Paul Holmes -
University
English Professor

Free Materials For ESL Teachers and Learners

Short Stories for Kids

Complete lesson plans, including stories, listening, classroom activities, quiz questions and more!

The Rainbow Bridge

Stella the unicorn uses her magical rainbow to spread happiness and love to all creatures.

Try this story at a different level?

 

In a land filled with magic, there was a little unicorn named Stella who could make rainbows. She would jump, spin, and bright colors would come from her hair. Making rainbows made her and her friends very happy.

One day, Stella found a note on her horn. It said, “Come to a fun game over the rainbow bridge. You can win a bag of special dust that makes wishes come true.” Stella was excited and ran to the rainbow bridge, making a long rainbow as she went.

Stella saw a troll named Grumble at the bridge, who used to scare people away with his bad tooth. Stella told him he had nice hair, and he was happy. So he let her cross the bridge. The wind was very strong there, but Stella made a rope from her rainbow and held on to a cloud to get safely across.

When Stella got to the game, she saw animals with special tricks. They all wanted to win the magic dust. Stella made the biggest, most beautiful rainbow. Everyone cheered. Stella won, but she wished for everyone to always be happy and love each other instead. Now, whenever Stella makes a rainbow, she thinks about making her friends smile.

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

📖 Vocabulary:

1unicornA magical horse with one horn on its head
2rainbowsCurved lines in the sky with many colors
3bridgeSomething you walk over to get to the other side
4noteA piece of paper with a message written on it
5excitedFeeling very happy and like you can’t wait for something
6trollA creature that looks a bit like a person but is not nice in stories
7scareTo make someone feel afraid
8ropeA long, thick string
9cheeredWhen people shout because they are happy
10smileTo show you are happy by making your mouth turn up at the ends

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What could Stella do that made her special?
2. What did the note say that Stella found on her horn?
3. Who did Stella see at the rainbow bridge?
4. How did Stella get across the bridge safely?
5. What did Stella wish for when she won the game?
6. What does Stella think about when she makes a rainbow now?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

In a land filled with magic, there was a little unicorn named (1)______ who could make rainbows. She would jump, spin, and bright colors would come from her hair. Making rainbows made her and her friends very (2)______.

One day, Stella found a note on her horn. It said, “Come to a fun game over the (3)______ bridge. You can win a bag of special dust that makes (4)______ come true.” Stella was excited and ran to the rainbow bridge, making a long rainbow as she went.

Stella saw a troll named Grumble at the bridge, who used to scare people away with his bad tooth. Stella told him he had nice hair, and he was happy. So he let her cross the (5)______. The wind was very strong there, but Stella made a rope from her rainbow and held on to a (6)______ to get safely across.

When Stella got to the game, she saw animals with special tricks. They all wanted to win the (7)______ (8)______. Stella made the biggest, most beautiful rainbow. Everyone cheered. Stella won, but she wished for everyone to always be happy and love each other instead. Now, whenever Stella makes a rainbow, she thinks about making her friends smile.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. What is a unicorn?
2. How would you feel if you could make rainbows like Stella?
3. Do you like playing games? Why or why not?
4. Do you think it’s important to make other people happy? Why or why not?
5. What is a troll?
6. How do you think Stella felt when she won the game?
7. Do you like rainbows? Why or why not?
8. What would you wish for if you had magic dust that made wishes come true? Why?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. unicorn
2. rainbows
3. bridge
4. note
5. excited
6. troll
7. scare
8. rope
9. cheered
10. smile

Meanings:
(A) A piece of paper with a message written on it
(B) A long, thick string
(C) A creature that looks a bit like a person but is not nice in stories
(D) When people shout because they are happy
(E) To make someone feel afraid
(F) A magical horse with one horn on its head
(G) Feeling very happy and like you can’t wait for something
(H) To show you are happy by making your mouth turn up at the ends
(I) Curved lines in the sky with many colors
(J) Something you walk over to get to the other side
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What is the name of the little unicorn in the story?
(a) Stella
(b) Lily
(c) Bella
(d) Daisy

2. What could Stella do with her hair?
(a) Fly in the sky
(b) Make rainbows
(c) Sing beautiful songs
(d) Dance with her friends

3. Where did Stella find the note?
(a) Under a tree
(b) On her horn
(c) In a cave
(d) In a river

4. What did the note say?
(a) Stay away from the rainbow bridge
(b) Find the hidden treasure in the forest
(c) Help the animals in the magical land
(d) Come to a fun game over the rainbow bridge

5. Who did Stella meet at the rainbow bridge?
(a) Sparkle the fairy
(b) Charlie the dragon
(c) Grumble the troll
(d) Bella the mermaid

