Need ideas for a bedtime story

[1695814]

OK, so my 4yo just "inherited" my old teddy bear from when I was a kid. She's even changed it's name from "Teddy" to "Caillou" . Oh well . Anyway, last night I asked her if she wanted me to tell her one of the two bedtime stories that I usually tell ("The dog who couldn't bark" and/or "The Twinkle Star"). (These are stories that my dad used to tell me. I didn't make them up.) She declined and then asked me to tell her a story about "Caillou the Teddy Bear". Well, we tried to come up with something, but kind of conveniently got sidetracked onto other subjects. So, I told her I'd try to think of something.

This is where you come in. I need an outline of a simple story you can tell about a teddy bear. I'll share with you the basic premises of the two stories I mentioned above so that you have an idea of what I'm talking about.

Sleep tight,
###

[Kohl]

Convert The Lorax into The Caillou.

[1695814]

The Dog Who Couldn't Bark
supposedly by 1695814's dad.

Here's the outline, embellish with details as desired:

There once was a dog who couldn't bark. He sought out to find someone to teach him how to bark.

||: He went to the [supermarket, gas station, post office, etc. (pick one)] and asked one of the people there to teach him how to bark.
They dismiss him (gently or rudely).
Give him a reason why. [We sell groceries/gas here, we delver mail, etc., not teach dogs how to bark.]
Send him on his way. :|| (Repeat as desired.)

Dog happens upon child's house. (I usually insert our address here as a way for our kids to learn our street address.)
Child is doing [activity] (playing with siblings/pets/whatever).
Dog approaches child and requests help in learning how to bark.
Child agrees to do so, but first introduces self & asks the dog what his name is.

[Here's the punchline.]
Dog replies, "My name is 'Bow Wow'".
Child expresses amazement at response & notifies dog that anytime he wants to bark he just has to say his name, "Bow Wow."


footnote: The first time that I heard my dad tell this story to my younger sister I was astonished/taken back by the fact that the dog learned how to bark from my sister and not from me since up to that point I had always been the character that helps the dog.

[1695814]

The Twinkle Star
supposedly by 1695814's dad.

Here's the outline, embellish with details as desired:

There once was a tiny little twinkle star up in the sky who had no friends and was very, very lonely.
So, he set out to make some friends.

||:He approached the [sun, moon, star constellations, etc. (pick one)] and asked to be their friend.
They dismiss him (gently or rudely).
Make up an excuse. [I'm too busy shining on the earth during the day/night & I sleep during the night/day, etc.]
Send him on his way. :|| (Repeat as desired.)

Star happens to look down at child's house & sees child.
Talks to child & asks to be child's friend.
Child agrees. You may play with me anytime you want.

I don't think there's really a "punchline" just a warm/fuzzy ending that now the twinkle star finally has a friend.

footnote: Same footnote as above applies here.

[1695814]

So, that's sort of the thing that I'm looking for. Gotta keep it pretty simple & repetitive. I pretty much just a need a problem that this bear would encounter & ways for him to try to overcome that problem & a way for the child to be the "hero/ine".

[Westley]

Any chance that Teddy is looking for a new name because too many other people already have the same name, and he wants somebody to help him come up with a new name?

[Westley]

How about Caillou can't get to sleep and he wants somebody to help him figure out how to get to sleep, because he always stays up too late and then has a bad day the next day.

The punchline can involve a way of getting to sleep ("curl up like this and close my eyes", or "listen to the birds outside my window" or whatever) and she goes to sleep the way you tell her to.

[Levin]

I'd say have Caillou go to several different animals looking for its mother, but I suspect your child has heard that one before. But still one of my favorites (and my children's).

[Griffin 1]

Once upon a time, there was a little train who had to pull a giant load of scrap metal up the mountain. He had never pulled such a heavy load in his life, and so when he left the valley, he said, "I hope I can. I hope I can. I hope I can." But, before long, he picked up speed and he said, "I think I can. I think I can. I think I can." Soon, the little train was whizzing right up the mountain, and now he said, "I know I can! I know I can! I know I can!" But then, the strain was too much, and the little train had a heart attack right there on the tracks, almost at the top of the mountain! And then the little train dies.

Since the little train was near the top of the mountain, it began to roll backwards, slowly at first, but it got faster and faster, until he was just barreling down the mountain, his wheels just barely on the tracks. This time, he didn't say anything, because he was dead. Now, in the valley, who should be sitting on the tracks? Freddy the Frog! And he's facing the other way, so he doesn't see the train coming at him. But fortunately for Freddy, he hops off the tracks just in time. And instead of hitting Freddy, the train hits a school bus full of children, killing everyone, including the driver. When the police arrive, they looks around, and one of them says, "You know, it's wrong that so many kids should be dead, and this frog should still be alive." And so, they beat him to death with a baseball bat. The end.

[micaelagb]

If you go down to the woods today
You're sure of a big surprise.
If you go down to the woods today
You'd better go in disguise.

For ev'ry bear that ever there was
Will gather there for certain, because
Today's the day the teddy bears have their picnic.

Ev'ry teddy bear who's been good
Is sure of a treat today.
There's lots of marvelous things to eat
And wonderful games to play.

Beneath the trees where nobody sees
They'll hide and seek as long as they please
Cause that's the way the teddy bears have their picnic.

If you go down to the woods today
You'd better not go alone.
It's lovely down in the woods today
But safer to stay at home.

For ev'ry bear that ever there was
Will gather there for certain, because
Today's the day the teddy bears have their picnic.

Picnic time for teddy bears
The little teddy bears are having a lovely time today
Watch them, catch them unawares
And see them picnic on their holiday.

See them gaily gad about
They love to play and shout;
They never have any care;

At six o'clock their mummies and daddies,
Will take them home to bed,
Because they're tired little teddy bears.