Listen or read along. “The Hush of the Tide” is a free
original sleep story for ages 4–6, narrated aloud in about 4 minutes.
The full text is below, and the Sleepfox app reads it to your child with a
calm voice, a dimming screen and a gentle sleep timer.
Far away, where the hills meet the sea, there lived a child named Sam.
Sam loved to walk along the shore with Nutmeg, their sleepy fox friend.
Nutmeg's fur was the color of warm cinnamon, and their paws were always soft with sand.
One evening, as the sky turned gentle pink, Sam and Nutmeg heard a sound.
It was a soft, whooshing hush, like the ocean was breathing.
"Do you hear that?" Sam whispered.
Nutmeg yawned and nodded, their eyes half-closed.
They followed the sound down to the water's edge.
The waves rolled in, slow and steady, and rolled back out again.
Hush… hush… hush.
"The ocean is singing," Sam said softly.
A silver fish poked its head above the water.
"Hello," the fish said in a bubbly voice.
"We are getting ready for sleep. Would you like to see?"
Sam felt a warm, fluttery feeling in their chest.
"Yes, please," they said.
The fish led them to a shallow tide pool, glowing with soft moonlight.
Inside, a tiny crab was tucking itself under a smooth, round stone.
"Goodnight, little crab," Sam whispered.
The crab waved one sleepy claw.
Hush… hush… hush, sang the waves.
Nutmeg curled up beside Sam's feet, warm and soft.
A sea star was resting on a bed of cool, wet sand.
Its arms stretched out like a sleepy starfish yawn.
"Goodnight, sea star," Sam said.
The sea star didn't move, but Sam could feel it listening.
A jellyfish drifted by, slow as a cloud.
Its body glowed pale blue, soft as a nightlight.
"We all sleep when the tide is gentle," the jellyfish murmured.
Sam nodded.
They felt sleepy too, listening to the ocean's song.
The silver fish swam in a slow, lazy circle.
"The ocean takes care of us," it said.
"It rocks us to sleep, every night."
Hush… hush… hush.
Sam sat down on the cool sand.
Nutmeg climbed into their lap, a warm bundle of fox.
The waves rolled in, soft and slow, and rolled back out again.
Sam closed their eyes and listened.
The ocean was still singing its gentle song.
The tide pool shimmered.
The crab, the sea star, and the jellyfish were all fast asleep.
"Goodnight, ocean," Sam whispered.
Nutmeg made a soft, snuffly sound.
The moon shone down, silver and kind.
Sam felt the hush of the tide all around them, soft and safe.
They rested their cheek on Nutmeg's warm fur.
The waves rocked them gently, like a lullaby.
And soon, Sam and Nutmeg were fast asleep too, dreaming of the quiet, sleepy sea.
Listen to it free in the app
Sleepfox narrates every story aloud, dims the screen, and fades out with a
gentle sleep timer. A brand-new story is added free every night.
The Cove of Soft Waves
Ivy Whispers to the Waves
Pearl and the Sleepy Ocean Song
Coral and the Sleepy Sea Song
Milo and the Moonlight Tide Pool
The Hum of Starlight