Children fairy tales list

10 Best Classic Fairy Tales For Your Kids

“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 often take people to the sweet memory lane of their childhood. The memories of magic, dragons, and evilness getting defeated never fail to bring a smile to our faces. 

Reading or listening to classic tales can help parents bond better with their children and nurture their creativity.

So, if you are looking for the best bedtime stories for your children, this blog will surely help you. Let’s explore some of the fascinating and timeless fairy tales that can bring lots of colors and blooms to your kid’s childhood. 

Cinderella is one of the most popular fairy tales of all time. Its story remains an all-time classic and will remain the same for future generations as well.

Cinderella was a young woman who lived with her wicked stepmother and stepsisters. Thanks to her glass slipper, she found her Prince Charming and escaped her difficult life. 

Cinderella’s story has been adapted in many variations over history. Cinderella’s popular version “The Brother Grimm” was published in 1812. Recently, in 2021, Disney has released a new Cinderella movie with a modern outlook. 

Moral: This story tells kids how they should never stop dreaming despite all the hardships that life presents them with.

Related Reading: Top Reading Apps for Kids: How to Use Screens For Stories 

Beauty and the Beast is a fairy tale that celebrates real royalty. In the story, a spoiled prince turns into a beast and imprisons a beautiful young lady named Belle. It’s only when he learns to love Belle that he becomes the prince again. 

This fairy tale is assumed to be inspired by a real-life couple who lived in France in the 1500s. The man had a condition called hypertrichosis. This condition causes abnormal hair growth on the body. 

So, he was referred to as a wild man and was kept in a cage for a long time. In a surprising turn of events, he married a royal court servant’s daughter, and they had 7 children.

Moral: We should value internal characteristics such as kindness over other superficial or physical qualities. 

Rapunzel is a beautiful and motivational fairy tale. The story shows how a poor couple lost their daughter Rapunzel when they stole fruit from their neighbor’s garden. It also focuses on how the angelic voice of Rapunzel reunites her with her lover. 

Moral: This story gives two bold messages that one should never steal, and evilness never wins. 

Related Reading: Best Children’s Books to Stimulate Kids’ Imagination & Creativity

Snow White is a young princess and is defined by her inherent kindness and pure beauty. In the story, an evil queen spends all her life envying Snow White’s beauty. 

But, in the end, Snow White finds her happiness by marrying the prince. In contrast, the evil queen loses her peace and leads an unhappy life while chasing meaningless physical beauty. 

Moral: This story has an insightful moral — if you lust over physical beauty, you lose your peace in the way. The story also encourages kids to be kind and pure like Snow White. 

A rebellious Red sets off alone to meet her grandmother with instructions to never step off the forest path. But she disobeys the instructions and attracts the attention of the bad wolf. 

Now, what happens next depends on the version you are reading. In the Charles Perrault version, Red gets gobbled up by the wolf. However, across Europe, North America, and many other tellings, she was saved by her hood or a guy with an ax. 

Moral: This fairy tale intends to teach children to follow directions and express their courage at the time of need.  

Jack is a rule-breaker and loves to prank. Once, he traded a family cow for a couple of magic beans in the hope of climbing the beanstalk and reaching the giant’s castle to steal his magic possessions. 

This story will help you teach your naughty little pranksters that no matter how daring you are, one should never cross certain boundaries in life. 

Moral: The story shows that undying greed for more will take away what you already have in your life. 

Related Reading: Learning Styles That Make Learning Easy-Peasy For Kids

Sleeping Beauty is slightly similar to Snow White. The story revolves around a Sleeping Beauty who was cursed by a wicked fairy. Beauty spends all her childhood sleeping, but on her 16th birthday, her prince charming finds her and wakes her up after years of slumber. 

Like other fairy tales, different interpretations of Sleeping Beauty are also available. However, Disney’s Maleficent in the year 2014 achieved the most success. 

Moral: The story shows that growing up has its own hurdles but in the end, love conquers all.

If you want to raise a little animal helper, this is the perfect story for you. Puss is a bold trickster who masquerades as the servant of a nobleman. His tactics bring him fame, fortune, and a wife at a young age. 

The boots in this fairy tale symbolize wealth and wisdom. The story is set back in the 16th century when people used to be barefoot. So, having boots at that time was a significant sign of wealth. 

Moral: The story’s moral is simple — your wisdom can help you win wealth. 

This tale talks about the hunger of the heart and stomach. Hansel and Gretel are abandoned by their stepmother in the forest. Both children can’t resist eating a real gingerbread cottage out of hunger. But they get caught by a cannibal witch who lives there.  

In the end, they shove the witch into the fiery oven to escape. 

Moral: This story will teach your kids how fortunate they are to have food on their plates. It will help them be grateful in life and never have any egos! 

In this story, a frog helps a princess to find her golden ball in the pond and then invites her to live in the castle. It is then that the frog turns into a prince. The storyline of The Frog Prince is quite similar to Beauty and the Beast.

