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 Dinosaur Egg

Jack and Emma's lives are forever changed when they discover a tiny dinosaur in an enormous egg.

Try this story at a different level?

 

Once, in a land far away, Jack and Emma loved exploring. On a sunny day, they found a huge dinosaur egg while walking in the forest. They were very excited and wondered what kind of dinosaur would come out.

They took the egg home, hoping to have a dino friend to play with. But a sneaky gnome named Grumbletwig had seen them. Grumbletwig loved playing tricks and wanted to trick Jack and Emma.

The next day, the egg was empty, which scared Jack and Emma. But then they heard a loud “ROAR” and saw a tiny dinosaur outside. It was as small as a little dog. They both laughed because they didn’t think their dinosaur would be so small.

Jack and Emma named the dinosaur Biscuit and saw that even small friends can bring lots of happiness. They learned it doesn’t matter how big or small friends are, but the fun and love they share. That true happiness comes from being close to someone.

Jack, Emma, and tiny Biscuit had many adventures and stayed best friends as they got older. They always had fun and showed that good friendships can last a long time, no matter the size.

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

📖 Vocabulary:

1exploringLooking around new places to find interesting things
2dinosaurA big animal that lived a long, long time ago
3forestA place with lots of trees and plants where animals live
4sneakyDoing something quietly and secretly so no one notices
5gnomeA small magical person from fairy tales
6tricksThings you do to fool someone for fun
7scaredFeeling afraid or worried about something
8tinyVery, very small
9happinessFeeling really good and joyful
10adventuresExciting experiences that might be a little dangerous
11friendshipsWhen you care about someone and like to spend time with them
12lastedContinued for a long time

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What did Jack and Emma find while they were walking in the forest?
2. Who saw Jack and Emma with the dinosaur egg?
3. What happened to the egg the next day?
4. How big was the dinosaur that hatched from the egg?
5. What did Jack and Emma name the dinosaur?
6. What did Jack, Emma, and Biscuit show about friendships?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Once, in a (1)______ far away, Jack and Emma loved exploring. On a (2)______ day, they found a huge dinosaur egg while walking in the forest. They were very excited and wondered what kind of dinosaur would (3)______ out.

They took the egg home, hoping to have a dino friend to play with. But a sneaky gnome named Grumbletwig had seen them. Grumbletwig loved (4)______ tricks and wanted to trick Jack and Emma.

The (5)______ day, the egg was empty, which scared Jack and Emma. But then they heard a loud “ROAR” and saw a (6)______ dinosaur outside. It was as small as a little dog. They both laughed because they didn’t think their dinosaur would be so (7)______.

Jack and (8)______ named the dinosaur (9)______ and saw that even small friends can bring lots of happiness. They learned it doesn’t matter how big or small friends are, but the fun and love they share. That true happiness comes from being close to someone.

Jack, Emma, and tiny Biscuit had many adventures and stayed best friends as they got older. They always had fun and (10)______ that (11)______ friendships can last a long (12)______, no matter the size.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a dinosaur? Why do you think Jack and Emma wanted to have a dinosaur friend?
2. How would you feel if you found a huge dinosaur egg? Why?
3. Do you like playing tricks on your friends? Why or why not?
4. Do you think it’s important to have friends who are the same size as you? Why or why not?
5. How do you think Jack and Emma felt when they saw that their dinosaur was so small? Why?
6. Have you ever had a small pet? How did it make you feel?
7. Why do you think Jack, Emma, and Biscuit stayed best friends as they got older?
8. What do you think is the most important thing in a friendship? Why?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. exploring
2. dinosaur
3. forest
4. sneaky
5. gnome
6. tricks
7. scared
8. tiny
9. happiness
10. adventures
11. friendships
12. lasted

Meanings:
(A) Exciting experiences that might be a little dangerous
(B) A small magical person from fairy tales
(C) Feeling really good and joyful
(D) Very, very small
(E) Continued for a long time
(F) Looking around new places to find interesting things
(G) Feeling afraid or worried about something
(H) A big animal that lived a long, long time ago
(I) A place with lots of trees and plants where animals live
(J) Things you do to fool someone for fun
(K) When you care about someone and like to spend time with them
(L) Doing something quietly and secretly so no one notices
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What did Jack and Emma find while walking in the forest?
(a) A treasure chest
(b) A magic wand
(c) A talking squirrel
(d) A huge dinosaur egg

2. What was the name of the sneaky gnome?
(a) Grumbletwig
(b) Twinkletoes
(c) Snickerdoodle
(d) Bumblebee

3. What did Jack and Emma hope to have as a pet?
(a) A unicorn
(b) A dragon
(c) A mermaid
(d) A dinosaur

4. How big was the dinosaur that hatched from the egg?
(a) As big as a house
(b) As tall as a tree
(c) As small as a little dog
(d) As long as a river

