If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales. -Albert Einstein-
Fairy Tales are the root of storytelling. They are also the most popular children’s books. No surprise at all! I have been reading fairy tales for decades, and telling them, too. Children can’t get enough, and I know why.
Fairy Tales give children the biggest and most important lessons in life; good vs evil, right vs wrong. Every child wants to be a princess or a king or a dragon. These timeless tales let children figure out ‘life’. Yes, life.
There are bad guys and scary creatures in fairy tales. Terrible things happen. There are good guys; hens, bears, billy goats, boys, girls. Good things happen. That’s how children learn. Well, that’s how they learn about the most important things in life. Really.
My class loves Goldilocks and the Three Bears. We couldn’t get enough of this classic fairy tale.
We read multiple versions, with books by Jan Brett and Paul Galdone being the favorites. We debated Goldilocks; not if she was good or bad, but far more. Why did she not listen to her mother and go into the house of the three bears? She opened the door on her own! The “W” questions (who, what, when, where, and also how) trigger the deepest discussions. Oh, how I love seizing that moment. When I read-aloud I stop. All the time. The best learning happens spontaneously.
I introduced humor, Mo Willems version, Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs. Humor is sophisticated for young children, so reading this book after the other versions took them to a new level. They ‘got it’. The inside cover of the book was the icing on the cake, with each potential title crossed out, such as, “Goldilocks and the Three Alligators.”
Ah-ha! Children went from a deep understanding of a classic fairy tale to one with sophisticated humor. Yet, they wanted more. So, we wrote our own version of Goldilocks and the Three Bears.
The language in this story is rich and full of thinking for three and four-year-olds. “Goldilocks was a not-listener.” “She was sad and angry and that made her tired.” “They investigated the house.”
This story can only happen from children who have read a fairy tale. Albert Einstein was right.
Jennie
A Teacher's Reflections 
Love this, Jennie! And of course I totally agree. I very much enjoyed the story written by the children. It has every element, and such sophisticated language and emotional responses. I do miss writing time with children. 😦 I’m so pleased to see the inclusion of Mo Willems’ book. It is hilarious – on so many levels. I’m pleased the children enjoyed all the alternate titles. I wonder have they thought to write one themselves.
Thank you, Norah. They really enjoyed all the different versions. Have you read, “Somebody and the Three Blairs?” It’s a good one. The story was language-rich and full of thought. No, I have not had children write their own ‘different’ versions. Perhaps if they were kindergarteners I would.
No, I haven’t heard of the Three Blairs. Sounds interesting! Are your children younger than kindergarteners? I’m sure they’d have fun making up their own versions, even if they couldn’t write. 🙂
They are 3 and 4-years-old. They loved writing their own version, that’s the photo in the post. Great language and thinking from preschoolers.
It is indeed. You age group labels are obviously different from ours here, which makes comparisons a little confusing. We used to have “preschool” for 4-5 year olds, but don’t any more. Kindergarten is for 3 year olds. We now have prep (the first year of formal school) for 41/2 to 51/2 year olds. 🙂
That is so interesting, and quite different.
Beautiful posts! I’m a lover of children’s books and also worked with children for years. Glad I stumbled upon your blog as I’m looking to add some variety to my reader, looking forward to reading more 🙂
Thank you so much! Glad you enjoyed the read.
Nice to see how well the children summed up the story. As you say, they really ‘got it’!
Best wishes, Pete.
Thank you, Pete. Best to you.
Nice post Jennie. I recently read a funny rewrite of a tale called B.B. Wolf: The True Story. Poor old wolf was so misunderstood. 😉
I like that book, too! We just did an impromptu play performance of The Three Little Pigs, but first we debated on whether the wolf ate the pigs or not.
I noticed your kids’ use of the word ‘investigated’ in their version of the story…quite the vocab!
Oh and I like how they figured out why Goldilocks got so tired:because she was sad and angry…true energy zappers, for sure.
And, teacher, you get an A+ for printing! 😉
Thank you, Laura. I love the words and language, too. Literacy at work! Einstein was right.
I wish you were teaching teachers.
Thank you, Marlene! Hopefully my blog posts help fellow teachers.
You all did a great job with your version, sounds like another wonderful classroom time. And you get a gold star for your perfect handwriting! 🙂
Thank you Marcia! 🙂⭐️
I love Einstein’s quote and the reasoning and word usage on your student example of a re-telling of Goldilocks is amazing for children so young. This is what wonderful teachers do and you are among the best of the best. Awesome! Your students are so fortunate. 🙂 Great post!
Thank you so much, Karen. Your words mean much to me and are appreciated. 🙂
Jennie, Albert Einstein was right about lots of things. But he didn’t have to teach reading and listening skills to preschool children. I wonder of he was capable of doing that? You’re the best.
That is so nice, Steve. Thank you! I wonder if Einstein could have done that. I watched a special on TV a zillion years ago with the scientist Carl Sagan teaching to a class of fifth graders. He was terrific. But preschoolers are a different ball of wax.
Oh! What a way to start off a post. Albert Einstein’s witty quote. I actually read it for the first time. Fairy tales is something that I used to enjoy; but I cannot replace that ‘used to’ ’cause I simply can’t. But, I do agree that fairy tales bring some fancying power in the mind. Again, a well written post!
His quotes are my favorites. Being an advocate of reading-aloud, this one really hits home. Fairy tales are excellent not only for the imagination, but for teaching children values. Thank you so much.
You’re welcome!
“The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig” by Eugene Trivizas is a personal favourite as an ex teacher and current storyteller. I’m currently trying to weave fairy stories into a novel about contemporary UK schools, and the material is so rich, it’s what to leave out that’s the problem! Have you read Marina Warner: “Once upon a time”?
I have not read it. Children’s book? Fairy tales make the best stories to tell.
Children’s book, reverses the roles. 6 year olds love it, and it’s true to the repetition and has great illustrations.
Thank you!
And maybe, just maybe….fairy tales are really how life is meant to be. That is why kids relate so well, for they already live in the land of make believe.
Perhaps, as more adults begin to ‘let their guard down’ and become more of the kid inside them, then we will discover for sure, that fairy tales are really how life is.
Beautiful post as always, thank you… ren
I’m just surprised that there aren’t more Fantasy and Horror writers in the world because of them!
Exactly! Think of the brothers Grimm. Those fairy tales alone could spark any horror writer. Have you ever read the original Cinderella? Yikes!
Oh yeah! Because of her I only have one pair of shoes and I keep them on…Plus I stay away from balls, princes, witches and pumpkin anything.
It was the stepmother chopping off the heel and toe of the stepdaughters, and the birds pecking out their eyeballs that did it for me. Close-flying birds and tight shoes are creepy.
A really lovely post, Jennie. I love fairy tales and have told them to my children, my nieces and nephews and the children in my Sunday School.
Thank you!
I completely agree with you about the importance of fairy tales. As a middle school teacher I use Beauty and the Beast with my 7th graders every year. There are so many powerful messages in fairy tales, and they are such an important cultural reference point. Also, I absolutely had the Jan Brett Goldilocks above growing up–thanks for bringing back memories!
Thank you, Rebecca. I’m glad you use fairy tales in your classroom, too. They are timeless and give teachers so many avenues of teaching. Glad it gave you good memories.
Reblogged this on Notes from An Alien and commented:
Impressively insightful re-blog today………
Thank you so much, Alexander!
So wonderful to read about the children’s interpretation of fairy tales. Gives us more to think about. 🙂
Thank you, Debby. Through the eyes of a child… always a marvel.
Such truth! 🙂
Yes!