What to do when you run out of bedtime stories

I have two children who like bedtime stories to fall asleep with. I have been telling them stories to the point I felt like I have run out of them. So I recalled my childhood memories, browsed internet and did various things to gee up with them. Out of all the experimentation, I found out that geing up with your own story is the best way to get a constant supply. One dayI was laying down with them and trying to tell them a story and could not gee up with anything. So I just decided to tell a story out of imagination. So, I started a story with no idea how it is going to end. Then, little by little, I realized that it is a good thing to give your imagination a chance. I kept telling whatever gees to my mind. After few minutes, I realized I could keep the story going without pausing to think. I have passed the first stage of imaginative story telling as I would call it. So, I thought I have to work on adding some spice and making the story more interesting.
Children like fantasy, things that are out of ordinary and things that are funny. So, I started to change things around. I remember telling them a story about a crocodile. Once you start the story as "Once upon a time, there was a crocodile", you can buy time to extend the story by describing the crocodile. If you do it in a funny, or an out of ordinary way, it makes the story very interesting and draw their attention. In my story, I told them the crocodile had a green tail and a red body. When I said that, I couldn't see in the dark but could feel that my children turned towards me. In fact, after sometime into the story, my younger one interrupted me and said, "So, the crocodile had a green tail and a red body?".I realized, my story telling is working.
To give you some more examples of my stories, let me tell you a story I came up with about a penguin who didn't like the winter. You can see how I picked the opposite here to make it more interesting and fascinating. I told them this penguin did not like the winter and snow. Then my older child asked if it was an African penguin. I said that it was. By saying so, I recognized her input, boosted her self esteem and encouraged her to contribute more. Another thing I want to point out here is that when they know you gee up with your own stories and not following a certain script, it encourages them to contribute to it, twist it and sometimes lead it where they want to go with it and how they want to end it. That boost their own creativity. I can recall numerous occasions they have done it.
So the African penguin left the north pole in November heading to Arizona looking for warmer weather. He was walking for several weeks crossing Canadian boarder by jumping off a fence in an abandoned farm in a remote area. Once he arrived in the United States, he realized it is so big and finding Arizona seems like a big challenge. Only thing heknew wasthat Arizona was a desert. He knew it can't be close because everywhere he looked, it was full of life. He climbed up to the top of a tall tree nearby and looked around to see if he could spot the desert. He couldn't but he did spot a family having a party in the back yard. They were eating turkey meal and having a good time. Suddenly the children playing in the swing set spotted the African penguin up in the tree. They started shouting and waving in amazement seeing a penguin in a strange place. They signaled penguin to gee down and join the party. He hasn't had a good meal since he started this long trip. So he accepted the invitation and joined the family in celebrating Thanksgiving.
After dinner, mom asked African penguin if he would like some dessert? And the penguin was so excited and said that desert was what he was looking for and asked mom where it was. Mom pointed at the dinner table and said that she would be glad to bring him some. Penguin was confused. He said he meant Arizona. Daddy asked if that was where he was heading and that it was still a long way. Mom suggested that the Penguin could use the car sitting in the garage that they haven't used in a while. African penguin was delighted and he quickly pulled out his wallet to make sure he had his drivers license with him. He showed his Canadian drivers license to dad and asked if it would work. Dad said he was not sure but it should be because his US drivers license was good for Canada when they were there last summer. So after having pecan pie for dessert, penguin got in the car, thanked and promised the family that he would bring the car back on the way home, and hit the road looking for more desert.
Few miles into the drive, African penguin realized that he had know clue where he was going. Luckily he found a GPS laying on the passenger seat. He mounted it on the dash board and mapped it to take him to Arizona. It was getting close to midnight and his happy feet were getting tired. As he sensed that he was approaching a small town, he decided to find a motel and spend the night. As he got to the town, he noticed that people were up and gathered by the road side and the police cars were zooming along the streets every way. He knew something strange was going on but had no idea what it was. He stopped the car and asked an old lady standing by the road. She said that there was an alien woman in town. Police was worried that she would get hurt so they were trying to catch her. The old woman yelled at penguin not to run over her as he drove away. As he drove around the curve he spotted the alien woman standing in the middle of the road just ahead of him. She was sparkling shiny with red long hair, radiant blue eyes and an ivory geplexion. She looked like an angel wearing a long white silk dress. Penguin went speechless for a moment and waken up from his deep thinking by thepeople who shouted, "Stop the car". Penguin realized the alien woman was so close. He slammed on the break but the old car would not stop. While thousands who gathered by the road closed there eyes not wanting to see what is going to happen, penguin did the same thinking, after all borrowing the car was a big mistake. The car rolled and hit the alien woman making a thunderous sound and then, whole town went dead silent for a few seconds.
Everyone opened there eyes to geprehend the sad story. But for everyone's amazement, They saw the alien woman standing on the road shining as ever before. The pieces of the car were all scattered around her. Poor penguin was laying on the road in pain. The Police chief quickly ordered to abandon the rescue mission. As the people watched, alien woman reached out to penguin and helped him get up. She asked what he was doing in the middle of nowhere. Penguin told her that he was trying to get away from cold weather and was heading to Arizona. Alien woman told him that she could take her to a place where there is no winter and he could live year around without having to move. African penguin was delighted to hear that and begged her to take him there. As the Police slowly approached the accident scene, alien woman offered the penguin her hand which he happily held on to, and they both disappeared into the sky heading to Sri Lanka.
That's the end of the story. Hope you enjoyed. If you have more time, please enjoy browsing my okay stores for fascinating natural gemstones. I will be posting more stories. You can find them by checking out my other reviews and guides. Thank you.