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 Wizard’s Wacky Weather Machine

Wally's wacky weather machine turns the town into a water park, bringing joy to everyone.

Try this story at a different level?

 

In the magical place called Zippity Zorp, there was a funny wizard named Wally. He made a Weather Machine that could change the weather, but it didn’t work right. One morning, Wally tried to make it rain a little, but he ended up starting a huge storm by accident! It turned the town into a wet playground.

The townspeople put on swim gear and jumped into the water. The streets became like rivers, and houses looked like little islands. But no one was scared. They all played in the water, making slides and having fun like it was the best day ever.

Wally was trying to fix his machine. He pushed and turned things, but the weather got weirder. It rained cats and dogs for real! Then the sun came out, but it rained lemonade instead! Everyone was happy, drinking the sweet rain. Wally was confused about how to make the machine work right.

Suddenly, a wind took Wally’s hat and he became bald. While running after his hat, he hit a big red button on the machine. The sky turned purple, and it started raining bubbles! Everyone danced with the floating bubbles, and Wally laughed, happy with his strange surprise.

Zippity Zorp became a place full of wonder. People there learned to like surprises and have fun with them. Wally made more crazy things and turned into a hero. He learned that making mistakes is okay. You just have to keep going and find the fun in everything. And life in Zippity Zorp was always an adventure with Wally’s wild weather.

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

📖 Vocabulary:

1magicalA special place or thing that seems to have powers from a fairy tale
2wizardA person who can use magic
3Weather MachineA special device that can change what the sky does, like rain or shine
4playgroundA place where kids can play and have fun, usually outside
5swim gearClothes and things you wear to go swimming
6riversLong, flowing bodies of water
7islandsPieces of land surrounded by water
8slidesSmooth paths that you can go down fast, usually at a park or pool
9lemonadeA sweet drink made from lemons, sugar, and water
10baldHaving no hair on the head
11bubblesSmall round things made of soap and air that float and pop
12adventureA fun or exciting experience that feels like a journey

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. Who is the funny wizard in the story?
2. What did Wally make that could change the weather?
3. What happened when Wally tried to make it rain a little?
4. What did the townspeople do when the streets became like rivers?
5. What happened when Wally hit the big red button on the machine?
6. What did Wally learn from his mistakes?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

In the magical place called Zippity Zorp, there was a funny wizard named Wally. He made a Weather Machine that could change the weather, but it didn’t work right. One morning, Wally (1)______ to make it rain a little, but he ended up starting a huge storm by accident! It turned the town into a wet (2)______.

The (3)______ put on swim gear and jumped into the water. The streets (4)______ like rivers, and houses looked like little islands. But no one was scared. They all played in the water, making slides and having fun like it was the best day ever.

Wally was (5)______ to fix his machine. He pushed and turned things, but the (6)______ got weirder. It rained cats and dogs for real! Then the sun came out, but it rained lemonade instead! Everyone was happy, drinking the sweet rain. Wally was (7)______ about how to make the machine work right.

Suddenly, a (8)______ took Wally’s hat and he became bald. While running after his hat, he hit a big red button on the machine. The sky turned purple, and it started raining (9)______! Everyone danced with the floating bubbles, and Wally laughed, happy with his strange surprise.

Zippity Zorp became a place full of wonder. People there learned to (10)______ surprises and have fun with them. Wally made more crazy things and (11)______ into a hero. He learned that making mistakes is okay. You just have to keep going and find the fun in everything. And life in Zippity Zorp was always an adventure with Wally’s (12)______ weather.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a weather machine and what do you think it does?
2. How would you feel if you were in a town that turned into a wet playground? Why?
3. Do you like surprises? Why or why not?
4. What do you think Wally learned from his mistakes?
5. How would you feel if it rained cats and dogs? Why?
6. What kind of crazy things do you think Wally made after he became a hero?
7. Do you think it’s important to find the fun in everything? Why or why not?
8. How would you feel if your town was always an adventure with wild weather? Why?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. magical
2. wizard
3. Weather Machine
4. playground
5. swim gear
6. rivers
7. islands
8. slides
9. lemonade
10. bald
11. bubbles
12. adventure

Meanings:
(A) Smooth paths that you can go down fast, usually at a park or pool
(B) Long, flowing bodies of water
(C) A special place or thing that seems to have powers from a fairy tale
(D) A special device that can change what the sky does, like rain or shine
(E) Clothes and things you wear to go swimming
(F) A fun or exciting experience that feels like a journey
(G) A person who can use magic
(H) Pieces of land surrounded by water
(I) Small round things made of soap and air that float and pop
(J) A place where kids can play and have fun, usually outside
(K) Having no hair on the head
(L) A sweet drink made from lemons, sugar, and water
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What is the name of the funny wizard in Zippity Zorp?
(a) Harry
(b) Wally
(c) Larry
(d) Barry

2. What did Wally create that could change the weather?
(a) Weather Machine
(b) Magic Wand
(c) Time Machine
(d) Flying Carpet

3. What happened when Wally tried to make it rain a little?
(a) The sun came out
(b) It snowed instead
(c) Nothing happened
(d) He started a huge storm

4. How did the townspeople react to the storm?
(a) They got scared and hid inside
(b) They tried to fix Wally’s machine
(c) They played in the water and had fun
(d) They complained about the weather

