring. The Evergreen Trees are amused at the thought of anyone else having this job because of their importance. They believe that the flowers would be lost without their guidance.
27. Mother Nature’s House Cleaning: This is a story about Mother Nature preparing for the arrival of Spring with the help of her three little helpers: roguish March, Baby April, and May. Mother Nature enlists March’s help in cleaning up the “dirty world” left behind by King Winter, with March bringing rain and wind to wash away the snow and clean the sky ceilings. March also starts the work for Baby April, awakening seeds and whispering to trees to begin budding. Mother Nature thanks March for his help and promises to call on him again for her next cleaning day.
28. How the raindrops and sunbeams helped: The story is about Mother Nature calling on her helpers, the Sunbeams and Raindrops, to wake up her plant children and bring back the birds from the South. The Sunbeams and Raindrops work together to prepare the ground for the plants to grow, causing the trees to bud and flowers to bloom. They also dress the lilies in white for Easter. The helpers are happy with their work, and everyone is thankful for the spring. An ebook version of the story is available for download.
29. Rock-a-bye baby: A little girl named Helena plays with her dolls under a maple tree one spring day, where she sings “Rock-a-bye baby in the tree top.” As it turns out, Mother Nature is also singing a lullaby to the leaf babies in the treetop cradles on a gentle breeze. Helena watches as the babies grow throughout the spring and summer, providing shade with their green parasols, and then dance and frolic with the wind during autumn. In the end, Helena discovers new leaf babies in tiny brown cradles ready to sleep safely until the next spring arrives.
30. Spring on the farm: The story describes a spring event where baby animals are shown off on a farm, and children from all over visit to learn about the new lives of these animals and the importance of spring. Farmer John explains the hard work required for planting crops and taking care of the animals, and the children interact with the lambs, piglets and chicks. As the sun sets, the children leave the farm with the hope of returning to the farm in the future.
31. The Princess and the Sorcerer’s Spell: The story is about a beautiful princess named Matilda who falls in love with a prince named William. However, a wicked sorcerer casts a spell that makes William forget his love for Matilda. Matilda goes on a journey through the forest, encountering animals who help her. When she finds the sorcerer, Matilda casts a spell of her own that breaks the sorcerer’s spell on William. They embrace and live happily ever after, with their love stronger than ever.
32. How the Buttercup Became Yellow: The story tells of how the Buttercup flower initially had a white color and the White Cups wished to be golden like the Daisies. They convince the Fairies to help them by making the Goblins believe they would anger the Fairies if they didn’t make the White Cups golden. The plan succeeds and the White Cups become golden, now known as Buttercups. The Fairies keep their involvement a secret from the Goblins. The Buttercups thank and agree to be called “golden cups” by the Fairies during their banquets. They also learn to keep the truth a secret as silence is golden according to the Fairy Queen.
33. Under the Willow Tree: This is a story about two children who play together under a willow tree and hear a story from a candy man about two gingerbread figures in love. As they grow up, the two children become separated, but the boy, Knud, decides he wants to marry the girl, Joanna, he has always loved. After traveling to find her, he eventually falls asleep under a willow tree, dreaming of Joanna and the gingerbread couple. When he wakes up, he has frozen to death in the snow. The story explores the power of love and the importance of speaking your thoughts and feelings.
34. The spring fairy and the frost giants: The Frost Giants plan to capture Iduna, the Spring Fairy, to steal the golden apples which keep nature alive and the people young. They seek the help of Loki, the Prince of Mischief, and trap him to force him to help. Loki tricks Iduna and takes her captive to the North. The heroes of Asgard summon Loki to confess and Odin commands him to bring back Iduna. Loki rescues Iduna using magic and escapes from the Storm Giant’s pursuit. The people of Asgard rejoice and celebrate the return of the Spring Fairy and her golden apples.
35. The Ice King: In an Indian village, the people feared the Ice King and his long, brutal winters. When one brave young man defied the Ice King and melted his frozen lair, the giant threatened revenge, but the young man prepared a wigwam with ample wood, oil, blankets and warm clothes. When the Ice King returned, the young man stoked a scorching fire, driving out the cold air and pushing the giant back. The Ice King begged for mercy and promised to limit himself to just three moons of winter from then on, so the brave Indian saved his people from unending icy tyranny.
