Paul Holmes -
University
English Professor

Free Materials For ESL Teachers and Learners

Short Stories for Kids

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The Playful Penguin’s Party

Peter the mischievous penguin learns the importance of bringing joy to others through a grand party.

Try this story at a different level?

 

In a cold place with snow and penguins, there was a fun penguin named Peter. Peter loved to play and have parties. One day, he looked at the blue sky and said, “I want to have a big party for all the penguins!”

All the penguins got ready for Peter’s party. Peter put up lots of pretty colors and the fish brought food. But Peter forgot music for the party! He needed music to make the party fun.

Peter had a friend, Sammy the seal, who was good at music. Peter asked Sammy for help. Sammy said yes, and they made a happy song for the penguins to dance to at the party.

On party day, the penguins came in their best clothes. When the music started, everyone danced and had a great time. Peter was happy to see his friends laughing. He learned that making friends happy is the best thing to do. Peter wanted to make his friends happy every day.

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

📖 Vocabulary:

1difficultHard to do or understand
2penguinsBirds that cannot fly and live where it is very cold
3partiesFun times when you celebrate with others
4colorsRed, blue, green, and all the others you see in a rainbow
5musicSounds that you can sing to or that make you want to move
6danceTo move your body to sounds in a fun way
7friendSomeone you like to play and spend time with
8clothesWhat you wear, like shirts, pants, or dresses
9laughingMaking sounds with your mouth when something is funny
10happyFeeling really good inside

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. Who is the main character in the story?
2. What did Peter want to have for all the penguins?
3. Who did Peter ask for help with the music?
4. What did the penguins wear to the party?
5. What did Peter learn about making friends happy?
6. What did Peter want to do every day for his friends?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

In a cold place with snow and (1)______s, there was a fun penguin (2)______ Peter. Peter loved to play and have parties. One day, he looked at the blue sky and said, “I want to have a big party for all the penguins!”

All the penguins got (3)______ for Peter’s party. Peter put up lots of pretty colors and the (4)______ brought food. But Peter forgot music for the party! He needed music to make the party fun.

Peter had a friend, Sammy the seal, who was good at music. Peter asked Sammy for help. Sammy said yes, and they made a happy song for the penguins to dance to at the (5)______.

On party day, the penguins came in their best (6)______. When the (7)______ started, everyone danced and had a great time. Peter was happy to see his friends (8)______. He learned that making friends happy is the best thing to do. Peter wanted to make his friends happy every day.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a penguin?
2. How would you feel if you were at Peter’s party?
3. Do you like parties? Why or why not?
4. What is music?
5. How would you feel if you forgot something important for a party?
6. Do you like dancing? Why or why not?
7. What is a friend?
8. Do you think it’s important to make your friends happy? Why or why not?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. difficult
2. penguins
3. parties
4. colors
5. music
6. dance
7. friend
8. clothes
9. laughing
10. happy

Meanings:
(A) Someone you like to play and spend time with
(B) Fun times when you celebrate with others
(C) Birds that cannot fly and live where it is very cold
(D) What you wear, like shirts, pants, or dresses
(E) Red, blue, green, and all the others you see in a rainbow
(F) To move your body to sounds in a fun way
(G) Sounds that you can sing to or that make you want to move
(H) Feeling really good inside
(I) Hard to do or understand
(J) Making sounds with your mouth when something is funny
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Who is the main character of the story?
(a) Sammy
(b) Watson
(c) Peter
(d) Robert

2. What did Peter want to have for all the penguins?
(a) A small party
(b) A big party
(c) A picnic
(d) A nap

3. What did Peter forget for the party?
(a) Music
(b) Food
(c) Games
(d) Presents

4. Who did Peter ask for help with the music?
(a) Watson the penguin
(b) Robert the fish
(c) Sammy the seal
(d) Jones the polar bear

5. What did Peter and Sammy make for the penguins to dance to?
(a) A sad song
(b) A scary song
(c) A quiet song
(d) A happy song

6. What did the penguins wear to the party?
(a) Their best clothes
(b) Their pajamas
(c) Their swimsuits
(d) Their school uniforms

