We read fairy tales to children: what is the use and what they teach

Fairy tales are an effective tool for developing imagination, teaching children conflict resolution, tolerance to other people, and forming a love for nature and animals. When listening to interesting stories, kids develop imagination, memory and vocabulary increases. 

We will talk about why it is useful to read fairy tales to children later in the article.Why children should read fairy tales: 7 reasons

The significance of fairy tales is especially great in childhood.

The magical power of heroes, mythical creatures and treasures immerses the child in the world of fantasy. Fairy tales develop responsiveness, kindness and morality. They arouse interest and curiosity. The child asks questions, develops a storyline, tries to suggest "what if...". 

The benefit of fairy tales for children is that such stories not only allow you to have fun, but also teach you to distinguish between good and evil. Children's literature helps kids understand what it means to be human, why it is necessary and important to protect nature and animals. Daily reading perfectly develops imagination and thinking. The parent's goal is to encourage the kid's curiosity and give him new "food for thought."

Watch an educational video about the importance of personal example in the formation of your children's love of reading. Useful tips can be found here: "What to do if a child does not like to read?".Let's list more reasons why children should read fairy tales:

They teach you to cope with problems.

1.  
2. They form tolerance.
3. They increase emotional stability.
4. They give an understanding of good and evil.
5. They teach you to take responsibility for your actions.
6. Develop imagination and vocabulary.
7. Instill a love of learning.

Now let's look at these reasons in more detail.

They teach you to cope with problemsWhat do fairy tales teach?

A fictional story usually represents a problem or conflict that the characters are trying to resolve. Heroes often make several attempts before they succeed, which makes them examples of perseverance and steadfastness on the way to achieving the goal. Stories help children to navigate in life and not be afraid of difficulties. 

For example, reading the Ukrainian folk tale "Kirilo Kozhum'aka" the child will learn to cope with problems, solve them with the help of ingenuity and kindness. At the end of the story, the main character defeats an evil Dragon, marries a beautiful Princess.

They form toleranceFolk tales, with a unique flavor and special traditions, exist in many cultures.

Read fairy tales of different nations to children to show all kinds of foundations, habits and features. It is important not to get hung up on reading the same story. Even if the child asks to read a familiar, favorite story, offer a new one. It helps to develop thinking, imagination, teaches to accept the world in all its diversity. 

As an example, the Ukrainian folk tale "Krivenka Kachechka" teaches tolerance towards the elderly. It will be interesting for children 3-5 years old.

Increase emotional stabilityThe narrative reflects real life problems in a fantasy scenario, where the main character most often wins.

Children, being in a safe environment, follow the plot, thus they get used to the idea that bad things happen to everyone. No one is immune from life's problems, so you need to develop the ability to cope with them. We read fairy tales to children to increase emotional stability and develop empathy for other people. 

The story of the Swedish writer Astrid Lindgren "The Kid and Carlson" teaches you to be friends, forms confidence that a friend will not leave, will support you in a difficult moment. A funny, fascinating and understandable story for children. 

They give an understanding of good and evilThe main character of the narrative plays a certain role, which an ordinary person can not only sometimes see in everyday life, but even take as a basis for a life scenario.

Fairy—tale characters have a character - they are kind, sympathetic or evil, insidious. Thus, fairy tales form an attitude to the bad and the good, teach how to act in difficult situations and find a way out of them. 

The Danish novelist and poet Hans Christian Andersen has interesting and instructive stories. For example, the fairy tales "The Snow Queen", "The Persistent Tin Soldier" and "The Ugly Duckling" tell about how the main characters struggle with the evil that arises on their way of life. The stories teach you to sympathize and worry together with Gerda and Kai ("The Snow Queen"), to cry together with the Ballerina ("The Persistent Tin Soldier"), to rejoice at the transformation of the duckling into a proud swan ("The Ugly Duckling"). 

How the lack of parental love manifests itself, what consequences such behavior leads to in adulthood, read the article: "The syndrome of an unloved child: signs and negative consequences."Why should a child read fairy tales?

They talk in simple language about difficult life situations. Plunging into the plot, the child empathizes with the main characters, learns to rejoice and grieve. Narratives teach to distinguish between good and evil, form an attitude towards good and evil heroes, enrich vocabulary and develop imagination.

They teach you to take responsibility for your actionsActually, the lesson of the fairy tale is that the choice we make necessarily leads to results.

Evil and vindictive characters get what they deserve, and the desire for kindness and humility leads to good things — to a reward for their labors, to a happy life, a successful outcome of the journey. Fairy tales teach you to take responsibility for your actions and your life. 

Vasily Sukhomlinsky is a Ukrainian writer and teacher, his works do not leave the reader indifferent. For example, in the fairy tale "Why is the chickadee crying?" the boy is happy with the new swing tied to the branch on which the chickadee nest is located. He does not understand that the branch may break, and the chicks will die. At the end of the story, the author asks the reader a question: "Why is the chickadee crying?". And thus calls for dialogue, teaches to take responsibility for their actions. 

If you don't know how to stop blaming your parents for all the problems, learn to appreciate the life experience you have gained, then look for answers in the article: "Why children blame their parents for their failures."Develop imagination and vocabulary

Fairy tales are one of the best means to develop imagination, but provided that the plot is understandable to the child.

Children do not perceive learning directly well, and the plot of such a story hints at how best to act in a given situation. 

The fairy tale of the English writer Pamela Travers "Mary Poppins" will be interesting to children both at 3 and 6 years old. A fascinating story about a babysitter and magic develops the imagination and expands the vocabulary.

Instill a love of learningA fairy tale for the development of a child is indispensable in fostering a love of reading, in forming an interest in books and, as a result, in studying.

The child is eager to find out what happened to the main character. He learns to read to find out the end of the story, to read a new one. 

In Olena Skulovatova's fairy tale "Knizhkova Kramnitsa", the main character is a schoolgirl girl Yarina. She loved to read, but was unable to buy new books, so she helped in the bookstore to dust the shelves. For this, she was allowed to read novelties. One day the owner of the store got sick. Yarina went to the hospital where he was lying and began to read him fairy tales, thanks to which the store owner soon recovered. So, in one story, the love of studying and a kind attitude towards other people are combined.

Be a role model, read entertaining stories to children every day, discuss the plot, favorite characters, and their behavior.

Excite the interest of the baby, offer to choose the book yourself, because in this way the child's preferences and interests are formed. A fairy tale encourages action, lays the foundations of creative thinking.

You will learn more about how a child's habits are formed, how to raise a self-confident person, as part of Dmitry Karpachev's online course "What every parent should know".The images are taken from the sources: istockphoto.com