Connecting with kids is always easier when you’re laughing together. Whether you are a parent, a teacher, or a babysitter trying to survive the evening, a good giggle fest is the ultimate icebreaker. You don’t need to be a professional comedian to make it happen, either.
We collected 12 funny stories for kids that are guaranteed to get a chuckle. These tales are short, punchy, and easy to read aloud. We also found a free printable version so you can stash them in your bag for long car rides or waiting rooms.
From silly fables for toddlers to witty tales for middle schoolers, this list covers every age group. Let’s get to the good stuff.
12 Funny Stories For Kids
Some of these tales are timeless classics, while others might be totally new to your bookshelf. We included a mix of styles to suit everyone. You will find simple jokes for 7-year-olds, irony for the 12-year-olds, and sweet lessons for those who need a moral with their humor.
The Ticklish Elephant
This toddler-friendly story highlights the power of joy. It reminds us that laughter is often the best medicine, even for the grumpiest animals.
Ella was an elephant with a long trunk and a very kind heart. She traveled the world leaving a trail of giggles behind her. She didn’t just walk; she wiggled.
From the high mountains to the deep oceans, Ella tickled everyone she met. She even managed to get a giggle out of a grizzly bear. Ella had a gift. She could turn a bad mood into a good one in seconds.
One sunny afternoon, she ran into a grumpy lion. He let out a roar that shook the trees and scared all the other animals away. But Ella wasn’t scared. She walked right up to him with a twinkle in her eye.
“Mr. Lion,” she said. “You look like you need a laugh.”
The lion frowned. He tried to look scary, but Ella didn’t back down. She wiggled her trunk and whispered, “Tickle, tickle, tickle.”
The lion tried to hold it in, but he couldn’t. His mighty roar turned into a squeaky chuckle. “That tickles!” he shouted. Soon, he was rolling on the ground laughing.
A wise old owl watched from a tree branch. “Ella,” the owl hooted. “You taught us a lesson today. Laughter can change everything.”
Ella, the lion, and the owl became fast friends. They traveled together, tickling monkeys and joking with dolphins. The ticklish elephant proved that a little bit of fun goes a long way. So, remember Ella the next time you feel grumpy. A good laugh might be exactly what you need.
The Bear and the Bee
Here is a silly story about a bear’s obsession with honey. It teaches children that losing your temper usually leads to a stinging consequence.
Mr. Bear loved honey. It was his favorite snack. One morning, he looked in his cupboard and saw it was empty. “Oh no!” he cried. “No honey!”
He marched into the forest to find a snack. He spotted a beehive high in a tree and smelled the sweet, sticky gold inside. “Mmmm! Lunchtime,” he said.
He stuck his paw straight into the hive. ZZZZZ! A bee flew out immediately. “Hey, bear! Back off,” the bee buzzed. “This isn’t yours.”
Mr. Bear was annoyed. “I’m bigger than you,” he grumbled. “I’m stronger than you. I do what I want. Buzz off.”
He jammed his paw back into the hive. ZZZZZ! The bee stung him right on the nose. “Ouch! My nose!” roared the bear. “Now I’m really angry.”
He grabbed a big stick and swung it at the bee. He missed. The bee was too fast. Mr. Bear swung and swung, getting angrier by the second. “I will squash you!” he yelled.
The bee flew back inside the hive for safety. “Gotcha!” yelled Mr. Bear. He smashed the hive with his stick. Crash! Bam! The hive broke into pieces.
Then he heard a sound. It started low but got louder. Zzzzz. Zzzzz. ZZZZZZZ!
Thousands of bees swarmed out of the broken hive. They surrounded Mr. Bear’s head. Zing! One stung his ear. Zing! One stung his elbow.
Mr. Bear dropped the stick and ran. The bees chased him through the woods, stinging his arms, his legs, and especially his nose.
He ran all the way home and slammed the door. BAM!
He heard a voice from the kitchen. It was Mrs. Bear. “You lost your temper again, didn’t you?” she asked.
“Yes,” he cried, rubbing his sore nose.
“The bee sting cream is on the table,” Mrs. Bear said. “And for the record, we have a jar of honey in the cupboard. It was just behind the flour.”
Too Much Noise
Loud noises can be overwhelming. This humorous tale follows a farmer who goes to extreme lengths to find some peace and quiet.
Sringeri Srinivas was a farmer who liked silence. One day, he took his best cows to the cattle fair. He had to walk along the new highway, and it was chaos. Cars zoomed by and trucks honked their horns.
