“Mommy, please!” “Just. One. More!” I hear these phrases daily in our household. These once dreaded words are now a sweet calm to my soul. I love reading fairy tales to my children. We could sit for hours and just read. I love how my favorite genre of literature is their favorite as well.
Why We Love Fairy Tales
The Stories Are Filled With Hope
I appreciate fairy tales now in a way I never used to. When I read them, I’m reminded of hope in a seemingly hopeless situation. We all love stories that point us to hope. Fairy tales do that. Whether it’s the sleeping kingdom waiting for the princess to awaken, or a poor shoemaker hoping to earn enough money to make his shoes; these stories are hopeful.
God’s Hope Shines In A Sinful World
We see this theme woven throughout Scripture. We first see hope in Genesis after God describes the consequences of Adam and Eve’s disobedience. All future generations will have to endure the terrible consequences of their sin. Imagine the guilt and weight they must have felt! However, God doesn’t leave them hopeless. He promises to send One who will crush the head of the enemy (Genesis 3).
We Love Mystery
Raise your hand if you love a good mystery! I remember reading under the covers with an alarm clock light WAY past my bedtime in my school-age years. Reading the ending was a must. I desperately needed to know the ending and I was going to stay up until I finished the book. I loved the thrill of the journey.
Fairy tales provide anticipation that hope will arrive to “save the day.” Will the knight slay the dragon and save the princess? Will someone come along and help the shoemaker in his work?
The Struggle Between Good and Evil
Have you ever watched a movie or read a book in which you’re on the edge of your seat until the very end? Every fairy tale (like all good stories) is not complete without conflict. Well-crafted conflict gives us that “edge-of-our-seat” feeling. The hero encounters villains and goblins along the way. The princess travels to meet the prince only to encounter danger on the road.
Knowing that good overcomes evil brings comfort and excitement in many ways. The world is a dangerous place and as our children grow, they will ask questions and ponder these dangers. Although fairy tales are fictional, the themes are real and applicable in life. They hold promises of hope that one day good will triumph over evil.
Reading Fairy Tales In Your Home
Fairy tales provide character training and virtue in compelling and interesting stories. We often read them in our Morning Time, separate reading time, and Literature time in our school day. Before I homeschooled, I would read them to my daughter at night before bed. We made it a sweet time. I’ve noticed that as my children grow, they understand more elements within each story.
As a young learner, they’re cherished stories. To an older learner, they’re also cherished stories with hidden gems of character traits they can use in their own lives. Hopefully, we never stop gleaning the lessons and gems of virtue they offer.
Do you read fairy tales with your children? What are some of your favorite ones? Leave some in the comments below! I’d love to hear about some of your favorites.
-Danielle