5. What did it rain after the storm?
(a) Cats and dogs
(b) Snow
(c) Bubbles
(d) Lemonade

6. What happened when Wally accidentally hit the big red button on the machine?
(a) The sky turned purple and it rained bubbles
(b) The machine exploded
(c) The sun came out
(d) It started snowing

7. How did the people in Zippity Zorp feel about the surprises?
(a) They were scared and wanted them to stop
(b) They ignored them and went about their day
(c) They liked them and had fun
(d) They were confused and didn’t know what to do

8. What did Wally learn from his mistakes?
(a) Mistakes are bad and should be avoided
(b) Making mistakes is okay and you can find fun in everything
(c) Mistakes make you a failure
(d) Mistakes can’t be fixed

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. The people of Zippity Zorp reject surprises and find them boring, and Wally becomes a villain by making more crazy things.
2. There is a wizard named Wally who lives in a non-magical place called Zippity Zorp.
3. Wally tries to break his machine, but the weather gets even normal, with it raining cats and dogs and then lemonade.
4. Wally created a Weather Machine that can change the weather, but it doesn’t work properly.
5. Wally purposely starts a tiny storm while trying to make it rain a lot.
6. The storm turns the town into a wet playground, with streets becoming like rivers and houses like little islands.
7. Instead of being scared, the townspeople put on swim gear and have fun in the water.
8. Wally’s hat gets blown away by the wind, and he accidentally hits a big red button on the machine, causing the sky to turn purple and it starts raining bubbles.
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 funny wizard in the story?
The funny wizard in the story is Wally.

2. What did Wally make that could change the weather?
Wally made a Weather Machine that could change the weather.

3. What happened when Wally tried to make it rain a little?
When Wally tried to make it rain a little, he accidentally started a huge storm.

4. What did the townspeople do when the streets became like rivers?
When the streets became like rivers, the townspeople put on swim gear and jumped into the water to play.

5. What happened when Wally hit the big red button on the machine?
When Wally hit the big red button on the machine, the sky turned purple and it started raining bubbles.

6. What did Wally learn from his mistakes?
Wally learned that making mistakes is okay and that you just have to keep going and find the fun in everything.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) tried
(2) playground
(3) townspeople
(4) became
(5) trying
(6) weather
(7) confused
(8) wind
(9) bubbles
(10) like
(11) turned
(12) wild
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. magical
Answer: (C) A special place or thing that seems to have powers from a fairy tale

2. wizard
Answer: (G) A person who can use magic

3. Weather Machine
Answer: (D) A special device that can change what the sky does, like rain or shine

4. playground
Answer: (J) A place where kids can play and have fun, usually outside

5. swim gear
Answer: (E) Clothes and things you wear to go swimming

6. rivers
Answer: (B) Long, flowing bodies of water

7. islands
Answer: (H) Pieces of land surrounded by water

8. slides
Answer: (A) Smooth paths that you can go down fast, usually at a park or pool

9. lemonade
Answer: (L) A sweet drink made from lemons, sugar, and water

10. bald
Answer: (K) Having no hair on the head

11. bubbles
Answer: (I) Small round things made of soap and air that float and pop

12. adventure
Answer: (F) A fun or exciting experience that feels like a journey
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What is the name of the funny wizard in Zippity Zorp?
Answer: (b) Wally

2. What did Wally create that could change the weather?
Answer: (a) Weather Machine

3. What happened when Wally tried to make it rain a little?
Answer: (d) He started a huge storm

4. How did the townspeople react to the storm?
Answer: (c) They played in the water and had fun

5. What did it rain after the storm?
Answer: (d) Lemonade

6. What happened when Wally accidentally hit the big red button on the machine?
Answer: (a) The sky turned purple and it rained bubbles

7. How did the people in Zippity Zorp feel about the surprises?
Answer: (c) They liked them and had fun

8. What did Wally learn from his mistakes?
Answer: (b) Making mistakes is okay and you can find fun in everything
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. The people of Zippity Zorp reject surprises and find them boring, and Wally becomes a villain by making more crazy things. (Answer: False)
2. There is a wizard named Wally who lives in a non-magical place called Zippity Zorp. (Answer: False)
3. Wally tries to break his machine, but the weather gets even normal, with it raining cats and dogs and then lemonade. (Answer: False)
4. Wally created a Weather Machine that can change the weather, but it doesn’t work properly. (Answer: True)
5. Wally purposely starts a tiny storm while trying to make it rain a lot. (Answer: False)
6. The storm turns the town into a wet playground, with streets becoming like rivers and houses like little islands. (Answer: True)
7. Instead of being scared, the townspeople put on swim gear and have fun in the water. (Answer: True)
8. Wally’s hat gets blown away by the wind, and he accidentally hits a big red button on the machine, causing the sky to turn purple and it starts raining bubbles. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧

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The Mystery of the Missing Moon

One night, the moon disappeared in Sunfield, and Milo wanted to find out where it went. He discovered that the animals in Dark Forest had hidden it while playing a game, so he and his new friend Oliver the owl gathered everyone to search for it. Finally, they found the moon and put it back in the sky, teaching everyone the power of teamwork and friendship.

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