Create relatable characters. If it's a story about a child, give the child feelings and experiences that other children can understand. Like the child is nervous about the first day of school in the story. This way, the listener can connect with the character and will be more interested in the story as a whole.
Add some mystery or a little bit of suspense. Maybe there's a strange noise in the story that the main character has to figure out. But don't make it too scary for a bedtime story. For example, in a story about a little mouse in a big house, there could be a creaking sound that the mouse thinks is a monster at first, but then it turns out to be just the old floorboards settling.
Use vivid descriptions. For instance, if you're talking about a forest, describe the tall, ancient trees with their moss - covered trunks and the dappled sunlight filtering through the leaves. This makes the setting come alive.