Where would we be without fairy tales and folk stories? These evocative tales have been part of the experience of growing up for every single one of us, and their importance is still felt today.
Fairy tales are an excellent way for young children to learn about right and wrong in a safe space while also developing skills like creativity, empathy, writing and speaking. That’s why we regularly turn to traditional stories at our prep school in Devon.
If you’re interested in sharing some new and classic stories with your little one, here are some of our favourite fairy tales for children and how they can be used to teach various aspects of life and growing up.
Goldilocks and the Three Bears
Goldilocks is one of the most well-known English stories. The most common version of this famous tale sees young Goldilocks enter a house belonging to three bears and try their porridge, chairs and beds, each time finding the third one “just right”.
Goldilocks has a good moral story about using people’s things without permission. It’s also a great way to explore emotions and reactions – for example – what noise might someone make if they try porridge that’s too hot?
More than anything though, Goldilocks is an excellent teaching tool thanks to its repetition and use of threes. Because the story follows a pattern – trying things three times until they’re just right – it’s great for reinforcing new vocabulary around hot and cold, hard and soft, and more.
Cinderella
The story of Cinderella has been retold an immeasurable number of times, such is its undying popularity. Despite big movie adaptations, the story at its core is deceptively simple and perfect for young children.
At its heart, Cinderella is a moral story about kindness in the face of adversity. The story teaches that while others might be mean or unhelpful, good things will happen to you if you remain kind and hard-working.
Despite the tough treatment Cinderella receives from her sisters, she never retaliates or is unkind herself, and the story allows others to judge those characters’ actions appropriately.
With its beautiful imagery, from glass slippers to pumpkin carriages and more, Cinderella is also fantastic for exploring creativity and imagination. It’s a popular story for early drama and art classes where little ones can recreate their favourite characters.
Little Red Riding Hood
This classic tale of the little girl and the big bad wolf is an almost quintessential part of growing up. Not only is it a very dramatic story but it’s also a very good way to teach children about following instructions and being careful of strangers.
One of the best aspects of Red Riding Hood is the emphasis it puts on simple words, particularly words like “eyes, “teeth” and “woods”, which makes it a great way to expand children’s vocabularies.
There are different versions of Red Riding Hood, some of which are scarier than others. If you’re worried that the story could be frightening for a little one, it can be useful to talk through what’s happening and why, and maybe even come up with alternative endings where everyone is happy.
The Three Little Pigs
The Three Little Pigs is a wonderful little story. Even if you haven’t heard it in a while, you can almost picture the whole thing at just the mention of the three houses and the wolf trying to blow them down.
The charm of the Three Little Pigs story is its simplicity. Because it only uses a few items and lots of repetition, it’s easy for children to get involved in the telling.
By asking them questions about the story and allowing them to highlight particular words or items, this story can help develop their own storytelling and sequencing abilities.
Jack and the Beanstalk
Few stories stir young imaginations like Jack and the Beanstalk. Filled with fantasy adventure, this enchanting story delights and amazes children of all ages.
Jack and the Beanstalk features particularly emotive imagery, from the tall beanstalk to the giant itself. Kids love making drawings based on this classic story, including the world at the end of the beanstalk, as well as playing the giant and recreating their famous line: “fee fi fo fum.”
There is traditionally less of a moral angle to Jack and the Beanstalk compared to other fairy tales. Those looking for life lessons in this tale frequently turn to Jack’s mother and use it to discuss the important role that all parents play in children’s lives.
Of course, there are so many fairy tales out there to explore, each offering a unique outlook or story about growing up. If you’re looking for more story ideas, be sure to check out our article on classic children’s books that are still worth reading.
