Tilibou: Bedtime Stories for Kids · Calm Sleep Stories for Toddlers

Halloween · The Ghost With the Hiccups · funny ghost story for kids · not scary Halloween · screen-free audio story

12min | 09/22/2026

Description

That evening, in Pumpkin Hollow, Zélie and Réglisse were strolling across Lantern Square, under the soft fog, when they heard a funny noise: a «boo», followed by a «hic». It sounded like a ghost that had swallowed the wrong way! Curious, Zélie wants to go and see, while Réglisse would rather head home and dive under the covers. Behind the biggest pumpkin, all white and all soft, there is a little ghost named Hippo, practising in his corner.

Poor Hippo so wants to go «BOO», a great, truly frightening BOO. But each time, it's stronger than him: «BOOO-hic!» That ridiculous hiccup spoils everything, and Hippo is in despair. Never, he thinks, will he frighten anyone with a hiccup like that. He could almost cry with shame.

So Zélie, instead of pitying him, bursts into a big, kind laugh: that «boo-hic» is the funniest thing she's ever heard! And little by little, Hippo understands that he doesn't need to be scary at all to be wonderful. His little flaw, that hiccup that so despaired him, becomes his finest quality: he is the funniest ghost in all of Pumpkin Hollow.

This story helps your child accept themselves just as they are, with their little differences. It reminds us with a laugh that a flaw can become a strength, that you don't need to be perfect to be loved, and that a good hearty laugh is often far better than a fright. A lovely message about self-confidence and humour.

And when the whole Hollow starts laughing with delight at the hiccupping ghost, Hippo beams, so proud of his little «boo-hic». Halloween night turns all joyful and soft, and the story settles gently down, right in time to close your eyes with a smile.

Zélie never laughs unkindly at Hippo: she laughs with him, not at him, and she helps him see all that is wonderful about him. Helping a little one love what makes them unique, instead of trying to correct it, is the whole spirit of Tilibou bedtime stories. And on Lantern Square, the pumpkins giggle in silence in the fog, until eyelids grow heavy.

A gentle, screen-free Halloween story for toddlers from age 3, lovely to share at bedtime, in the car, or at nap time. As always with Tilibou, the ending stays soft and quiet, without music, so your child can drift toward sleep without anyone being startled awake. 🎃

👉 All the Tilibou bedtime stories at tilibou.com

💡 Tip: to listen to one world back-to-back, choose its season (Noisette, Léo, Cassie, Marin, Tom the Pirate, or the Christmas, Halloween and School seasons).

✉️ Contact: contact@tilibou.fr

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About Tilibou: Bedtime Stories for Kids · Calm Sleep Stories for Toddlers

Welcome to Tilibou, a premium audio storytelling label for children aged 2 to 5: gentle bedtime stories crafted to accompany the moment of sleep, help little ones calm down and drift off peacefully. Every episode is a small evening ritual, to listen to together, tucked up in bed.

Tilibou's promise is simple: stories to fall asleep, dream and grow. The ending is always entirely spoken, in a soft fade, with no music, so the child falling asleep is never woken at the most delicate moment. No advertising, no screens and no collection of children's data: an experience designed for families, respectful and reassuring.

Each story lasts 10 to 20 minutes and is told with a warm, gentle voice, wrapped in discreet soundscapes, such as the forest at night, rain, a stream or a crackling fire, that cradle the tale without ever covering it. The stories are about emotions, little fears to tame, courage, friendship and wonder, with simple words and poetic images suited to the very young.

The world of Tilibou unfolds across several universes, each with its own atmosphere and characters. There is Noisette, the little bear of the evening, who helps name emotions and get ready for sleep, from age 2. There are Léo and Pistache, a small knight and his slightly scaredy dragon, who set off on adventures in search of courage. There are Cassie and Tornado, an energetic cowgirl and her placid pony, for the funniest stories of the West. There are Marin and Plume, a boy and his seagull who explore nature at a child's eye level. There is Tom the Pirate and his crew, sailing from island to island with gentle, never-scary adventures. And there are the seasonal collections: Christmas stories, funny and not-at-all-scary Halloween stories, and preschool stories to support the first steps at school.

There is Nino the Little Firefighter and his dog Pompon, the smallest firefighter at the Bellhill fire station, for firefighter stories for kids where everyone helps and nothing is ever scary: a cat up a tree, a ball on the school roof, a sheep stuck in a hedge, and a gentle fire truck siren that rocks children to sleep instead of waking them.

Tilibou comes in several languages, including English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, German and Italian: the same gentleness and the same characters, to fall asleep anywhere in the world. A little creature of the night, Tilibou, introduces and accompanies every story with its star-shaped lantern.

Whether for the bedtime ritual, a calm moment in the afternoon or a long journey, Tilibou offers parents a precious ally: beautiful stories to listen to, ad-free and screen-free, that help children relax, dream and fall asleep with a smile. Good night and sweet dreams with Tilibou.

👉 tilibou.com

💡 Perfect for the bedtime ritual: listen together, more than once.

✉️ Contact: contact@tilibou.fr

⭐ Enjoying Tilibou? Leave 5 stars and a review in your podcast app.