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!

Bella’s Balloon Ride

Bella's backyard adventure takes an unexpected twist when mischievous animals join her hot air balloon ride.

Try this story at a different level?

 

Bella loved big fun. One day, she found a big, colorful balloon in her yard. She jumped in and flew up, up, up! Bella was so happy but didn’t know what would happen next.

A naughty squirrel was eating in the balloon. It dropped its food and ran. The balloon shook and went fast. Bella held tight and laughed loud. She flew over houses and trees.

Birds came to play with Bella in the sky. They flew around the balloon and made noise. Bella tried to shoo them away but laughed a lot. The birds made it a fun game.

The wind blew Bella’s balloon near a green forest. She saw funny monkeys there. They copied what Bella did. Then, the balloon went down and landed softly. Bella was safe at home and felt so happy. She knew every day could be a big, fun adventure.

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

📖 Vocabulary:

1adventureA fun trip where you don’t know what will happen
2balloonA big round thing that can float up in the air
3naughtyWhen someone is a little bit bad in a playful way
4squirrelA small animal with a bushy tail that climbs trees
5forestA place with lots of trees and plants
6monkeysAnimals that can swing from trees and are funny
7copiedDid the same thing someone else did
8landedCame down from the air to the ground
9tightHolding on to something very hard
10shooTelling someone or something to go away with your hands or voice

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What did Bella find in her yard?
2. What happened when Bella jumped into the balloon?
3. Who came to play with Bella in the sky?
4. What did the birds do to make it a fun game?
5. Where did the wind blow Bella’s balloon?
6. How did Bella feel when she landed safely at home?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Bella (1)______ big fun. One day, she found a big, colorful balloon in her yard. She (2)______ in and flew up, up, up! Bella was so happy but didn’t know what would happen next.

A naughty squirrel was eating in the (3)______. It dropped its (4)______ and ran. The balloon shook and went fast. Bella held tight and laughed loud. She flew over houses and trees.

Birds came to play with Bella in the sky. They flew around the balloon and (5)______ noise. Bella tried to shoo them away but laughed a lot. The birds made it a fun game.

The (6)______ blew Bella’s balloon near a green forest. She saw funny monkeys there. They copied what Bella did. Then, the balloon went down and landed softly. Bella was safe at home and (7)______ so happy. She (8)______ every day could be a big, fun adventure.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a balloon?
2. How would you feel if you found a big, colorful balloon in your yard?
3. Do you like flying in a balloon? Why or why not?
4. What do you think happened when the squirrel dropped its food in the balloon?
5. How would you feel if birds came to play with you in the sky?
6. Do you like playing games with birds? Why or why not?
7. What do you think the monkeys did when they saw Bella in the balloon?
8. How would you feel if you had a big, fun adventure every day?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. adventure
2. balloon
3. naughty
4. squirrel
5. forest
6. monkeys
7. copied
8. landed
9. tight
10. shoo

Meanings:
(A) Came down from the air to the ground
(B) A place with lots of trees and plants
(C) A big round thing that can float up in the air
(D) Did the same thing someone else did
(E) Animals that can swing from trees and are funny
(F) Holding on to something very hard
(G) Telling someone or something to go away with your hands or voice
(H) A small animal with a bushy tail that climbs trees
(I) A fun trip where you don’t know what will happen
(J) When someone is a little bit bad in a playful way
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What did Bella find in her yard?
(a) a balloon
(b) a kite
(c) a ball
(d) a toy

2. What did the squirrel drop from the balloon?
(a) a toy
(b) a book
(c) a ball
(d) its food

3. Where did Bella fly over?
(a) cars and buildings
(b) mountains and rivers
(c) houses and trees
(d) parks and playgrounds

4. Who came to play with Bella in the sky?
(a) dogs
(b) cats
(c) fish
(d) birds

5. What did the birds do around the balloon?
(a) flew away and hid
(b) flew around and made noise
(c) sat on the balloon quietly
(d) sang a song for Bella

