Bedtime · Humor · Negotiation
Counting Sheep Went On Strike
The sheep have made a sign. The sign says NO MORE JUMPING.
- Age range
- Ages 4-8
- Reading time
- 5 minutes
- Category
- Bedtime stories
What happens
The sheep are tired of being counted and want better conditions: a lower fence, softer grass, and someone to say thank you. Negotiating with them is, of course, extremely boring — which is the point.
Read the opening
Listen to this story
There were nineteen sheep at the fence, and one of them was holding a sign. The sign said, in slightly wobbly letters, NO MORE JUMPING.
"You've been counting us for four years," said the sheep at the front. "Every night. Nobody has ever once said thank you."
Ollie sat up. This seemed fair. "What do you want?" he asked, and the sheep produced a list, which was long, and which they read out very slowly indeed.
The rest of the story is written around your child — their name, their age, and the hero they describe.
What if your child were the hero?
Make This Story About My ChildFree, about 20 seconds, no card needed — this same adventure, starring them.
Imagine your child in this story
Type a first name. Imagiverse writes, illustrates and narrates the whole story in about a minute — free, no card needed.
Why this one is worth your time
- Funny at the start and deliberately monotonous by the end — a joke that helps rather than energizes.
- Introduces negotiating and saying thank you without any moralizing.
- Counting through nineteen gives young listeners something to do along the way.
Talk about it afterward
- What would you put on the sheep's list?
- What do you count or think about when you can't sleep?
What if your child were the hero?