Paul Holmes -
University
English Professor

Free Materials For ESL Teachers and Learners

Short Stories for Kids

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The Ice Cream Island

Try this story at a different level?

 

There was an island full of amazing ice cream called Ice Cream Island. It was sunny all the time, and the ice cream never melted. Kids and adults from everywhere came to try the many flavors. One day, a boy named Johnny went on an adventure to find this island.

When Johnny got to the island, he saw huge mountains of chocolate ice cream and rivers of strawberry syrup. On his walk, he found a cave with an ice cream troll who liked tricks. The troll said if Johnny beat him in a game, he would get all the ice cream he could ever want.

Johnny played a game of tic-tac-toe with the troll. It was hard, but Johnny was really smart and won! The troll showed Johnny a treasure chest filled with golden ice cream cones. Johnny was super happy and shared the ice cream with everyone there.

Word about what Johnny did got around, and more people came to Ice Cream Island. They didn’t just come for the ice cream, but also to be kind to each other, like Johnny. They all had a big ice cream party and felt happy because of Johnny’s sharing.

Ice Cream Island became a place known for happiness, friends, and giving. Johnny’s adventure showed that being happy means sharing with others. The island stayed a magical place with endless ice cream and the sound of people laughing together.

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

📖 Vocabulary:

1adventureA fun journey full of exciting experiences
2amazingReally wonderful and surprising
3flavorsDifferent tastes of food or drink
4trollA mythical creature that is often up to no good
5treasureA collection of valuable things like gold and jewels
6sharedGave some of what one has to others
7kindnessBeing nice and caring towards others
8happinessFeeling really good and joyful
9friendsPeople who you like to spend time with and who care about you
10givingThe act of freely offering something to others
11magicalSpecial and enchanting, like something out of a fairy tale
12laughingMaking sounds with your mouth when something is funny

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What was the name of the island with amazing ice cream?
2. What did Johnny see on his walk around the island?
3. Who did Johnny meet in the cave?
4. What game did Johnny play with the troll?
5. What did Johnny find in the treasure chest?
6. Why did more people come to Ice Cream Island after Johnny’s adventure?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

There was an island (1)______ of (2)______ ice cream called Ice Cream Island. It was sunny all the time, and the ice cream never (3)______. Kids and adults from everywhere came to try the many flavors. One day, a boy named Johnny went on an adventure to find this island.

When Johnny got to the island, he saw huge mountains of chocolate ice cream and (4)______ of strawberry syrup. On his walk, he (5)______ a cave with an ice cream troll who liked tricks. The troll (6)______ if Johnny beat him in a game, he would get all the ice cream he could ever want.

Johnny played a game of tic-tac-toe with the troll. It was hard, but Johnny was really smart and won! The troll showed Johnny a (7)______ chest (8)______ with golden ice (9)______ cones. Johnny was super happy and shared the ice cream with everyone there.

Word about what Johnny did got around, and more people came to Ice Cream Island. They didn’t just come for the ice cream, but also to be kind to each other, like Johnny. They all had a big ice cream party and felt happy because of Johnny’s sharing.

Ice Cream Island became a place known for happiness, (10)______, and giving. Johnny’s adventure showed that being happy means sharing with others. The (11)______ stayed a magical place with endless ice cream and the sound of people (12)______ together.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is your favorite flavor of ice cream and why?
2. How would you feel if you found an island made of ice cream? Why?
3. Do you like playing games? Why or why not?
4. What do you think it means to be kind to others?
5. Have you ever shared something special with someone? How did it make you feel?
6. Do you think it’s important to make others happy? Why or why not?
7. If you could create your own magical place, what would it be like?
8. Why do you think Ice Cream Island became known for happiness and giving?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. adventure
2. amazing
3. flavors
4. troll
5. treasure
6. shared
7. kindness
8. happiness
9. friends
10. giving
11. magical
12. laughing

Meanings:
(A) A collection of valuable things like gold and jewels
(B) Gave some of what one has to others
(C) Different tastes of food or drink
(D) Really wonderful and surprising
(E) A fun journey full of exciting experiences
(F) Special and enchanting, like something out of a fairy tale
(G) The act of freely offering something to others
(H) A mythical creature that is often up to no good
(I) People who you like to spend time with and who care about you
(J) Being nice and caring towards others
(K) Making sounds with your mouth when something is funny
(L) Feeling really good and joyful
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What is the name of the island in the story?
(a) Candy Land
(b) Chocolate Island
(c) Sweet Treat Island
(d) Ice Cream Island

2. What did Johnny find in the cave?
(a) A treasure map
(b) A magic wand
(c) An ice cream troll
(d) A talking parrot

3. What game did Johnny play with the ice cream troll?
(a) Tic-tac-toe
(b) Chess
(c) Checkers
(d) Monopoly

4. What did Johnny win after playing the game?
(a) All the ice cream he could ever want
(b) A magical ice cream cone
(c) A trip to another island
(d) A new friend

5. What did Johnny do with the ice cream he won?
(a) Ate it all by himself
(b) Shared it with everyone
(c) Sold it to other people
(d) Hid it in his backpack

