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!

Fluffy’s Fantastic Flight

A determined cat named Fluffy builds a flying contraption and learns the importance of seeking guidance.

Try this story at a different level?

 

In a small, quiet town, there was a fluffy cat named Fluffy who wished he could fly. He didn’t have wings, but he was not going to give up. So, he made a plan to build a machine that could fly!

Fluffy worked hard, gathering twigs and cloth to make his flying machine. After a few days, he was ready to test it. With a push of a button, the machine started, and Fluffy zoomed up into the air!

Flying was amazing, and Fluffy felt very happy. But soon, he looked down and got scared because he was really high and didn’t know how to steer. He was lost and didn’t know how to get back to the ground.

Just then, some friendly seagulls saw Fluffy and helped him land safely in a field. They showed him the way back home. Fluffy was thankful and learned he should know how to use something before going on a big adventure.

Back home, Fluffy was happy and felt lucky to have his town and friends. He learned it’s good to ask for help and to keep trying to make your dreams come true. Fluffy’s story of flying became famous in town, and it taught everyone a lesson about working together and not giving up on dreams.

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

📖 Vocabulary:

1fluffySoft and light like fur or feathers
2machineA device that does a certain job
3gatheringCollecting things from different places
4zoomedMoved very fast
5steerTo control the direction something is going
6seagullsBirds that live near the sea
7thankfulFeeling happy and grateful
8adventureAn exciting experience or trip
9famousKnown by many people
10lessonSomething you learn, often from experience
11working togetherPeople helping each other to do something
12dreamsThings you hope and wish for in the future

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What did Fluffy wish he could do?
2. How did Fluffy plan to make his wish come true?
3. What did Fluffy use to build his flying machine?
4. What happened when Fluffy tested his machine?
5. Who helped Fluffy when he got scared and lost in the air?
6. What lesson did Fluffy learn from his adventure?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

In a (1)______, quiet town, there was a fluffy cat (2)______ Fluffy who wished he could fly. He didn’t have wings, but he was not going to give up. So, he made a plan to (3)______ a machine that could fly!

Fluffy worked hard, gathering twigs and cloth to make his flying machine. After a few days, he was ready to test it. With a push of a button, the (4)______ started, and Fluffy zoomed up into the air!

(5)______ was amazing, and Fluffy (6)______ very happy. But soon, he looked down and got scared because he was really high and didn’t know how to steer. He was lost and didn’t know how to get back to the ground.

Just then, some friendly seagulls saw Fluffy and (7)______ him (8)______ safely in a field. They showed him the way back home. Fluffy was (9)______ and learned he should know how to use something before going on a big adventure.

Back home, Fluffy was happy and felt lucky to have his town and friends. He learned it’s good to ask for help and to (10)______ trying to make your dreams (11)______ true. Fluffy’s story of flying became famous in town, and it taught everyone a (12)______ about working together and not giving up on dreams.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a dream that you have?
2. How would you feel if you could fly like Fluffy?
3. Do you like asking for help when you need it? Why or why not?
4. Do you think it’s important to keep trying even if something is difficult? Why or why not?
5. What would you do if you were lost and didn’t know how to get back home?
6. How do you think Fluffy felt when the seagulls helped him land safely?
7. Why do you think Fluffy’s story became famous in the town?
8. What is something you have learned from Fluffy’s story about dreams and working together?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. fluffy
2. machine
3. gathering
4. zoomed
5. steer
6. seagulls
7. thankful
8. adventure
9. famous
10. lesson
11. working together
12. dreams

Meanings:
(A) Feeling happy and grateful
(B) Things you hope and wish for in the future
(C) Moved very fast
(D) A device that does a certain job
(E) To control the direction something is going
(F) Known by many people
(G) People helping each other to do something
(H) Soft and light like fur or feathers
(I) An exciting experience or trip
(J) Collecting things from different places
(K) Birds that live near the sea
(L) Something you learn, often from experience
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What is the name of the fluffy cat in the story?
(a) Whiskers
(b) Fluffy
(c) Mittens
(d) Paws

2. What did Fluffy want to do?
(a) Swim
(b) Climb trees
(c) Run fast
(d) Fly

3. What did Fluffy use to build his flying machine?
(a) Metal and plastic
(b) Twigs and cloth
(c) Paper and glue
(d) Rocks and sticks

4. What happened when Fluffy pushed the button on his machine?
(a) The machine started and he flew into the air
(b) The machine broke and he fell to the ground
(c) The machine made a loud noise and scared him
(d) The machine didn’t work and he was disappointed

