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 Talking Teapot

In a small village nestled deep in a magical forest, a little girl named Lily discovers a talking teapot with the power to grant wishes.

Try this story at a different level?

 

Once upon a time, there was a girl named Lily. She lived in a small village in a forest with magic. She found a teapot that could talk. Its name was Timothy, and it could make wishes come true.

Lily made a wish. She wished for everyone in the village to have lots of food. Then, the village had fruits, vegetables, and yummy things to eat. The people were so happy.

A bad witch wanted the teapot because it was special. She took it from Lily with her magic. But the teapot was smart. It ran away from the witch and found Lily again.

The teapot and Lily tricked the witch and saved the village. All the magic friends helped them. Now, the teapot stays in the village, and the people are kind and share with everyone.

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

📖 Vocabulary:

1villageA place where people live, smaller than a city
2forestA place with many trees and animals
3teapotA pot for making hot drinks like tea
4wishesThings you want to happen
5fruitsSweet food that grows on trees or plants
6vegetablesPlants that you can eat, like carrots and peas
7witchA woman in stories who can do spells
8specialVery important or not like other things
9trickedMade someone believe something that was not true
10magicWhen things happen that cannot be explained, like in fairy tales

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. Who is the main character in the story?
2. What did Lily find in the forest?
3. What did Lily wish for?
4. Who took the teapot from Lily?
5. How did the teapot and Lily save the village?
6. Where does the teapot stay now?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Once upon a time, there was a girl named Lily. She lived in a (1)______ village in a forest with (2)______. She found a teapot that could talk. Its name was Timothy, and it could make wishes come true.

Lily (3)______ a wish. She (4)______ for everyone in the village to have lots of food. Then, the village had fruits, vegetables, and yummy things to eat. The people were so happy.

A bad witch (5)______ the teapot because it was (6)______. She took it from Lily with her magic. But the teapot was smart. It ran away from the witch and found Lily again.

The teapot and Lily tricked the witch and saved the village. All the magic friends helped them. Now, the teapot (7)______ in the village, and the people are (8)______ and share with everyone.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a teapot?
2. How would you feel if you found a teapot that could talk?
3. Do you like fruits and vegetables? Why or why not?
4. Do you think it’s important to share with everyone? Why or why not?
5. How do you think the teapot and Lily tricked the witch?
6. What do you think the people in the village did when they had lots of food?
7. If you had a magic teapot, what would you wish for?
8. Do you believe in magic? Why or why not?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. village
2. forest
3. teapot
4. wishes
5. fruits
6. vegetables
7. witch
8. special
9. tricked
10. magic

Meanings:
(A) Very important or not like other things
(B) When things happen that cannot be explained, like in fairy tales
(C) Plants that you can eat, like carrots and peas
(D) A woman in stories who can do spells
(E) A place with many trees and animals
(F) Made someone believe something that was not true
(G) A place where people live, smaller than a city
(H) Sweet food that grows on trees or plants
(I) Things you want to happen
(J) A pot for making hot drinks like tea
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What is the name of the girl in the story?
(a) Rose
(b) Daisy
(c) Violet
(d) Lily

2. What did Lily find in the forest?
(a) A book
(b) A toy
(c) A teapot
(d) A ball

3. What could the teapot do?
(a) Dance
(b) Talk
(c) Sing
(d) Fly

4. What did Lily wish for?
(a) Lots of toys
(b) Lots of food
(c) Lots of money
(d) Lots of clothes

5. Who took the teapot from Lily?
(a) A witch
(b) A wizard
(c) A fairy
(d) A troll

6. How did the teapot escape from the witch?
(a) It flew away
(b) It hid in a tree
(c) It turned invisible
(d) It ran away

7. Who helped Lily and the teapot trick the witch?
(a) The animals
(b) The villagers
(c) The magic friends
(d) Lily’s parents