5. What did Jack and Emma name the dinosaur?
(a) Biscuit
(b) Cookie
(c) Cupcake
(d) Muffin

6. What did Jack, Emma, and Biscuit have many of?
(a) Toys
(b) Adventures
(c) Ice cream cones
(d) Homework assignments

7. What did Jack and Emma learn about friendship?
(a) Friends should always be the same size
(b) It doesn’t matter how big or small friends are
(c) Big friends are always better than small friends
(d) Small friends are always better than big friends

8. How long did Jack, Emma, and Biscuit stay best friends?
(a) A short time
(b) Forever
(c) A long time
(d) Until they found a bigger dinosaur

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. They named the dinosaur Biscuit and realized that even small friends can bring happiness.
2. The dinosaur was as large as a big dog, which made Jack and Emma cry.
3. They heard a loud “ROAR” and saw a tiny dinosaur outside.
4. Jack and Emma found a dinosaur egg while exploring in the forest.
5. A mischievous gnome named Grumbletwig saw them and wanted to help them.
6. The next day, the egg was full, which scared Jack and Emma.
7. They brought the egg home with the hope of having a dinosaur friend.
8. Jack, Emma, and Biscuit had no adventures and drifted apart as they grew older.
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 Jack and Emma find while they were walking in the forest?
They found a huge dinosaur egg.

2. Who saw Jack and Emma with the dinosaur egg?
A sneaky gnome named Grumbletwig saw them.

3. What happened to the egg the next day?
The egg was empty the next day.

4. How big was the dinosaur that hatched from the egg?
The dinosaur was as small as a little dog.

5. What did Jack and Emma name the dinosaur?
They named the dinosaur Biscuit.

6. What did Jack, Emma, and Biscuit show about friendships?
They showed that friendships can be fun and last a long time, no matter the size.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) land
(2) sunny
(3) come
(4) playing
(5) next
(6) tiny
(7) small
(8) Emma
(9) Biscuit
(10) showed
(11) good
(12) time
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. exploring
Answer: (F) Looking around new places to find interesting things

2. dinosaur
Answer: (H) A big animal that lived a long, long time ago

3. forest
Answer: (I) A place with lots of trees and plants where animals live

4. sneaky
Answer: (L) Doing something quietly and secretly so no one notices

5. gnome
Answer: (B) A small magical person from fairy tales

6. tricks
Answer: (J) Things you do to fool someone for fun

7. scared
Answer: (G) Feeling afraid or worried about something

8. tiny
Answer: (D) Very, very small

9. happiness
Answer: (C) Feeling really good and joyful

10. adventures
Answer: (A) Exciting experiences that might be a little dangerous

11. friendships
Answer: (K) When you care about someone and like to spend time with them

12. lasted
Answer: (E) Continued for a long time
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What did Jack and Emma find while walking in the forest?
Answer: (d) A huge dinosaur egg

2. What was the name of the sneaky gnome?
Answer: (a) Grumbletwig

3. What did Jack and Emma hope to have as a pet?
Answer: (d) A dinosaur

4. How big was the dinosaur that hatched from the egg?
Answer: (c) As small as a little dog

5. What did Jack and Emma name the dinosaur?
Answer: (a) Biscuit

6. What did Jack, Emma, and Biscuit have many of?
Answer: (b) Adventures

7. What did Jack and Emma learn about friendship?
Answer: (b) It doesn’t matter how big or small friends are

8. How long did Jack, Emma, and Biscuit stay best friends?
Answer: (c) A long time
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. They named the dinosaur Biscuit and realized that even small friends can bring happiness. (Answer: True)
2. The dinosaur was as large as a big dog, which made Jack and Emma cry. (Answer: False)
3. They heard a loud “ROAR” and saw a tiny dinosaur outside. (Answer: True)
4. Jack and Emma found a dinosaur egg while exploring in the forest. (Answer: True)
5. A mischievous gnome named Grumbletwig saw them and wanted to help them. (Answer: False)
6. The next day, the egg was full, which scared Jack and Emma. (Answer: False)
7. They brought the egg home with the hope of having a dinosaur friend. (Answer: True)
8. Jack, Emma, and Biscuit had no adventures and drifted apart as they grew older. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧

📚 How about these other Level 2 stories?

A young boy's discovery of a mysterious fossil leads to a village's newfound fame and unity.

The Fantastic Fossil

Max, a curious boy, found an ancient fossil and made his village famous, but he chose to keep it there.

Ella the elephant's friends, Max the monkey and Polly the parrot, come to her rescue when she gets an earache from a cheeky bug.

The Elephant’s Earache

Ella the elephant had a big problem in her ear, but her friends Max the monkey and Polly the parrot came to the rescue and saved the day.

The Loyal Dog

Once upon a time there was a loyal dog named Max. Max was a playful pup with a heart of

A dragon overcomes the challenge of losing his voice by using enchanted invitations for his birthday party.

The Dragon’s Birthday

Sparkle the dragon couldn’t talk, but he found a clever way to invite his friends to his birthday party.

Feedback