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 Snow Queen’s Spell

A brave girl named Lily breaks the Snow Queen's spell with an act of kindness.

Try this story at a different level?

 

In a cold place, there was a Snow Queen who could do magic. She made all the people into ice statues. To undo the magic, someone had to find a special warm crystal in her cold house. A snowman named Frosty watched the crystal for her.

A brave girl named Lily wanted to help. She had to go to the Snow Queen’s house through the snow. Some animals talked to her and wanted to help, too. A fox, an owl, and a squirrel all helped her get to the house.

When Lily got to the house, she had to be sneaky to get past Frosty the snowman. Inside, she found a room with a mirror that only showed nice people. Lily left a present for the Snow Queen.

The Snow Queen found the present and felt happy. The ice statues turned back into people. The Snow Queen and Lily became friends and made the cold place warm and happy. Every year, the people had a party to say thank you for their friendship.

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

📖 Vocabulary:

1difficultHard to do or understand
2magicSpecial tricks that can’t really happen, like in fairy tales
3statuesShapes of people or animals made from hard stuff like rock or ice
4crystalA shiny rock that looks like glass and can be many colors
5sneakyQuiet and careful so no one sees you
6mirrorSomething you look into to see yourself
7presentA gift you give to someone
8happyFeeling good and smiling
9friendsPeople who like each other and play together
10partyA fun time with music, dancing, and cake

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. Who could do magic in the cold place?
2. What did the Snow Queen turn the people into?
3. What did Lily have to find in the Snow Queen’s house?
4. Who helped Lily get to the Snow Queen’s house?
5. How did Lily get past Frosty the snowman?
6. What happened when the Snow Queen found the present?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

In a cold (1)______, there was a Snow Queen who could do magic. She made all the people into ice (2)______. To undo the magic, someone had to find a special warm crystal in her cold house. A snowman named Frosty watched the crystal for her.

A brave girl named Lily wanted to help. She had to go to the Snow Queen’s (3)______ through the snow. Some animals (4)______ to her and wanted to help, too. A fox, an owl, and a squirrel all helped her get to the house.

When Lily got to the house, she had to be (5)______ to get past Frosty the snowman. Inside, she found a room with a mirror that only (6)______ nice people. Lily left a present for the Snow Queen.

The Snow Queen found the present and felt happy. The ice statues turned back into people. The Snow Queen and Lily became friends and (7)______ the cold place warm and happy. Every year, the people had a (8)______ to say thank you for their friendship.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a Snow Queen?
2. How would you feel if you were turned into an ice statue?
3. Do you like snow? Why or why not?
4. What do you think Frosty the snowman did all day?
5. How would you be sneaky to get past Frosty?
6. Do you think the Snow Queen was happy when she found the present? Why or why not?
7. Why do you think the people had a party at the end of the story?
8. Have you ever made a new friend? How did you become friends?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. difficult
2. magic
3. statues
4. crystal
5. sneaky
6. mirror
7. present
8. happy
9. friends
10. party

Meanings:
(A) A gift you give to someone
(B) A shiny rock that looks like glass and can be many colors
(C) Shapes of people or animals made from hard stuff like rock or ice
(D) Quiet and careful so no one sees you
(E) Something you look into to see yourself
(F) People who like each other and play together
(G) Special tricks that can’t really happen, like in fairy tales
(H) A fun time with music, dancing, and cake
(I) Hard to do or understand
(J) Feeling good and smiling
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Who could do magic?
(a) Lily
(b) Frosty
(c) The animals
(d) The Snow Queen

2. What did the Snow Queen turn the people into?
(a) Snowballs
(b) Ice statues
(c) Trees
(d) Flowers

3. What did Lily have to find in the Snow Queen’s house?
(a) A magic wand
(b) A warm crystal
(c) A golden key
(d) A secret book

4. Who watched the warm crystal for the Snow Queen?
(a) Lily
(b) The animals
(c) The people
(d) Frosty the snowman

5. Who helped Lily get to the Snow Queen’s house?
(a) The fox, the owl, and the squirrel
(b) Frosty the snowman
(c) The ice statues
(d) The Snow Queen

