Funny stories for ages 8-12

The humour is domestic: a rebellion in the laundry basket, a plan that cannot possibly work, a grown-up who is wrong in an obvious way. Short and quick, and written to be performed rather than read silently.

12 stories here, 9–12 minutes each — read aloud or read alone. Start with The Emperor's Empty Coat or Leo's Ghost Rearranges His Socks.

12 stories

Ages 8-12 · 10 min readThe Emperor's Empty CoatAn emperor who loves only fine clothes is fooled by two strangers who promise a magical cloth. The whole court pretends to admire it, until one small voice says what everyone else is afraid to say.
Ages 8-12 · 9 min readLeo's Ghost Rearranges His SocksWhen a ghost moves into Leo's bedroom and starts rearranging his socks, Leo tries everything to make it leave. But the ghost is not haunting him—it is waiting for something, and Leo is the only one who can help.
Ages 8-12 · 9 min readThe Goat Who Joined the Brass BandWhen a hungry goat wanders into the village band's rehearsal and swallows the sheet music, the musicians must find a way to play their big concert without a single note written down.
Ages 8-12 · 10 min readMilo's Sister Grants WishesWhen Milo's little sister announces she can grant wishes, he thinks it's a game. Then every wish starts coming true, and Milo has to clean up the mess before their mum gets home.
Ages 8-12 · 11 min readMilo and the Sock Pile Under the BedWhen Milo's socks start disappearing from the laundry, he blames his sister. But the truth is stranger, funnier, and much more organized than he ever imagined.
Ages 8-12 · 12 min readThe Goat Who Ate the Village LaundryWhen a hungry goat eats a whole village's laundry, young Mira must track her down before the grumpy mayor notices - and discovers that the goat has been hiding a secret of her own.
Ages 8-12 · 9 min readMira and the Missing Bedtime BellMira's little brother Bo has one job: ring the bell at bedtime. Tonight the bell is gone, and Mira must track it down before their whole night routine falls apart.
Ages 8-12 · 9 min readThe Goat Who Ate the MoonWhen a hungry goat named Buttercup mistakes the moon's reflection for a snack, the whole town of Little Puddle panics. Can her owner, a clever girl named Ivy, convince everyone the moon is safe before bedtime?
Ages 8-12 · 11 min readThe Goat Who Ate the Mayor's SpeechWhen a hungry goat swallows the mayor's big speech the night before the town's birthday, two kids must help her remember it before the whole celebration falls flat.
Ages 8-12 · 10 min readThe Very Loud Goat Next DoorWhen a goat with a foghorn voice moves in next door, Milo builds a machine to out-noisify it, but the goat has plans of its own.
Ages 8-12 · 12 min readThe Fox, the Cat, and the Boy Who LiedA wooden boy with five gold coins meets two clever strangers who promise him a fortune. All he has to do is bury his money and wait.
Ages 8-12 · 12 min readThe Goat Who Ate the Wedding CakeWhen a hungry goat crashes a garden wedding and eats the cake, two kids must bake a replacement before the bride notices — using a recipe that calls for far stranger things than flour.

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