Example stories · Animals · Ages 2 to 4

Clover Hops Home to Bed

A read-aloud bedtime story, about 2 minutes.

Clover the little bunny lived in a cozy burrow tucked under a hill of soft green clover, at the edge of a quiet meadow where all her friends lived too. Every evening, when the sky turned soft and pink, Clover's mother would say, 'Time to hop home, little one.' Clover loved hopping home, past all the friends who lived in the meadow, saying goodnight to each one along the way.

Hop, hop, hop. Clover hopped past the sleepy sheep in the field. 'Goodnight, sheep,' said Clover. 'Goodnight, little bunny,' said the sheep, and she closed her woolly eyes. Hop, hop, hop. Clover hopped past the gentle cow by the fence. 'Goodnight, cow,' said Clover. 'Goodnight, little bunny,' said the cow, and she settled into the warm hay.

Hop, hop, hop. Clover hopped past the quiet duck on the pond. 'Goodnight, duck,' said Clover. 'Goodnight, little bunny,' said the duck, tucking her head beneath her wing. Hop, hop, hop. Clover hopped past the tall horse by the barn. 'Goodnight, horse,' said Clover. 'Goodnight, little bunny,' said the horse, and he lowered his sleepy head.

Hop, hop, hop. Clover hopped past the small mouse in the hedge. 'Goodnight, mouse,' said Clover. 'Goodnight, little bunny,' said the mouse, curling into a tiny, cozy ball. Then, at last, hop, hop, hop, Clover reached her own soft burrow, where the air was warm and smelled like clover and fresh hay.

Clover's mother was waiting with a blanket as soft as a cloud. 'You said goodnight to everyone in the meadow,' she said, smiling in the lamplight. 'Now it is time to say goodnight to you, little Clover.' Clover curled up in the soft blanket, ears tucked, paws tucked, and nose tucked too.

Outside, the whole meadow grew quiet. The sheep were sleeping. The cow was sleeping. The duck was sleeping. The horse was sleeping. The mouse was sleeping. Clover's mother hummed a slow, soft song and stroked Clover's ears, once, twice, three times, gentle as falling leaves.

'Goodnight, sheep. Goodnight, cow. Goodnight, duck. Goodnight, horse. Goodnight, mouse. Goodnight, my sweet little bunny,' she whispered. Clover's eyes grew heavy, then heavier still. The stars came out, one by one, soft and quiet above the hill. And in the warm, clover smelling burrow, little Clover drifted off to sleep, safe and snug and still.