The cows hated it. They turned around and walked home. Sringeri tried to stop the traffic, but the drivers just honked louder. The noise stuck in his head like a bad song.
Back at home, the cows were happy, but Sringeri was miserable. Beep! Beep! He could still hear the phantom horns.
Suddenly, every sound bothered him. The frogs were too loud. The cicadas were deafening. He yelled at the owls to stop hooting. He got angry at the roosters for crowing at dawn. He even told the local tiger to stop roaring.
Poor Sringeri. His ears felt raw. He shushed his children. He glared at his wife when the pressure cooker whistled.
Everyone tried to help. The kids played with soft toys. The wife stopped scolding them. Even the animals tried to be quiet. But Sringeri still heard noise. He could hear the sound of everyone trying to be silent!
“I have to leave,” he announced. “I need quiet.”
He walked away from the village and reached a busy town. It was full of loud people and loud traffic. But he saw a young man walking calmly through the chaos. The man had wires in his ears and a smile on his face.
“What are those?” Sringeri asked.
“Headphones,” the young man said. “Here, try them.”
Sringeri put them on. Soft music filled his ears. No honking. No yelling.
“Aha!” Sringeri smiled. “This is the answer.”
He bought the biggest pair of headphones he could find. He went back to his village wearing them proudly. His wife was happy to see him smile. He plugged his headphones into some soothing music and relaxed.
The cows mooed. The frogs croaked. The cars honked on the highway. Sringeri didn’t care. He finally had his peace and quiet.
Carrying Coconuts
This funny story is perfect for kids 8 and up who understand logic. It teaches a valuable lesson: slow and steady is often faster than rushing.
A coconut vendor had a great harvest. He loaded his horse cart until it was overflowing with coconuts and headed toward the village to sell them.
He was in a hurry, so he asked a young boy by the road, “How long will it take to get to the village?”
The boy looked at the teetering pile of coconuts. “If you go slowly, you will get there very soon,” the boy said. “If you go fast, it will take you all day.”
“That makes no sense,” the vendor thought. He laughed at the boy and whipped his horse to go faster.
As the cart picked up speed, it hit a bump. Thump! Coconuts rolled everywhere. The vendor had to stop, jump down, and pick them all up.
He piled them back on and took off again, whipping the horse to make up for lost time. Bump! More coconuts fell off. He stopped again. He reloaded again.
This happened over and over. By the time he finally reached the village, the sun had set and the market was closed. That was when he realized the boy was right. If he had gone slowly, he wouldn’t have dropped a single coconut.
The Tortoise and the Hare
The ultimate classic. This story reminds kids that consistency beats arrogance every single time.
The Hare was a show-off. He was fast, and he made sure everyone knew it. He loved to tease the Tortoise for being slow.
“By the time you finish breakfast, it will be dinner time!” the Hare would laugh.
One day, the Tortoise had enough. “I challenge you to a race,” he said calmly.
The forest animals gasped. The Hare burst out laughing. “You? Race me? I’ll beat you before you even start moving.”
“We’ll see,” said the Tortoise.
The race began. The Hare took off like a rocket. In seconds, he was far ahead. He looked back and couldn’t even see the Tortoise. “This is too easy,” the Hare thought. “I have time for a nap.” He sat under a shady tree and fell fast asleep.
The Tortoise didn’t stop. He walked slowly. He walked steadily. He ignored the heat and the dust. He just kept placing one foot in front of the other.
Eventually, the Tortoise passed the sleeping Hare. He kept going until he was just inches from the finish line. The animals started cheering loudly.
The noise woke the Hare. He saw the Tortoise about to win! The Hare jumped up and sprinted as fast as he could. He leaped and bounded, but it was too late. The Tortoise crossed the line first.
“How?” asked the panting Hare.
“Slow and steady wins the race,” the Tortoise smiled.
One Chicken Nugget
Inspired by the mathematical folktale “One Grain of Rice,” this story is great for introducing big numbers to kids. You can read it here or buy the book for the full visual experience.
Frank was a monster who loved chicken nuggets. He didn’t just like them; he was obsessed.
Celeste, the chef, made the best nuggets in town. But Frank was a terrible customer. He was rude, he was loud, and he never paid. Celeste decided to teach him a lesson.
“I bet you can’t eat nuggets for a whole month,” Celeste said.
“Easy,” Frank laughed. “I can eat a million.”