36. Maya the Bee Learns to Fly: Maya is a curious bee who is born in a beehive and learns many things from Miss Cassandra. On her first flying lesson, she discovers how fun it is to fly and meets Flip the Grasshopper. Maya decides that she doesn’t want to go back to the hive and instead stays outside to experience the world. She falls asleep in a flower bed, tired from exploring. The story is available as an ebook to download.
37. The Pumpkin Giant: In a time before pumpkins, a bad giant named the Pumpkin Giant terrorized the kingdom, eating anything that was fat. The king offered to make a knight of anyone who could bring him the giant’s head. A man named Patroclus threw the biggest potato he could find into the giant’s mouth, killing him. Later, pumpkin heads grew in the field where the giant died. Patroclus and his family discovered that the heads were delicious; they baked cakes and pies with them. The king tasted their pumpkin treats, and Patroclus received the knighthood he deserved. The family moved to the palace, where they helped the king and married off their son to the princess.
38. The Courteous Prince: A handsome Prince falls in love with a girl who is not of his rank. The King sends her away to separate the lovers, and the Prince is heartbroken. On Halloween night, the Prince seeks shelter in an abandoned hunting lodge where a ghostly creature asks him if he is a “courteous Prince.” He serves her and breaks an evil witch’s curse on his lost love, who had been turned into the ghostly creature. They return to the palace and are happily married. The King finally understands the meaning of the old witch’s words.
39. Prince Autumn: Prince Autumn blows his horn, signaling the end of summer and beginning of fall. The trees, flowers, and animals all respond to his call. Prince Autumn and Prince Summer meet and walk through the valley, but wherever they stop, leaves turn yellow and birds fall silent. Prince Autumn promises to take care of all creatures in the coming cold months and warn them three times of the coming winter. Prince Autumn blows his horn a final time, signaling the end of autumn and the beginning of winter. Winter arrives, and Prince Autumn disappears into the storm.
40. Sunshine and her siblings: The story is about Mother Nature, a wise and old spirit with a multitude of children. Sunshine, Southwind, and Westwind were kind, while Lightning was naughty, and Snow had a cold character. Rain always cried, Eastwind was grumpy, Thunder and Hail grumbled and raged, and Northwind blew so much wind that everyone ran away from him. In November, Mother Nature took a nap, and Sunshine tried to keep the world in order, while Rain and Eastwind caused chaos. However, with the help of their siblings, they managed to prepare the world for Spring, and a joyful celebration was held.
41. The Elf Knight: In this story, a girl named Janet hears about an enchanted land and a brave knight who needs rescuing. Against the warnings of others, she ventures into the land and meets the knight, Tam Lin. He reveals that only true love can rescue him and instructs her on how to do it. At midnight on Halloween, she meets him again and holds on tight as he transforms into many different things. Eventually, he takes his true form, and they return to Janet’s castle, where they get married and live happily ever after.
42. Rainbow and Autumn Leaves: The story is about animals who used to talk and work like humans and would meet annually for the Great Council. They became jealous of Turtle, who lived in the heavens and sent his offspring to Earth. When a new race of beings threatened their home, the animals asked Turtle how to get to the heavens, but only Deer was granted permission to go. Bear was angry that Deer left for heaven alone and challenged him on the Rainbow Bridge, resulting in a long and bloody fight. Eventually, all the animals decided to join Deer in heaven and their descendants can still be seen as clouds that resemble different animals. The blood of Bear and Deer dripped down the Rainbow road, transforming the leaves of the trees into the beautiful colors of autumn each year.
43. The God of Spring and the God of Autumn: This is a story about a princess called the Most Beloved in the World, who was sought after by many suitors, including gods. One day, the God of Autumn tried to win her hand, but she rejected him, breaking his heart. His younger brother, the God of Spring, then tried his luck and magically appeared before the princess in a wisteria robe, winning her heart and marrying her. The God of Autumn was angry and tried to harm them, but the God of Spring’s mother used a bamboo reed to tell him that he too would fade away like the leaves and stones, bringing about the joy of spring but also the sadness of autumn in the world.
44. The Little Pumpkin: The story is about a little pumpkin who worries that he won’t become a Jack-o’-lantern, but his companions tell him to focus on being a good pumpkin and not worry about the future. Eventually, the little pumpkin becomes the biggest and most beautiful pumpkin, and the children pick him to make into a Jack-o’-lantern for their Thanksgiving feast. The little pumpkin is happy because Mother Vine would be proud of him and he shone until the candle burned out completely.