5. Why did Fluffy get scared while flying?
(a) He saw a big storm approaching
(b) He realized he forgot to bring his lunch
(c) He was really high and didn’t know how to steer
(d) He saw a bird flying towards him

6. Who helped Fluffy land safely in a field?
(a) Squirrels
(b) Rabbits
(c) Butterflies
(d) Seagulls

7. What lesson did Fluffy learn from his adventure?
(a) He should never try to fly again
(b) He should always stay close to the ground
(c) He should know how to use something before going on a big adventure
(d) He should never ask for help

8. What happened to Fluffy’s story in the end?
(a) It became famous in town and taught everyone a lesson about working together and not giving up on dreams
(b) It was forgotten and no one ever talked about it again
(c) It was turned into a movie and Fluffy became a famous actor
(d) It was written in a book and sold millions of copies

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Fluffy successfully tested his flying machine and soared into the air.
2. Fluffy’s story of flying didn’t become famous in his town and didn’t teach anyone a lesson about teamwork and perseverance.
3. Fluffy, the cat, wanted to fly even though he didn’t have wings.
4. Unfriendly seagulls ignored Fluffy’s plea for help and didn’t assist him in landing safely.
5. Fluffy gathered twigs and cloth to build a machine that could fly.
6. Fluffy failed to realize the importance of knowing how to use something before going on a big adventure.
7. Fluffy got lost after the seagulls didn’t show him the way back home.
8. Fluffy got scared when he realized he didn’t know how to steer the machine.
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 Fluffy wish he could do?
Fluffy wished he could fly.

2. How did Fluffy plan to make his wish come true?
Fluffy planned to build a machine that could fly.

3. What did Fluffy use to build his flying machine?
Fluffy used twigs and cloth to build his flying machine.

4. What happened when Fluffy tested his machine?
When Fluffy tested his machine, he flew up into the air but got scared because he didn’t know how to steer.

5. Who helped Fluffy when he got scared and lost in the air?
Some friendly seagulls helped Fluffy when he got scared and lost in the air.

6. What lesson did Fluffy learn from his adventure?
Fluffy learned that it’s good to ask for help and to keep trying to make your dreams come true.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) small
(2) named
(3) build
(4) machine
(5) Flying
(6) felt
(7) helped
(8) land
(9) thankful
(10) keep
(11) come
(12) lesson
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. fluffy
Answer: (H) Soft and light like fur or feathers

2. machine
Answer: (D) A device that does a certain job

3. gathering
Answer: (J) Collecting things from different places

4. zoomed
Answer: (C) Moved very fast

5. steer
Answer: (E) To control the direction something is going

6. seagulls
Answer: (K) Birds that live near the sea

7. thankful
Answer: (A) Feeling happy and grateful

8. adventure
Answer: (I) An exciting experience or trip

9. famous
Answer: (F) Known by many people

10. lesson
Answer: (L) Something you learn, often from experience

11. working together
Answer: (G) People helping each other to do something

12. dreams
Answer: (B) Things you hope and wish for in the future
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What is the name of the fluffy cat in the story?
Answer: (b) Fluffy

2. What did Fluffy want to do?
Answer: (d) Fly

3. What did Fluffy use to build his flying machine?
Answer: (b) Twigs and cloth

4. What happened when Fluffy pushed the button on his machine?
Answer: (a) The machine started and he flew into the air

5. Why did Fluffy get scared while flying?
Answer: (c) He was really high and didn’t know how to steer

6. Who helped Fluffy land safely in a field?
Answer: (d) Seagulls

7. What lesson did Fluffy learn from his adventure?
Answer: (c) He should know how to use something before going on a big adventure

8. What happened to Fluffy’s story in the end?
Answer: (a) It became famous in town and taught everyone a lesson about working together and not giving up on dreams
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Fluffy successfully tested his flying machine and soared into the air. (Answer: True)
2. Fluffy’s story of flying didn’t become famous in his town and didn’t teach anyone a lesson about teamwork and perseverance. (Answer: False)
3. Fluffy, the cat, wanted to fly even though he didn’t have wings. (Answer: True)
4. Unfriendly seagulls ignored Fluffy’s plea for help and didn’t assist him in landing safely. (Answer: False)
5. Fluffy gathered twigs and cloth to build a machine that could fly. (Answer: True)
6. Fluffy failed to realize the importance of knowing how to use something before going on a big adventure. (Answer: False)
7. Fluffy got lost after the seagulls didn’t show him the way back home. (Answer: False)
8. Fluffy got scared when he realized he didn’t know how to steer the machine. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧

📚 How about these other Level 2 stories?

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Three friends find a magical palace full of talking animals, fairies, and fruits that do funny things. They unlock a special room that helps them feel creative and make the world happier.

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