How to create a bedtime story for kids?

Do you think your boy or girl cares if the fairytale is totally upside down, all mixed up, or doesn’t even make sense? That’s exactly what it’s all about. After all, even a dragon can have wheels, a wizard can have four eyes, and a mouse can have a trunk. Trust me, our kids will appreciate it and remember these stories more than any other. And if you’re out of ideas, just copy and change things up. Or… let your kids create the fairytale for you.

So, how do you do it?

Just present a theme, pull the kids into the story with some little detail, and tell the story every night, over and over, and create it together. That’s how one story came about, which my son Luky and I worked on for a long time, and we had a great time imagining and laughing about it. So, how did it all start back then? With a question!

Did you know that forest elves have keys too?

Of course, how else would they unlock their trees? Do they need to unlock their trees? Won’t the trees let them in? Yeah, that’s how it is. Those are the right kind of questions to start creating a new story about forest elves.

But let’s take it from the very beginning. One day, when an elf wakes up in a drop of dew and comes to life with the breath of a doe, he starts growing along with a tiny tree. Just like the little tree’s roots grow into the ground, the elf’s legs stretch out. Depending on what kind of tree it is, the elf’s legs look similar. Spruce elves have wide feet, pine elves have long ones. As the tree’s branches grow, the elf’s arms stretch out too, reaching higher and wider. Gradually, he grows bigger and fuller. Over here, a new branch sprouts, and here, the elf’s fingers start to grow. As the tree gets covered in leaves or needles, the elf’s hair or fur grows too. Some even have thorns – they’re the real prickly ones.

And did you know that trees have knots? Those are the circles and ovals in the wood. They’re much harder than the rest of the wood. These are the places where another branch used to grow, or was supposed to grow. Maybe it withered, broke off, or just decided at the last minute not to grow there. Those places are the knots. Similarly, the forest elf has freckles like that. But elf freckles are actually called "knot-spots." For every knot on the tree, there’s a knot-spot on the elf. That’s why older elves are pretty dotted up because they have as many knot-spots as their tree has knots.

That works for dads, right? Now let’s keep going, and continue making up the story.

Every key has a lock somewhere

But be careful. One knot is completely different. It’s magical. It’s the very first knot that forms on the tree. And if you look closely at the forest elf, well, if he gives you the chance to see him, look closely at his neck. What’s hanging there? What? What’s hanging there? Well, of course, it’s a key.

And if you listen carefully to what the forest elf is mumbling under his breath, it usually sounds something like this: "One ring, a mark to that, we’ll chase the fools out of the house."

Every forest elf wears a key to their tree around their neck for their whole life. They’re born together in a drop of dew. The key looks like a tiny root, a little twig with a loop for hanging. It can’t actually be taken off the elf’s neck. It’s almost like it’s grown into the elf’s body, but it looks like it’s hanging from his neck. When the elf comes to his tree, the key magically stretches to the tree’s main knot and opens the door to the elf’s little room inside the tree, just like how people unlock and lock locks. Pretty cool, right?

Now, you’re probably wondering if these keys can be copied, or why the elves even have them. No, they can’t be copied. There’s only one original, just like the tree, just like the forest elf. They wear it their whole life and protect it like the heart in their body. It’s part of them, almost like their forest soul. We even think that when the tree finally dies of old age (or if humans chop it down, a storm breaks it, or lightning burns it), the elf will come to his tree for the last time, unlock it with the key, go inside, and close the door behind him. Then this magical knot will forever disappear, fade away, and both the tree and the elf will leave together for the eternal forest hunting grounds.

So why do the elves have it? Because only an elf can protect his tree. The elf knows what hurts the tree and can help it grow and stay green. And in return, the tree can heal its elf. Thanks to the bond from being born in a drop of dew, the key, and the magical knot.

And here it comes, more questions are being asked:

• Can the elf use the key to unlock another lock?
• Does the elf also lock up his supplies?
• Does he have a treasure locked in the roots of his tree?
• Can he lend his key to someone else?
• What’s the string for the key made of?
• Can such a key break?
• What if the elf loses his key?
• Do elves have locksmiths?

Well, well, well :) That’s a lot of questions. So, let’s come up with the answers together, shall we? Elf lock shop for fixing broken keys – that’s a good idea. Or maybe a lost key registry. I can already hear the news traveling across the forest: "The lost key has been found, the lost key has been found. Whoever lost it has to do ten push-ups and report to the gatekeeper!" Maybe it would be nice to add into the story that another elf can carry someone else’s key. Help carry it when the elf can’t, or when the key is sick or rusted.

i Stanislav Knotek, generated by AI

So you see, dads and moms, suddenly there are so many ways to expand the story. It could turn into a whole collection of short stories or even a podcast series. Grab that inspiration and try to develop this story about a ring and a mark with your kids today. You’ll see how their eyes light up, and once again, you’ll be the story hero. Go for it!