DearlyStoryDearlyStory · Guide
How do I make a Halloween bedtime story that isn’t too scary?
Type a gentle idea into DearlyStory, like "a little ghost who is afraid of the dark". Set Who’s listening to A child, pick 3 or 5 minutes, and the story is ready in seconds. Read it first, change anything that feels too spooky, then press play to hear it in your own voice. Writing is free; reading it aloud is 10 story coins.
Twelve gentle ideas
- A little ghost who is afraid of the dark.
- A pumpkin who wants a smile carved, not a scary face.
- A friendly bat who helps a lost moth find the moon.
- A witch’s cat who keeps falling asleep before the parade.
- A shy skeleton who learns to dance.
- The monster under the bed, who is scared of socks.
- A scarecrow who makes friends with the crows instead.
- Trick-or-treating on the moon.
- A spider who knits costumes for the whole garden.
- A haunted house whose ghosts are hopeless at being scary.
- A costume that comes to life for one night and just wants to go to bed.
- Your child’s name, this year’s costume, and one thing they love.
Add a few words of mood, like "gentle and funny, not scary". Stuck? Tap Try another.
Keeping it cosy
- Set Who’s listening to A child. The story is written for little ears.
- Go short. 3 or 5 minutes for little ones, 8 for older kids.
- Read it before they hear it. The words come first, so you can cut the spooky bit before anything is read aloud.
- Make it a picture book if you want pages to look at together. The crayon style suits Halloween.
- Make it a series. If the little ghost is a hit, bring it back tomorrow. The next episode keeps up to three main characters, drawn the same way.
Away on Halloween night?
Record about 15 seconds of your voice before you go. At bedtime, whoever is home presses play, and your child hears the story in a voice that sounds like you, each sentence lighting up as it is read. Lock the screen and it keeps playing; the sleep timer turns it off.
Grandma can read it too, if she records her own voice or says yes to you using it.
Step by step
- Make your voice once Read a short passage aloud for about 15 seconds. Or start with a built-in voice.
- Type a gentle idea Pick one from the list, set Who’s listening to A child, and choose 3 or 5 minutes.
- Read it, change it Edit any line before it is read aloud. Writing and editing are free.
- Press play Or make it a picture book first. Reading aloud is 10 story coins, a picture book 140 to 280, and new accounts start with 150.
Questions people ask
What if it comes out too scary?
You see the words before anyone hears them. Change any line, and keep Who’s listening set to A child.
Is there a ready-made Halloween story?
You make your own from an idea, which is half the fun. The twelve above will get you started, and Try another has more.
What does it cost?
Writing and editing are free. Reading a story aloud is 10 story coins; a picture book is 140 to 280. New accounts start with 150.
Can it be grandma’s voice?
Yes, if she records it herself or agrees to it. You can only create your own voice or one you have permission to use.