“Here is the deal,” Celeste said. “On day one, you get one nugget. On day two, you get two. Every day, the number doubles. If you finish them all for 30 days, you get free nuggets for life.”
“Deal!” Frank shouted.
Day 1: Frank ate one nugget. He laughed.
Day 2: Frank ate two nuggets. “Is that all?” he teased.
Day 3: Four nuggets.
Day 5: Sixteen nuggets. Still easy.
By Day 10, Frank had to eat 512 nuggets. He was starting to sweat.
By Day 12, he had to eat 4,096 nuggets.
By Day 20, Frank had to eat over half a million nuggets. He wasn’t laughing anymore.
Then came Day 30. The number was over 500 million nuggets. The pile was bigger than a mountain. Frank ate and ate. His tummy rumbled. His face turned green. He lifted one last nugget, dipped it in BBQ sauce, and… BURP!
He couldn’t do it. He was full. Frank rolled away, groaning. “No more nuggets,” he whispered. “Never again.”
Frank lost the bet, and Celeste finally got some peace and quiet. Though rumor has it, Frank is now looking for hot dogs.
The Dog and His Bone
A hilarious story about greed. It helps children understand that wanting what others have can cost you what you already own.
A dog was trotting home with a big, juicy bone he found. He was the happiest dog in the neighborhood.
He took a shortcut across a bridge over a stream. He looked down into the water and stopped. There was another dog staring back at him. And that dog had a bone, too.
“Wait a minute,” the dog thought. “That dog’s bone looks bigger than mine.”
The dog stared. The reflection stared back. The dog growled. The reflection growled back.
“I want that bone,” the greedy dog decided. “I’ll take it from him.”
He opened his mouth to bark and scare the other dog. Woof!
As soon as he opened his mouth, his own bone fell out. Splash! It sank to the bottom of the stream. The reflection’s bone disappeared, too.
The dog stood on the bridge, wet and hungry. He had lost his dinner because he was jealous of his own reflection.
The Magic Sneezing Frog
This whimsical story is perfect for bedtime. It is full of magic and color, helping little ones drift off with happy thoughts.
Felix was a frog with a very special talent. He had a magic sneeze.
Whenever Felix sneezed, sparkles filled the air. One day, he felt a tickle in his nose. Ah-choo!
Suddenly, a tiny rainbow appeared over the lily pads. The other animals gasped. “Do it again, Felix!” they cheered.
Felix tried to sneeze on command. Ah-choo! This time, bubbles floated out of his nose. Each bubble had a tiny flower inside.
The pond became the most popular spot in the forest. Animals came from miles away to see what Felix would sneeze next. Once, he sneezed a cloud of butterflies. Another time, he sneezed a gentle rain of glitter.
Felix loved making his friends happy. His pond became a place where magic was real, and it all started with a tickle in his nose.
The Lion and the Rabbit
This story is best for older kids (9+). It shows that being smart is often more powerful than being strong.
A cruel lion ruled the jungle. He hunted constantly, and the animals were terrified. They came up with a plan to save themselves.
“We will send you one animal every day to eat,” they told the lion. “You don’t have to hunt. Just wait in your den.”
The lion agreed. He was lazy, so this sounded perfect.
One day, it was the rabbit’s turn. The rabbit was old, but he was very smart. He took his time getting to the lion’s den. He arrived very late.
The lion was starving and furious. “Why are you late?” he roared. “I should eat you and your whole family!”
“I am sorry,” said the rabbit. “I was coming, but a bigger, stronger lion stopped me. He said he is the new king of the jungle.”
The lion was insulted. “Take me to him!” he demanded. “I will show him who is king.”
The rabbit led the lion to a deep well. “He is hiding in there,” the rabbit pointed.
The lion looked down. He saw his own reflection in the water, but he thought it was the enemy. He roared. The reflection roared back. Furious, the lion jumped into the well to fight.
Splash! The lion fell in and couldn’t get out. The smart rabbit hopped home to tell the other animals they were finally safe.
There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly
This classic rhythm story is also available as a book. It’s a bit dark, but older kids love the absurdity of the chain reaction.
There was an old lady who swallowed a fly.
I don’t know why she swallowed a fly. Perhaps she’ll die.
There was an old lady who swallowed a spider
That wiggled and giggled and jiggled inside her.
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly,
But I don’t know why she swallowed the fly. Perhaps she’ll die.
There was an old woman who swallowed a bird.
How absurd, to swallow a bird!