7. What did the penguins do when the music started?
(a) Sleep
(b) Eat
(c) Cry
(d) Dance

8. What did Peter learn from the party?
(a) Making friends sad is the best thing to do
(b) Making friends happy is the best thing to do
(c) Making friends angry is the best thing to do
(d) Making friends tired is the best thing to do

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Peter asked his friend Sammy the seal for help with the music.
2. Peter learned that making his friends happy is the best thing to do and wanted to do it every day.
3. On party day, all the penguins came dressed in their best clothes.
4. Sammy refused to help and they didn’t make a happy song for the party.
5. When the music started, everyone danced and had a great time.
6. Peter wanted to have a small party for only a few penguins.
7. Peter is a penguin who hates to play and attend parties.
8. Peter remembered to bring music for the party and didn’t need any help.
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. Who is the main character in the story?
Peter is the main character in the story.

2. What did Peter want to have for all the penguins?
Peter wanted to have a big party for all the penguins.

3. Who did Peter ask for help with the music?
Peter asked Sammy the seal for help with the music.

4. What did the penguins wear to the party?
The penguins wore their best clothes to the party.

5. What did Peter learn about making friends happy?
Peter learned that making friends happy is the best thing to do.

6. What did Peter want to do every day for his friends?
Peter wanted to make his friends happy every day.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) penguin
(2) named
(3) ready
(4) fish
(5) party
(6) clothes
(7) music
(8) laughing
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. difficult
Answer: (I) Hard to do or understand

2. penguins
Answer: (C) Birds that cannot fly and live where it is very cold

3. parties
Answer: (B) Fun times when you celebrate with others

4. colors
Answer: (E) Red, blue, green, and all the others you see in a rainbow

5. music
Answer: (G) Sounds that you can sing to or that make you want to move

6. dance
Answer: (F) To move your body to sounds in a fun way

7. friend
Answer: (A) Someone you like to play and spend time with

8. clothes
Answer: (D) What you wear, like shirts, pants, or dresses

9. laughing
Answer: (J) Making sounds with your mouth when something is funny

10. happy
Answer: (H) Feeling really good inside
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. Who is the main character of the story?
Answer: (c) Peter

2. What did Peter want to have for all the penguins?
Answer: (b) A big party

3. What did Peter forget for the party?
Answer: (a) Music

4. Who did Peter ask for help with the music?
Answer: (c) Sammy the seal

5. What did Peter and Sammy make for the penguins to dance to?
Answer: (d) A happy song

6. What did the penguins wear to the party?
Answer: (a) Their best clothes

7. What did the penguins do when the music started?
Answer: (d) Dance

8. What did Peter learn from the party?
Answer: (b) Making friends happy is the best thing to do
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Peter asked his friend Sammy the seal for help with the music. (Answer: True)
2. Peter learned that making his friends happy is the best thing to do and wanted to do it every day. (Answer: True)
3. On party day, all the penguins came dressed in their best clothes. (Answer: True)
4. Sammy refused to help and they didn’t make a happy song for the party. (Answer: False)
5. When the music started, everyone danced and had a great time. (Answer: True)
6. Peter wanted to have a small party for only a few penguins. (Answer: False)
7. Peter is a penguin who hates to play and attend parties. (Answer: False)
8. Peter remembered to bring music for the party and didn’t need any help. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧

📚 How about these other Level 1 stories?

A jolly jellyfish named Finley gets lost in the deep sea but finds new friends along the way.

The Jolly Jellyfish

Finley the jellyfish got lost in the sea, but with the help of new friends, he found his way home.

The Castle in the Clouds

Lily climbed a big mountain and found a magical castle where she helped a friendly man find his lost key with the help of talking animals.

A little girl named Lily saves her town from darkness by convincing mischievous squirrels to return stolen sunflowers.

The Day the Sun Forgot to Rise

Once upon a time, there was a town that got scared when the sun didn’t come up. A brave girl named Lily found squirrels taking sunflowers, and she told them to put them back. The people in the town planted the flowers again and sang to make the sun come back. They learned that being hopeful is important, and the sun always came up after that day.

The Island of Cats

Once upon a time, there was a small island in the middle of the ocean. It was a magical place

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