6. Why did more people come to Ice Cream Island?
(a) Because the ice cream was free
(b) Because they wanted to meet the ice cream troll
(c) Because it was always sunny there
(d) Because they heard about Johnny’s adventure

7. What did the people do at the ice cream party?
(a) Played games and danced
(b) Ate as much ice cream as they could
(c) Laughed and had fun
(d) Gave each other presents

8. What did Johnny’s adventure show about being happy?
(a) Being happy means eating lots of ice cream
(b) Being happy means sharing with others
(c) Being happy means winning games
(d) Being happy means going on adventures

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Ice Cream Island is a place where the ice cream always melts and the sun never shines.
2. Johnny shared the ice cream with everyone on the island and made them happy.
3. When Johnny arrived at the island, he saw mountains of broccoli and rivers of tomato sauce.
4. Johnny was punished with a treasure chest filled with rotten ice cream cones.
5. Johnny’s act of selfishness made Ice Cream Island a place known for sadness, loneliness, and taking.
6. The ice cream troll challenged Johnny to a game of tic-tac-toe, and Johnny won.
7. Johnny went on an adventure to find Ice Cream Island.
8. Johnny encountered an ice cream troll in a cave who liked to play tricks.
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 was the name of the island with amazing ice cream?
Ice Cream Island.

2. What did Johnny see on his walk around the island?
Johnny saw huge mountains of chocolate ice cream and rivers of strawberry syrup.

3. Who did Johnny meet in the cave?
Johnny met an ice cream troll in the cave.

4. What game did Johnny play with the troll?
Johnny played tic-tac-toe with the troll.

5. What did Johnny find in the treasure chest?
Johnny found a treasure chest filled with golden ice cream cones.

6. Why did more people come to Ice Cream Island after Johnny’s adventure?
More people came to Ice Cream Island because they heard about Johnny’s kindness and wanted to be happy and share with others too.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) full
(2) amazing
(3) melted
(4) rivers
(5) found
(6) said
(7) treasure
(8) filled
(9) cream
(10) friends
(11) island
(12) laughing
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. adventure
Answer: (E) A fun journey full of exciting experiences

2. amazing
Answer: (D) Really wonderful and surprising

3. flavors
Answer: (C) Different tastes of food or drink

4. troll
Answer: (H) A mythical creature that is often up to no good

5. treasure
Answer: (A) A collection of valuable things like gold and jewels

6. shared
Answer: (B) Gave some of what one has to others

7. kindness
Answer: (J) Being nice and caring towards others

8. happiness
Answer: (L) Feeling really good and joyful

9. friends
Answer: (I) People who you like to spend time with and who care about you

10. giving
Answer: (G) The act of freely offering something to others

11. magical
Answer: (F) Special and enchanting, like something out of a fairy tale

12. laughing
Answer: (K) Making sounds with your mouth when something is funny
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What is the name of the island in the story?
Answer: (d) Ice Cream Island

2. What did Johnny find in the cave?
Answer: (c) An ice cream troll

3. What game did Johnny play with the ice cream troll?
Answer: (a) Tic-tac-toe

4. What did Johnny win after playing the game?
Answer: (a) All the ice cream he could ever want

5. What did Johnny do with the ice cream he won?
Answer: (b) Shared it with everyone

6. Why did more people come to Ice Cream Island?
Answer: (d) Because they heard about Johnny’s adventure

7. What did the people do at the ice cream party?
Answer: (c) Laughed and had fun

8. What did Johnny’s adventure show about being happy?
Answer: (b) Being happy means sharing with others
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Ice Cream Island is a place where the ice cream always melts and the sun never shines. (Answer: False)
2. Johnny shared the ice cream with everyone on the island and made them happy. (Answer: True)
3. When Johnny arrived at the island, he saw mountains of broccoli and rivers of tomato sauce. (Answer: False)
4. Johnny was punished with a treasure chest filled with rotten ice cream cones. (Answer: False)
5. Johnny’s act of selfishness made Ice Cream Island a place known for sadness, loneliness, and taking. (Answer: False)
6. The ice cream troll challenged Johnny to a game of tic-tac-toe, and Johnny won. (Answer: True)
7. Johnny went on an adventure to find Ice Cream Island. (Answer: True)
8. Johnny encountered an ice cream troll in a cave who liked to play tricks. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧

📚 How about these other Level 2 stories?

George and his grape friends escape the vineyard, overcoming obstacles and finding a world full of adventures.

The Great Grape Escape

George the grape and his friends escape from the vineyard, dodge obstacles, make a new friend, and find a new home.

Lily discovers a hidden door in the enchanted forest and befriends a sparkling fairy named Hazel.

The Fairy’s Secret

Lily loved fairy tales and one day she found a tiny door in the forest. She met a fairy named Hazel who invited her to a fairy dance. But a grumpy gnome named Grumpyboots wanted to cause trouble. Lily and the fairies joined their magic to stop him. Grumpyboots learned his lesson and became a happy gnome. Lily stayed kind and the fairies kept dancing in the moonlight.

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.

Stella the unicorn uses her magical rainbow to spread happiness and love to all creatures.

The Rainbow Bridge

Stella the unicorn gets an invitation to a contest and wins magic dust to make everyone happy.

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