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 Mischievous Kitten

Once upon a time, in a small village, there lived a family with a mischievous kitten named Mimi. Mimi was always getting into trouble and causing mischief around the house.

One day, Mimi found a ball of yarn and started playing with it. She chased the yarn all around the house, knocking over vases and books as she went. Mimi’s family tried to stop her, but she was having too much fun.

Finally, Mimi’s brother, Max, had an idea. He grabbed a laser pointer and started playing with Mimi, chasing the red dot all around the room. Mimi loved chasing the red dot and soon forgot all about the yarn.

From then on, whenever Mimi got into mischief, Max would grab the laser pointer and distract her with it. Mimi’s family was able to enjoy peace and quiet once again. And Mimi learned to be a little less mischievous and a little more well-behaved.

The end.

Listen

Slow

Normal

Fast

Vocabulary

  1. Mischievous (adjective) – tending to cause trouble or mischief, playful in a way that is slightly annoying or irritating Example: Mimi was a mischievous kitten.
  2. Family (noun) – a group of people who are related to each other, especially parents and their children Example: Mimi’s family tried to stop her from causing mischief.
  3. Yarn (noun) – a long, thin strand of wool, cotton, or other material that is used for knitting or weaving Example: Mimi found a ball of yarn and started playing with it.
  4. Vase (noun) – a tall, narrow container, usually made of glass or ceramic, used for holding flowers or decorative objects Example: Mimi knocked over a vase while chasing the yarn.
  5. Laser pointer (noun) – a small, portable device that produces a narrow, intense beam of light, used for pointing to objects or making patterns in the air Example: Max used a laser pointer to distract Mimi from the yarn.
  6. Red dot (noun) – a small, red spot or point, often produced by a laser pointer Example: Mimi chased the red dot all around the room.
  7. Mischief (noun) – behavior that is mischievous or playful, especially in a way that is slightly annoying or irritating Example: Mimi’s family was tired of her mischief.

Comprehension Questions

Please answer the following questions with your teacher or partner.
The answers are at the bottom of the page!

  1. What was the name of the mischievous kitten in the story?
  2. What did Mimi do when she found a ball of yarn?
  3. How did Mimi’s family try to stop her from causing mischief?
  4. What did Max do to distract Mimi from the yarn?
  5. What did Mimi love to chase?
  6. How did Mimi’s family feel after Max’s solution?
  7. What did Mimi learn to be?
  8. What was the end of the story?

Gap Fill Questions

Please fill in the gaps.
The answers are at the bottom of the page!

  1. Mimi was a ________ kitten.
  2. Mimi chased the yarn ________ around the house.
  3. Mimi’s family tried to ________ her from causing mischief.
  4. Max used a ________ pointer to distract Mimi from the yarn.
  5. Mimi loved chasing the ________ dot.
  6. Mimi learned to be a little less ________ and a little more well-behaved.
  7. The ________ of the story was that Mimi learned to be a little less mischievous and a little more well-behaved.
  8. Mimi’s family was able to enjoy peace and ________ once again.

Conversation Questions

With your teacher or partner, please ask and answer these questions:

  1. What was your favorite part of the story?
  2. Do you have any pets at home?
  3. Have you ever chased a laser pointer like Mimi did in the story?
  4. What is the most mischievous thing your pet has ever done?
  5. Do you think Mimi’s family was successful in stopping her from causing mischief?
  6. Have you ever caused mischief at home like Mimi did?
  7. How do you think Mimi’s family felt after Max’s solution?
  8. Do you think Mimi learned her lesson and will be less mischievous in the future?
  9. Do you have any siblings? How do you get along with them?
  10. Have you ever had to come up with a solution to a problem like Max did in the story?

Answers

Comprehension Question Answers:

  1. What was the name of the mischievous kitten in the story? Answer: The name of the mischievous kitten in the story was Mimi.
  2. What did Mimi do when she found a ball of yarn? Answer: When Mimi found a ball of yarn, she chased it all around the house and knocked over vases and books.
  3. How did Mimi’s family try to stop her from causing mischief? Answer: Mimi’s family tried to stop her from causing mischief, but she was having too much fun playing with the yarn.
  4. What did Max do to distract Mimi from the yarn? Answer: To distract Mimi from the yarn, Max grabbed a laser pointer and played with her, chasing the red dot all around the room.
  5. What did Mimi love to chase? Answer: Mimi loved to chase the red dot produced by the laser pointer.
  6. How did Mimi’s family feel after Max’s solution? Answer: After Max’s solution, Mimi’s family was able to enjoy peace and quiet once again.
  7. What did Mimi learn to be? Answer: Mimi learned to be a little less mischievous and a little more well-behaved.
  8. What was the end of the story? Answer: The end of the story was that Mimi learned to be a little less mischievous and a little more well-behaved.

Gap Fill Question Answers:

  1. Mimi was a mischievous kitten.
  2. Mimi chased the yarn all around the house.
  3. Mimi’s family tried to stop her from causing mischief.
  4. Max used a laser pointer to distract Mimi from the yarn.
  5. Mimi loved chasing the red dot.
  6. Mimi learned to be a little less mischievous and a little more well-behaved.
  7. The end of the story was that Mimi learned to be a little less mischievous and a little more well-behaved.
  8. Mimi’s family was able to enjoy peace and quiet once again.

📚 How about these other Level 1 stories?

A jolly jellyfish named Finley gets lost in the deep sea but finds new friends along the way.

The Jolly Jellyfish

Finley the jellyfish got lost in the sea, but with the help of new friends, he found his way home.

A little girl named Lily discovers a jar of magical marmalade that brings everything to life.

The Magical Marmalade

Lily and Bubbles had a magical day in the garden, making things dance and telling jokes, but grumpy Grumblebore learned to smile and have fun too.

A mischievous squirrel with the power to fly becomes the forest's superhero and saves the day.

The Superhero Squirrel

Sammy the flying squirrel saves his friend Billy from a tree and stops a sneaky fox from taking acorns.

Feedback