She swallowed the bird to catch the spider.
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly.
But I don’t know why she swallowed the fly. Perhaps she’ll die.
There was an old woman who swallowed a cat.
Imagine that, she swallowed a cat.
She swallowed the cat to catch the bird.
She swallowed the bird to catch the spider.
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly.
But I don’t know why she swallowed the fly. Perhaps she’ll die.
There was an old woman who swallowed a dog.
What a hog to swallow a dog.
She swallowed the dog to catch the cat.
She swallowed the cat to catch the bird.
She swallowed the bird to catch the spider.
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly.
But I don’t know why she swallowed the fly. Perhaps she’ll die.
There was an old woman who swallowed a cow.
I don’t know how she swallowed a cow.
She swallowed the cow to catch the dog.
She swallowed the dog to catch the cat.
She swallowed the cat to catch the bird.
She swallowed the bird to catch the spider.
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly.
But I don’t know why she swallowed the fly. Perhaps she’ll die.
There was an old woman who swallowed a horse.
And she’s dead, of course.
The Girl and the Ice Cream Truck
For kids who tend to jump to conclusions, this funny story teaches a lesson about checking the facts before acting.
A little girl sat by her window, staring at the snow. She hated winter. She wanted summer, swimming pools, and strawberries.
Her mom told her summer was months away. Her dad told her more snow was coming. But the girl kept waiting for a sign.
Suddenly, she heard music. An ice cream truck turned onto her street!
“Ice cream!” she shouted. “That means it’s summer!”
She didn’t check the calendar. She didn’t check the thermometer. She ran to her closet, put on her swimsuit, grabbed her sunglasses, and sprinted out the front door.
Crunch!
She looked down. Her bare toes were buried in freezing cold snow. She shivered as the cold air hit her arms. “But… the truck?” she whispered.
She looked up just in time to see the ice cream truck pull into the mechanic’s garage for repairs. It wasn’t selling ice cream; it was just broken. The girl ran back inside, deciding that maybe winter wasn’t so bad after all, at least inside where it was warm.
The Elephant and the Ant
This is a sweet story for the youngest readers. It shows that friendship isn’t about size or strength; it’s about helping each other.
An ant and an elephant lived in the same forest. They were best friends, even though one was tiny and one was huge.
One day, the ant found a beautiful, juicy apple. It was perfect. But it was also heavy. The ant pushed and pulled, but the apple wouldn’t move.
“Oh no,” the ant sighed. “How will I get this home?”
He called out to the elephant. “Help! I found a feast, but I can’t carry it.”
The elephant trotted over. She smiled at her tiny friend. With one gentle scoop of her trunk, she lifted the apple and placed it right in front of the ant’s house.
“Thank you!” cried the ant. “Please, share it with me.”
The two friends sat together, munching on the apple. The other animals watched in amazement. They learned that day that you don’t have to be the same size to be best buddies.
Tips for Telling Funny Stories
Reading the words is just the start. If you really want to get your kids rolling on the floor, try these delivery tips:
- Do the voices: Give the lion a deep, gravelly voice and the mouse a high, squeaky one. Kids love funny voices.
- Use your face: Make exaggerated expressions. Frown when the character is angry and open your eyes wide when they are surprised.
- Pause for effect: Don’t rush to the punchline. A little silence builds suspense and makes the funny part land harder.
- Get physical: If the character sneezes, do a big fake sneeze. If they run, drum your hands on your knees to make sound effects.
FAQs
Why Are Funny Stories Good For Kids?
Humor helps children develop resilience, social skills, and creativity. Laughing together also releases oxytocin, which strengthens the bond between you and your child. Plus, funny stories make reading feel like play rather than a chore.
How Can I Make Storytime More Engaging?
Involve your child in the storytelling. Ask them what they think will happen next, or have them make the sound effects for the animals. You can also use props, like a stuffed animal or a funny hat, to bring the characters to life.
Where Can I Find More Free Stories?
Libraries are the best resource for physical books. For digital options, many educational websites offer free PDFs, and podcasts for kids often feature short, funny audio stories perfect for bedtime or travel.
The Power of a Good Laugh
We hope these 12 funny stories brought some joy to your day. Whether you used them to calm a tantrum or just to bond before bed, humor is a powerful parenting tool.
Keep this list handy for those moments when you need a quick distraction. A 5-minute story can turn a bad day around for a toddler, a tween, or even a tired parent. Happy reading!