6. What did Lily have to do to get past Frosty the snowman?
(a) Be loud
(b) Be funny
(c) Be sneaky
(d) Be brave

7. What did Lily leave for the Snow Queen?
(a) A note
(b) A flower
(c) A present
(d) A toy

8. What happened when the Snow Queen found the present?
(a) The ice statues turned back into people
(b) The snow melted
(c) The animals became friends with the Snow Queen
(d) Lily became the new Snow Queen

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. A brave girl named Lily wanted to help and had to go through the snow to get to the Snow Queen’s house.
2. Inside the house, Lily found a room with a special mirror that only showed mean people.
3. Some animals, like a fox, an owl, and a squirrel, didn’t talk to Lily and didn’t want to help her.
4. A snowman named Frosty ignored the warm crystal for the Snow Queen.
5. To undo the magic, someone had to find a special warm crystal in the Snow Queen’s cold house.
6. Lily left a present for the Snow Queen, which made her happy and turned the ice statues back into people.
7. There was a Snow Queen who could do magic and she turned people into ice statues.
8. Lily had to be bold to get past Frosty the snowman and enter the Snow Queen’s house.
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 could do magic in the cold place?
The Snow Queen could do magic in the cold place.

2. What did the Snow Queen turn the people into?
The Snow Queen turned the people into ice statues.

3. What did Lily have to find in the Snow Queen’s house?
Lily had to find a special warm crystal in the Snow Queen’s house.

4. Who helped Lily get to the Snow Queen’s house?
A fox, an owl, and a squirrel helped Lily get to the Snow Queen’s house.

5. How did Lily get past Frosty the snowman?
Lily had to be sneaky to get past Frosty the snowman.

6. What happened when the Snow Queen found the present?
When the Snow Queen found the present, she felt happy and the ice statues turned back into people.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) place
(2) statues
(3) house
(4) talked
(5) sneaky
(6) showed
(7) made
(8) party
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

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

2. magic
Answer: (G) Special tricks that can’t really happen, like in fairy tales

3. statues
Answer: (C) Shapes of people or animals made from hard stuff like rock or ice

4. crystal
Answer: (B) A shiny rock that looks like glass and can be many colors

5. sneaky
Answer: (D) Quiet and careful so no one sees you

6. mirror
Answer: (E) Something you look into to see yourself

7. present
Answer: (A) A gift you give to someone

8. happy
Answer: (J) Feeling good and smiling

9. friends
Answer: (F) People who like each other and play together

10. party
Answer: (H) A fun time with music, dancing, and cake
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. Who could do magic?
Answer: (d) The Snow Queen

2. What did the Snow Queen turn the people into?
Answer: (b) Ice statues

3. What did Lily have to find in the Snow Queen’s house?
Answer: (b) A warm crystal

4. Who watched the warm crystal for the Snow Queen?
Answer: (d) Frosty the snowman

5. Who helped Lily get to the Snow Queen’s house?
Answer: (a) The fox, the owl, and the squirrel

6. What did Lily have to do to get past Frosty the snowman?
Answer: (c) Be sneaky

7. What did Lily leave for the Snow Queen?
Answer: (c) A present

8. What happened when the Snow Queen found the present?
Answer: (a) The ice statues turned back into people
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. A brave girl named Lily wanted to help and had to go through the snow to get to the Snow Queen’s house. (Answer: True)
2. Inside the house, Lily found a room with a special mirror that only showed mean people. (Answer: False)
3. Some animals, like a fox, an owl, and a squirrel, didn’t talk to Lily and didn’t want to help her. (Answer: False)
4. A snowman named Frosty ignored the warm crystal for the Snow Queen. (Answer: False)
5. To undo the magic, someone had to find a special warm crystal in the Snow Queen’s cold house. (Answer: True)
6. Lily left a present for the Snow Queen, which made her happy and turned the ice statues back into people. (Answer: True)
7. There was a Snow Queen who could do magic and she turned people into ice statues. (Answer: True)
8. Lily had to be bold to get past Frosty the snowman and enter the Snow Queen’s house. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧

📚 How about these other Level 1 stories?

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