Stories for Children up to 7 years old.

 FALLING LEAVES.

This is a "NOT QUITE TRUE STORY" for 3-5 year olds that may tell you why the some leaves change colour and fall.

For younger children you can print a picture  that can be coloured in.  Go to my "photo centre" (top left ), click on "My Friends" picture set, click on "Leaves".  Click on picture to enlarge, right click on picture, select "print this picture".

MOST TREES LOOSE THEIR LEAVES IN THE WINTER TIME, BUT, IT WAS NOT ALWAYS LIKE THAT.

MANY YEARS AGO, THE LEAVES STAYED ON THE TREE FOR EVER, AND,, THE TOP OF THE TREES GREW BIGGER AND BIGGER. SO BIG THAT THE TREES FELL OVER.

FALLEN TREES BLOCKED THE ROADS AND CARS COULD NOT DRIVE ALONG THEM.

FALLEN TREES BLOCKED THE RIVERS AND THE SHIPS COULD NOT SAIL ALONG THEM.

FALLEN TREES BLOCKED THE RAILWAY LINE AND THE TRAINS COULD NOT GO ANYWHERE.

DADDIES COULD NOT GO TO WORK.

MUMMIES COULD NOT GO TO THE SHOPS.

BOYS AND GIRLS COULD NOT GO TO SCHOOL.

THE KING SAID, "WE MUST DO SOMETHING", SO HE PICKED UP HIS MOBILE 'PHONE AND CALLED THE GOOD WIZARD.

THE WIZARD SAID, "WE CAN SHAKE ALL THE TREES AND MAKE THEIR LEAVES FALL OF".

"DON'T BE SILLY", SAID THE KING, "THERE ARE FAR TOO MANY TREES AND IN THE WINTER THE BUTTERFLIES SLEEP IN THE LEAVES, WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THEM?".

THE KING SENT FOR THE CHIEF BUTTERFLY.

THE CHIEF BUTTERFLY ARRIVED WITH HIS ASSISTANTS, A RED BUTTERFLY, A YELLOW BUTTERFLY, A BROWN BUTTERFLY AND A ORANGE BUTTERFLY AND THE KING TOLD THEM WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS.

"I HAVE AN IDEA", SAID THE CHIEF BUTTERFLY, "AT THE END OF THE SUMMER ALL THE BUTTERFLIES WILL FLY OVER THE TREES AND SHAKE SOME OF THE COLOUR OFF THEIR WINGS, THE LEAVES WILL THEN BE A DIFFERENT COLOUR,

 SOME RED, SOME YELLOW, SOME BROWN AND SOME ORANGE,

AND THEN THE LEAVES WILL KNOW THAT IT IS TIME TO FALL TO THE GROUND".

"THAT IS A GOOD IDEA" SAID THE WIZARD, BUT, THE QUEEN SAID, "WHERE WILL THE BUTTERFLIES GO TO IN THE WINTER IF THERE ARE NO LEAVES TO SLEEP IN ?".

THE WIZARDS ASSISTANT WAS AN ELF CALLED FRED, "WE DON'T HAVE TO SPRINKLE COLOUR ON ALL THE TREES", HE SAID, "WE CAN LET SOME TREES STAY GREEN".

"WHAT A GOOD IDEA", SAID THE KING, "AND THE BUTTERFLIES CAN SLEEP IN THE TREES THAT STAY GREEN".

THE CHIEF BUTTERFLY TOLD THE CHIEF BIRD, THE CHIEF BIRD TOLD ALL THE OTHER BIRDS, AND VERY SOON, THE BIRDS WERE FLYING TO EVERY TREE, IN EVERY WOOD, AND EVERY FOREST TO TELL THE TREES.

THE TREES WERE VERY HAPPY TO HEAR THE NEWS, THEY SAID, "THE LEAVES ARE VERY HEAVY WHEN WE HAVE TO HOLD THEM UP".

THE TREES AGREED THAT THE STRONGEST TREE WAS THE FIR TREE AND THE FIR TREE WOULD KEEP ITS LEAVES.

AT THE END OF THE SUMMER THE BUTTERFLIES FLEW OF AND SPRINKLED THEIR COLOURS, THE LEAVES TURNED TO RED AND ORANGE, AND, YELLOW AND BROWN, AND THEN FELL TO THE GROUND.

THE TREES COULD HAVE A REST BEFORE THE NEXT YEARS LEAVES GREW.

THE BUTTERFLIES WERE HAPPY AS THEY COULD SLEEP ALL THROUGH THE WINTER IN THE BIG STRONG FIR TREES.

THE TREES WERE HAPPY AND DID NOT FALL OVER.

THE CARS COULD DRIVE ON THE ROADS.

 THE SHIPS COULD SAIL ON THE RIVERS.

 THE TRAINS COULD MOVE ON THE RAILWAYS.

DADS COULD GO TO WORK.

 MUMS COULD GO TO THE SHOPS.

 AND, BOYS AND GIRLS COULD GO TO SCHOOL.

THE END