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!

Wendy, The Little White Duck

Once upon a time there was a little white duck named Wendy. She lived on a farm with her family.

Every morning, she would go out and explore the farm. She would walk around the pond and swim in the lake. She enjoyed the fresh air and the warm sunshine.

One day, Wendy decided to take a trip to the nearby woods. As she was walking, she saw a little rabbit hopping around. She was so excited and ran up to the rabbit to say hello.

The little rabbit was scared at first, but then he saw that Wendy was friendly and stopped running. The two of them became friends and started to play together. They ran around the woods, chasing each other and having a great time.

After a while, Wendy had to go home. She said goodbye to the rabbit and thanked him for being her friend. She then flew back to the farm.

From that day on, Wendy never forgot her new friend. Whenever she was out exploring, she would always look for the little rabbit in the woods.

The end.

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Vocabulary

1. Duck (noun): a waterbird with a wide flat bill and webbed feet

2. Pond (noun): a small body of still water

3. Lake (noun): a large body of water

4. Woods (noun): an area of land covered with trees

5. Rabbit (noun): a small mammal with long ears and a short tail

6. Excited (adjective): feeling very enthusiastic and eager

7. Friendly (adjective): kind and pleasant

8. Chasing (verb): to pursue someone or something

9. Fly (verb): to move through the air

10. Forgotten (verb): to not remember something

Comprehension Questions

1. What was the name of the little white duck?
2. What did Wendy do every morning?
3. Where did Wendy decide to take a trip to?
4. What did Wendy and the little rabbit do together?
5. How did the rabbit feel when he saw Wendy?
6. How did Wendy say goodbye to the rabbit?
7. What did Wendy do when she was out exploring?
8. What happened after Wendy said goodbye to the rabbit?

Gap Fill Questions

1. Wendy was a little white _____ that lived on a farm.
2. Every morning, she would go out and _____ the farm.
3. One day, Wendy decided to take a trip to the nearby _____.
4. The little rabbit was scared at first, but then he saw that Wendy was _____.
5. The two of them became _____ and started to play together.
6. Wendy said goodbye to the rabbit and _____ him for being her friend.
7. Whenever she was out exploring, Wendy would always look for the little rabbit in the _____.
8. Wendy enjoyed the _____ air and the warm sunshine.
9. Wendy and the rabbit chased each other and had a _____ time.
10. Wendy never forgot her new _____.

Conversation Questions

1. Do you like animals?
2. Have you ever made a new friend unexpectedly?
3. What is the most exciting thing you’ve ever done?
4. What do you like to do on a sunny day?
5. Do you ever go exploring?
6. Have you ever been scared to talk to someone new?
7. What are your favorite places to go?
8. What’s the best way to make new friends?
9. What do you think it would be like to be a duck?
10. Do you like stories with happy endings?

Answers

Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What was the name of the little white duck? Wendy
2. What did Wendy do every morning? She would go out and explore the farm.
3. Where did Wendy decide to take a trip to? The nearby woods.
4. What did Wendy and the little rabbit do together? They ran around the woods, chasing each other and having a great time.
5. How did the rabbit feel when he saw Wendy? Scared at first, but then he saw that Wendy was friendly and stopped running.
6. How did Wendy say goodbye to the rabbit? She said goodbye to the rabbit and thanked him for being her friend.
7. What did Wendy do when she was out exploring? She would always look for the little rabbit in the woods.
8. What happened after Wendy said goodbye to the rabbit? She then flew back to the farm.

Gap Fill Question Answers:

1. Wendy was a little white duck that lived on a farm.
2. Every morning, she would go out and explore the farm.
3. One day, Wendy decided to take a trip to the nearby woods.
4. The little rabbit was scared at first, but then he saw that Wendy was friendly.
5. The two of them became friends and started to play together.
6. Wendy said goodbye to the rabbit and thanked him for being her friend.
7. Whenever she was out exploring, Wendy would always look for the little rabbit in the woods.
8. Wendy enjoyed the fresh air and the warm sunshine.
9. Wendy and the rabbit chased each other and had a great time.
10. Wendy never forgot her new friend.

📚 How about these other Level 1 stories?

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The Journey to the Jade Jungle

Bobo the monkey went on an adventure in the jungle with his friend Toots the bird. They met a special raccoon and made lots of new friends.

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