6. Where did the wind blow Bella’s balloon?
(a) near a blue ocean
(b) near a green forest
(c) near a tall mountain
(d) near a big city

7. What did Bella see in the green forest?
(a) funny monkeys
(b) scary lions
(c) cute rabbits
(d) big elephants

8. How did Bella feel when she landed safely at home?
(a) sad
(b) angry
(c) happy
(d) scared

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. The wind blew Bella’s balloon near a green forest with funny monkeys.
2. Birds avoided Bella in the sky and made it a boring game.
3. Bella tried to shoo the birds away but ended up laughing a lot.
4. The balloon stayed still and went slow, but Bella let go and cried.
5. The balloon crashed roughly and Bella felt scared at home, knowing every day could be a dull, mundane routine.
6. A well-behaved squirrel was sleeping in the balloon and kept its food.
7. Bella found a big, colorful balloon in her yard.
8. Bella flew up, up, up in the balloon and felt very happy.
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 did Bella find in her yard?
Bella found a big, colorful balloon in her yard.

2. What happened when Bella jumped into the balloon?
When Bella jumped into the balloon, it started shaking and went up into the sky.

3. Who came to play with Bella in the sky?
Birds came to play with Bella in the sky.

4. What did the birds do to make it a fun game?
The birds flew around the balloon and made noise, which made it a fun game for Bella.

5. Where did the wind blow Bella’s balloon?
The wind blew Bella’s balloon near a green forest.

6. How did Bella feel when she landed safely at home?
Bella felt happy when she landed safely at home.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) loved
(2) jumped
(3) balloon
(4) food
(5) made
(6) wind
(7) felt
(8) knew
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. adventure
Answer: (I) A fun trip where you don’t know what will happen

2. balloon
Answer: (C) A big round thing that can float up in the air

3. naughty
Answer: (J) When someone is a little bit bad in a playful way

4. squirrel
Answer: (H) A small animal with a bushy tail that climbs trees

5. forest
Answer: (B) A place with lots of trees and plants

6. monkeys
Answer: (E) Animals that can swing from trees and are funny

7. copied
Answer: (D) Did the same thing someone else did

8. landed
Answer: (A) Came down from the air to the ground

9. tight
Answer: (F) Holding on to something very hard

10. shoo
Answer: (G) Telling someone or something to go away with your hands or voice
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What did Bella find in her yard?
Answer: (a) a balloon

2. What did the squirrel drop from the balloon?
Answer: (d) its food

3. Where did Bella fly over?
Answer: (c) houses and trees

4. Who came to play with Bella in the sky?
Answer: (d) birds

5. What did the birds do around the balloon?
Answer: (b) flew around and made noise

6. Where did the wind blow Bella’s balloon?
Answer: (b) near a green forest

7. What did Bella see in the green forest?
Answer: (a) funny monkeys

8. How did Bella feel when she landed safely at home?
Answer: (c) happy
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. The wind blew Bella’s balloon near a green forest with funny monkeys. (Answer: True)
2. Birds avoided Bella in the sky and made it a boring game. (Answer: False)
3. Bella tried to shoo the birds away but ended up laughing a lot. (Answer: True)
4. The balloon stayed still and went slow, but Bella let go and cried. (Answer: False)
5. The balloon crashed roughly and Bella felt scared at home, knowing every day could be a dull, mundane routine. (Answer: False)
6. A well-behaved squirrel was sleeping in the balloon and kept its food. (Answer: False)
7. Bella found a big, colorful balloon in her yard. (Answer: True)
8. Bella flew up, up, up in the balloon and felt very happy. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧

📚 How about these other Level 1 stories?

A unique tiger with tangerine stripes leads his animal friends on a quest for a magical fruit, only to discover that true magic lies in friendship and laughter.

The Tale of the Tangerine Tiger

The Tangerine Tiger and his friends went on an adventure to find a special fruit that gives superpowers, but they realized that having fun and being friends is even better.

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

The Rainbow Bridge

Stella the unicorn loves making rainbows and goes on an adventure to win special magic dust.

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