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Few heroes are as loved by Indian children as little Krishna. He steals butter, plays the flute, teases his friends and still manages to defeat demons and lift a mountain on one finger. Krishna stories for kids are full of mischief, magic and kindness, which is exactly why children ask to hear them again and again.

In this guide we have retold seven famous stories of Krishna from his childhood and youth, each one short enough to read aloud in a few minutes. Every story ends with a lesson and a question to talk about with your child. At the end you will find the best Krishna story books for children of every age, in English and Hindi.

Who was Krishna?

Krishna is one of the most loved figures in Indian tradition, worshipped as an avatar of Lord Vishnu. His childhood stories come mainly from the Bhagavata Purana, and his later life is part of the Mahabharata, where he gives the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra.

For children, though, Krishna is above all a playful boy growing up among the cowherds of Gokul and Vrindavan. These Bal Krishna stories show him as naughty but loving, brave but never cruel. They are perfect for Janmashtami, but children enjoy them all year round.

7 famous Krishna stories for kids

Read these little Krishna stories slowly and with expression. Pause at the exciting moments and let your child guess what happens next.

1. The Birth of Krishna

Long ago, the cruel king Kamsa ruled Mathura. A voice from the sky warned him that the eighth child of his sister Devaki would destroy him. So Kamsa threw Devaki and her husband Vasudeva into prison and took away each of their children.

When the eighth child, Krishna, was born at midnight, a miracle happened. The prison doors opened by themselves and the guards fell into a deep sleep. Vasudeva placed the baby in a basket on his head and set out into a wild storm. The river Yamuna was flooding, but as the baby's foot touched the water, the river parted to let them pass. The great serpent Shesha spread his hoods over the basket like an umbrella to keep the rain off. Vasudeva reached Gokul and left Krishna with his friend Nanda and Nanda's wife Yashoda, who raised him as their own son.

Lesson: Goodness finds a way, even on the darkest night. Ask your child: How do you think Vasudeva felt walking through the storm?

2. The Universe in Krishna's Mouth

One day, Krishna's friends ran to Yashoda. "Krishna has been eating mud!" they cried. Yashoda marched over to her little son. "Did you eat mud?" she asked. Krishna shook his head. "They are telling tales, Mother. Look for yourself." And he opened his mouth wide.

Yashoda looked in, and her eyes grew wide. Inside Krishna's mouth she saw the whole universe: the sun, the moon and the stars, the mountains and oceans, and even herself and the village of Gokul. She was amazed and a little frightened. Then Krishna closed his mouth, and she simply hugged her son, forgetting what she had seen, filled only with a mother's love.

Lesson: There is more to people than we can see. Ask your child: What would you see if the whole world fit inside a mouth?

3. Makhan Chor, the Butter Thief

Little Krishna loved butter more than anything. The women of Gokul hung their pots of butter high from the ceiling so he could not reach them. But Krishna was clever. He and his friends climbed on each other's shoulders to make a tower. Krishna, at the top, cracked the pot open and shared the butter with his friends and even the monkeys waiting below.

The women complained to Yashoda, but whenever she scolded him, Krishna would give her such an innocent smile that she could not stay angry. That is why, to this day, Krishna is lovingly called Makhan Chor, the butter thief. During Janmashtami, many places in India celebrate this story with Dahi Handi, where teams of young people form human pyramids to break a pot hung high above the street.

Lesson: Teamwork can reach what one person cannot, and good things are better when shared. Ask your child: Was Krishna being naughty or kind, or both?

4. Krishna and the Two Trees

One day Yashoda decided Krishna needed a lesson. She tried to tie him to a heavy wooden mortar with a rope, but the rope was always two fingers too short, no matter how many ropes she joined together. Only when Krishna saw how hard his mother was trying did he let himself be tied. Because of this, he is also called Damodara, the one with a rope around his waist.

Krishna then crawled away, dragging the mortar behind him, and squeezed between two tall arjuna trees. The mortar got stuck, and with one pull, both trees crashed to the ground. Out of them stepped two shining young men. They had been cursed long ago to stand as trees until Krishna freed them. They thanked him with folded hands and went on their way.

Lesson: Love and effort can do what force cannot. Ask your child: Why did the rope only fit when Yashoda kept trying?

5. Krishna and the Serpent Kaliya

A huge, many headed serpent named Kaliya lived in a pool of the Yamuna. His poison had made the water so deadly that birds fell from the sky and cows that drank it fell ill. The people of Vrindavan were afraid to go near the river.

One day, while playing, Krishna's ball fell into the pool. Krishna climbed a tree and jumped straight into the poisoned water. Kaliya rose up and wrapped himself around the boy, but Krishna grew heavier and heavier until Kaliya had to let go. Then Krishna leapt onto the serpent's hoods and began to dance, stamping on each head in turn, until Kaliya was exhausted. Kaliya's wives begged Krishna to spare him. Krishna agreed, on one condition: Kaliya must leave the river and go to live in the sea. The Yamuna was clean again.