8. Where does the teapot stay now?
(a) In the village
(b) In the forest
(c) In a castle
(d) In a cave

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. There was a girl named Lily who lived in a small village in a magical forest.
2. Lily made a wish for no one in the village to have any delicious food.
3. Together, the teapot and Lily tricked the witch and saved the village with the help of their magical friends.
4. The teapot had the power to make wishes come true.
5. A good witch wanted the teapot because it was special and gave it to Lily using her magic.
6. The teapot was clever and ran away from the witch, finding Lily again.
7. There was no girl named Lily who lived in a small village in a magical forest.
8. Lily found a special teapot that could talk and its name was Timothy.
9. The wish did not come true and the village did not have plenty of fruits, vegetables, and yummy things to eat.
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?
Lily.

2. What did Lily find in the forest?
Lily found a teapot.

3. What did Lily wish for?
Lily wished for everyone in the village to have lots of food.

4. Who took the teapot from Lily?
A bad witch took the teapot from Lily.

5. How did the teapot and Lily save the village?
The teapot and Lily tricked the witch and with the help of their magic friends, they saved the village.

6. Where does the teapot stay now?
The teapot stays in the village.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) small
(2) magic
(3) made
(4) wished
(5) wanted
(6) special
(7) stays
(8) kind
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. village
Answer: (G) A place where people live, smaller than a city

2. forest
Answer: (E) A place with many trees and animals

3. teapot
Answer: (J) A pot for making hot drinks like tea

4. wishes
Answer: (I) Things you want to happen

5. fruits
Answer: (H) Sweet food that grows on trees or plants

6. vegetables
Answer: (C) Plants that you can eat, like carrots and peas

7. witch
Answer: (D) A woman in stories who can do spells

8. special
Answer: (A) Very important or not like other things

9. tricked
Answer: (F) Made someone believe something that was not true

10. magic
Answer: (B) When things happen that cannot be explained, like in fairy tales
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What is the name of the girl in the story?
Answer: (d) Lily

2. What did Lily find in the forest?
Answer: (c) A teapot

3. What could the teapot do?
Answer: (b) Talk

4. What did Lily wish for?
Answer: (b) Lots of food

5. Who took the teapot from Lily?
Answer: (a) A witch

6. How did the teapot escape from the witch?
Answer: (d) It ran away

7. Who helped Lily and the teapot trick the witch?
Answer: (c) The magic friends

8. Where does the teapot stay now?
Answer: (a) In the village
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. There was a girl named Lily who lived in a small village in a magical forest. (Answer: False)
2. Lily made a wish for no one in the village to have any delicious food. (Answer: False)
3. Together, the teapot and Lily tricked the witch and saved the village with the help of their magical friends. (Answer: True)
4. The teapot had the power to make wishes come true. (Answer: True)
5. A good witch wanted the teapot because it was special and gave it to Lily using her magic. (Answer: False)
6. The teapot was clever and ran away from the witch, finding Lily again. (Answer: True)
7. There was no girl named Lily who lived in a small village in a magical forest. (Answer: False)
8. Lily found a special teapot that could talk and its name was Timothy. (Answer: True)
9. The wish did not come true and the village did not have plenty of fruits, vegetables, and yummy things to eat. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧

📚 How about these other Level 1 stories?

The Island of Cats

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

A little girl named Mia embarks on a magical adventure through the Candy Kingdom after awakening a Jelly Bean Tree.

The Jelly Bean Tree

Mia found a magical jelly bean tree that turned into a talking candy carriage, and they went on a yummy adventure together.

The Brave Knight

Once upon a time, there was a brave knight named Sir Richard. He lived in a castle with his family,

Polly's determination pays off when she finds her lost puppy safe and sound.

Polly’s New Puppy

Polly really wanted a puppy, so she worked hard and her mom and dad surprised her with one named Buttercup.

The Cloudy Day

Once upon a time there was a little girl named Sarah. She was determined to have a good day no

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.

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