45. Twinkling Feet’s Halloween: On Halloween, an elf named Twinkling Feet loses his smile and embarks on a mission to find it before midnight. He searches the meadow and seeks help from Jack O’Lantern and the Happy Little Witch, but it’s not until he hears the laughter of children at a party that he regains his smile. When he returns to the fairy ring where the elves are dancing, Little Fiddler reminds him to always keep a good eye on his smile while he dances.
46. The Easter Rabbit: The story is about the anticipation of My Lady Spring’s arrival, as the North Wind and Jack Frost mock the waiting trees and flowers. Lady Spring waits in Wild-Flower Hollow, near the edge of the forest, as the forest’s inhabitants pine for her arrival. She finally appears with Merry Sunshine, bringing new life to the forest and sending Bunny Rabbit as a messenger to deliver a basket to children with a message of her arrival. The children are delighted and run to the woods to celebrate the arrival of Spring.
47. Maya the Bee and the Butterfly: Maya meets a humorous creature sitting quietly on a leaf of a raspberry bush. Although Maya tries to engage with the creature, the creature just sits still and ignores her. The creature turns out to be a stink bug and scares Maya away with its putrid smell. Later, Maya strikes up a conversation with a butterfly named Fred and learns the intricacies of butterfly metamorphosis and the importance of enjoying the present moment.
48. The September Storm: The story is about a ship and its crew that return to a small town after a long journey with precious cargo. Captain Jacob and his team face a severe storm that threatens the ship’s safety, leading to a night of hard work to keep it afloat. The story highlights the dangers of working at sea and the courage and determination required to face unexpected challenges. It also emphasizes the value of teamwork and quick decision-making in a crisis.
49. A Midsummer Night’s Dream: The summary is about a story in which Hermia and Lysander, two lovers, are faced with a cruel law that forbids love that fathers disapprove of. If a daughter refuses to marry according to her father’s wishes, she may be put to death. Hermia and Lysander plot to run away to his aunt’s house to marry each other, but their plan is discovered by Hermia’s friend, Helena. The forest in which they decide to meet is inhabited by fairies who become involved in the love affairs of the mortals, leading to confusion and chaos until everything is resolved in a happy ending.
50. Part 1: Bob and Betty’s Summer with Captain Hawes: The story is about Bob and Betty spending a summer at the coast with old sailor Captain Ben Hawes. He showed them his museum of objects from distant lands and took them on a sailing trip. On another day, he taught them about boat and shipbuilding by showing them a fishing boat and a life-sized ship being built. They also had fun on the beach digging up mussels, fishing, and exploring with their friend Patsey. The children learned a lot and had many exciting adventures.
51. Part 2: Bob and Betty’s Summer with Captain Hawes: Two children spend their summer with Captain Hawes and learn about various aspects of shipbuilding and coastal life. They visit a lighthouse, a sail loft, and the lobster fishermen. They also learn how to swim and row. They witness the launch of a new ship and are amazed at how gracefully it slides into the sea. It is an exciting and educational summer for the children.
52. Part 3: Bob and Betty’s Summer with Captain Hawes: The story follows the adventures of children experiencing the sea for the first time, guided by Captain Hawes. They witness the changing sea, watch a shipwreck, explore a newly launched ship, and learn about whale hunting from the captain’s stories. The captain shares his travel tales and teaches them about ship ropes, sails, and the galley’s workings. The children are fascinated, and their endless curiosity about the sea makes the captain’s stories an enjoyable experience. The story is available for download as a PDF.
53. Part 4: Bob and Betty’s Summer with Captain Hawes: Captain Hawes takes the children to see a ship being loaded for a long journey. He shares stories of his travels and explains how trade works. The ship sets sail, and the children return home just in time to see the latest development in navigation, large steel steam-powered warships.

In conclusion, the Top 53 Stories of the Seasons is an engaging series that encourages kids to immerse themselves in enchanting tales throughout the year. These stories not only entertain, but also provide insightful life lessons, highlighting the beauty and importance of every season. From delightful springtime adventures to cozy winter nights, children are sure to enjoy exploring the magic of nature, friendships, and family bonds in this delightful collection. So, grab a warm blanket or a cool glass of lemonade, and embark on a wondrous journey through these stories that celebrate the ever-changing seasons and the unforgettable memories they create.