6. How did Stella cross the bridge safely?
(a) She flew over the bridge with her wings
(b) She swam across the river under the bridge
(c) She made a rope from her rainbow and held on to a cloud
(d) She walked carefully on the rainbow bridge

7. What did Stella win at the game?
(a) A bag of special dust that makes wishes come true
(b) A shiny crown for her head
(c) A big box of colorful balloons
(d) A magical wand that can grant any wish

8. What did Stella wish for?
(a) To have the biggest rainbow in the world
(b) To become the queen of the magical land
(c) To have the power to make wishes come true
(d) Everyone to always be happy and love each other

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Instead of using the magic dust for herself, Stella wished for everyone to be sad and hate each other.
2. Stella won the game by making the biggest and most beautiful rainbow.
3. Stella complimented Grumble’s hair and he let her cross the bridge.
4. Stella made a ladder from her rainbow to safely cross the bridge.
5. The note promised a bag of special dust that grants wishes.
6. Stella is a big unicorn who can make rainbows.
7. Stella found a note on her horn inviting her to a fun game.
8. Stella met a fairy named Grumble at the rainbow bridge.
Go to answers ⇩

📝 Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this story in two sentences. Here are some hints:
Who are the main characters?
What happens in the story?

Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What could Stella do that made her special?
Stella could make rainbows.

2. What did the note say that Stella found on her horn?
The note invited Stella to a game over the rainbow bridge.

3. Who did Stella see at the rainbow bridge?
Stella saw a troll named Grumble at the rainbow bridge.

4. How did Stella get across the bridge safely?
Stella made a rope from her rainbow and held on to a cloud to get across safely.

5. What did Stella wish for when she won the game?
Stella wished for everyone to always be happy and love each other instead.

6. What does Stella think about when she makes a rainbow now?
Stella thinks about making her friends smile when she makes a rainbow now.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) Stella
(2) happy
(3) rainbow
(4) wishes
(5) bridge
(6) cloud
(7) magic
(8) dust
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. unicorn
Answer: (F) A magical horse with one horn on its head

2. rainbows
Answer: (I) Curved lines in the sky with many colors

3. bridge
Answer: (J) Something you walk over to get to the other side

4. note
Answer: (A) A piece of paper with a message written on it

5. excited
Answer: (G) Feeling very happy and like you can’t wait for something

6. troll
Answer: (C) A creature that looks a bit like a person but is not nice in stories

7. scare
Answer: (E) To make someone feel afraid

8. rope
Answer: (B) A long, thick string

9. cheered
Answer: (D) When people shout because they are happy

10. smile
Answer: (H) To show you are happy by making your mouth turn up at the ends
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What is the name of the little unicorn in the story?
Answer: (a) Stella

2. What could Stella do with her hair?
Answer: (b) Make rainbows

3. Where did Stella find the note?
Answer: (b) On her horn

4. What did the note say?
Answer: (d) Come to a fun game over the rainbow bridge

5. Who did Stella meet at the rainbow bridge?
Answer: (c) Grumble the troll

6. How did Stella cross the bridge safely?
Answer: (c) She made a rope from her rainbow and held on to a cloud

7. What did Stella win at the game?
Answer: (a) A bag of special dust that makes wishes come true

8. What did Stella wish for?
Answer: (d) Everyone to always be happy and love each other
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Instead of using the magic dust for herself, Stella wished for everyone to be sad and hate each other. (Answer: False)
2. Stella won the game by making the biggest and most beautiful rainbow. (Answer: True)
3. Stella complimented Grumble’s hair and he let her cross the bridge. (Answer: True)
4. Stella made a ladder from her rainbow to safely cross the bridge. (Answer: False)
5. The note promised a bag of special dust that grants wishes. (Answer: True)
6. Stella is a big unicorn who can make rainbows. (Answer: False)
7. Stella found a note on her horn inviting her to a fun game. (Answer: True)
8. Stella met a fairy named Grumble at the rainbow bridge. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧

📚 How about these other Level 1 stories?

A sleepy snowman named Frosty embarks on a quest to find his missing carrot nose.

The Sleepy Snowman

Frosty the snowman takes a nap, but when his carrot nose goes missing, he goes on an adventure to find it with his animal friends.

Four friends embark on a magical adventure, only to discover that the real treasure is their friendship.

The Four Leaf Clover Quest

Four friends named Lily, Max, Oliver, and Sophie went on an adventure to find a magic clover, but they learned that friendship is the best treasure of all.

A young boy's discovery of a mysterious fossil leads to a village's newfound fame and unity.

The Fantastic Fossil

Max finds a special bone, but decides it should stay in his village instead of going to a museum.

Feedback