Lesson: Be brave, but also be merciful. Ask your child: Why did Krishna let Kaliya go instead of punishing him more?

6. Krishna Lifts the Govardhan Hill

Every year the people of Vrindavan held a big festival for Indra, the king of the gods and the god of rain. Young Krishna asked his father why. "We should thank Govardhan Hill," he said, "which gives our cows grass and gives us fruit and water." The people agreed and worshipped the hill instead.

Indra was furious. He sent terrible storms, and it rained for days. Rivers flooded and the village was in danger. Then Krishna walked up to Govardhan Hill and lifted the whole hill on the little finger of his left hand, holding it up like a giant umbrella. All the people and their cows sheltered under it. For seven days Krishna held the hill up, until Indra understood his mistake, stopped the rain and came to ask Krishna's forgiveness. This story is remembered every year at Govardhan Puja, the day after Diwali.

Lesson: Be thankful for nature, and pride always falls. Ask your child: What in nature would you like to say thank you to?

7. Krishna and Sudama

When Krishna was a boy, he studied at the ashram of the sage Sandipani along with a poor boy named Sudama, and the two became best friends. Years later, Krishna was the king of Dwarka, while Sudama was so poor that his family often went hungry. His wife urged him to visit his old friend for help.

Sudama had nothing to give as a gift except a small bundle of flattened rice, which we call poha. He felt ashamed to offer it to a king. But when he reached the palace, Krishna ran out barefoot to hug him, washed his tired feet and sat with him like old times. Krishna found the little bundle and ate the poha with great joy. Sudama was too shy to ask for anything and went home empty handed. But when he reached his village, he found his hut had become a fine house, and his family had everything they needed.

Lesson: True friends value love, not money. Ask your child: What makes someone a good friend?

Why Krishna stories are good for children

• They are fun. Butter stealing and mischief make children laugh, and laughter keeps them listening.
• They teach values without lectures. Courage, gratitude, friendship and forgiveness come through naturally in each story.
• They explain our festivals. Janmashtami, Dahi Handi and Govardhan Puja suddenly make sense to a child who knows the stories.
• They build a reading habit. A child who loves these stories will happily pick up illustrated story books for kids to read alone.

Best Krishna story books for kids

These are the books we recommend if you want to buy books online for a child who loves Krishna, from toddlers to confident readers.

• Little Krishna: Illustrated Untold Stories from Childhood, full of the playful little Krishna stories children love.
• Tales from Krishna For Children, simple stories for early readers.
• Krishna: The Cowherd God, an illustrated book that tells his life story for older children.
• My First Shaped Board Book: Lord Krishna, a sturdy first book for toddlers aged 2 and up.
• Krishna: Illustrated Story Book for Children in Hindi, for families who read in Hindi.

Bigger sets for curious readers

Many children who love Krishna want to know about the other gods and heroes too. These sets are great value and make wonderful gifts.

• Children's First Mythology Stories, Pack of 5, with Devi, Durga, Arjuna, Mahabharata and Krishna.
• Tales from Indian Mythology (Collection of 10 Books), a complete starter library of Indian mythology.
• Bharatiya Pauranik Devkathayein (Collection of 10 Books, Hindi), the same set in Hindi.
• Tales from Mahabharat For Children, for the next part of Krishna's story.

For another great epic to share this festive season, read our Ramayana story for kids, or browse all our story books for kids.

Frequently asked questions

What age are Krishna stories suitable for? Toddlers from age two enjoy board books with pictures of Krishna. From about four, children love hearing the short stories read aloud, and by seven or eight most can read illustrated Krishna story books on their own.

Where do Krishna's childhood stories come from? Most come from the Bhagavata Purana, especially its tenth book, which describes Krishna's early life in Gokul and Vrindavan. His later life is told in the Mahabharata.

Which Krishna story is best for bedtime? The butter thief and the universe in Krishna's mouth are gentle and funny, so they make the best Krishna stories for bedtime. Save Kaliya and Govardhan for the daytime.

Are there Krishna story books in Hindi? Yes. We stock Krishna story books and full Indian mythology sets in both English and Hindi.

Where can I buy Krishna books for kids? You can buy books online at BooksFactory with cash on delivery, including Krishna story books, board books and Indian mythology sets for children.

Start with one story tonight

Pick your child's favourite of these seven Krishna stories for kids and read it aloud tonight. Make the storm loud, the butter tower wobbly and Kaliya's hiss scary. Children who grow up with these stories of Krishna carry their lessons of courage, kindness and friendship for life. Happy reading.