Moral: The story teaches that it’s important to value kindness and goodness over physical beauty. It also tries to convey the importance of keeping our promises.

Related Reading: Best Riddles for Kids of all Grades (With Answers)!

Are you wondering how centuries-old fairy tales can benefit your child in this digital age? Well, no matter how old fairy tales are, they can always make your kid’s childhood happy and memorable.  

Be it The Brothers Grimm or Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont, all the classic magic stories can benefit your child in a number of ways:

Storytelling plays a significant role in a child’s development. That is because 95% of the human brain develops by the age of six. Therefore, reading or listening to fairy tales can build imagination and literacy for your child. 

Your child can engage in fantasy land and learn to distinguish the fantasy world from the real world. They can learn to express their thoughts and ideas better. 

Some studies even indicate that storytelling helps to improve vocabulary and confidence among children. 

Through stories, children and even adults can learn how to handle certain problems. Cinderella’s story fits perfectly in this context. It tells how a young woman escapes her difficult life despite her wicked stepmother and stepsisters’ cruelties.  

Stories allow people to step into the character’s shoes and learn how they can easily conquer problems and presents children with an interactive method of learning. This is one of the reasons why SplashLearn creates visually appealing and character-based animated games. 

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Children connect better with the characters in the stories. This helps them learn from their favorite characters’ life stories. The stories can show children how to believe in goodness amidst problems and anxieties. 

For example, Beauty and the Beast portray how selfishness can turn a prince into a beast. It also shows how beauty and kindness can turn a beast into a prince again. 

Fairy tales can bring cultural flavors into your child’s life. Different versions of stories are available today that can help your children interact with different cultures.  

Fairy tales show that life isn’t perfect. Children discover that bad things happen to everyone. But if you are emotionally resilient, you can overcome all challenges. 

This helps children stay strong during hard times and always believe in the richness of life despite hardships. 

Exposing your child to the world of fantasy can stimulate their imagination. It might amaze you to see how children can give a spin to traditional stories and interpret them into something completely different. 

For instance, the University of Hawai’i conducted a study to evaluate the positive impact of fairy tales on children. In the study, researchers exposed children to different classic stories to understand their impact. 

Interestingly, after listening to Little Red Riding Hood, a seven-year-old boy draws the wolf to the size of an ant. He used his imagination to create a funny interpretation of the bad wolf and show his courage.  

So, when you introduce a story to your child, you are providing them with an opportunity to think and imagine different scenarios. 

Every fairy tale is attached to a moral lesson. Fairy tales often leave us with a strong message, whether it is being good or believing in love or friendship. 

You might have a hard time making your toddler understand where the difference between good and bad lies. But stories like “The Emperor’s New Clothes” can better show to your kids, the consequences of convincing yourself that something was true when it wasn’t.

Through classic fairy tales, parents can bond with their children in a great capacity. They can relive their childhood memories with their kids and build some new memories.

You can forget anything in your life, but you can never forget all the classic fairy tales that you have heard in your childhood. Have you ever thought, why? 

That is mainly because stories capture our interest in a much better way. And once we learn something with an interest, we tend to not forget that information. 

SplashLearn creates learning games to spike and capture kids’ interest. The engaging characters and visuals motivate the little ones to learn. Different mediums like games, worksheets and courses on Math and English can help them remember and retain concepts their entire life. 

Today, you can try SplashLearn with your kids to see how they actually interact with interesting learning mediums. 

Parents, sign up for free!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Which is the oldest fairy tale?

According to some researchers, The Smith And The Devil is the oldest fairy tale. It goes back by 6,000 years to the Bronze Age.

Do all fairy tales have morals?

Yes. Fairy tales are written with a motive to teach a lesson to children via interesting characters and a storyline

How do fairy tales affect child development? 

When children listen to fairy tales often, it affects their imagination and helps them to think about new things. The fairy tales affect the emotional, physical, and mental development of a child. 

Do fairy tales have the truth? 

Fairy tales have been passed down from many generations and cultures. However, today there’s no solid source from where these tales come from, but they have been inspired from somewhere. So, we can say that some fairy tales are adaptations of real-life events. 

Are fairy tales timeless?

Yes. The storyline might have changed in many tales with time, but the central idea has always been the same. 

What is the right time to read fairy tales to your child?

There’s no specific time to read stories to your kids. However, most parents prefer to read stories before bedtime. But you can read them to your child anytime as soon as they turn two.

List of Fairy Tales

Zaikin's hut. Russian folk tale

or-there were a fox and a hare in the forest. They lived not far from each other. Autumn came. It became cold in the forest. They decided to build huts for the winter. The fox built herself a hut out of loose snow, and the hare built herself out of loose sand. They overwintered in new huts. Spring has come, the sun has warmed. The fox's hut has melted, but the zaikin's is standing as it was. The fox came to the bunny's hut, drove out the bunny, and she herself remained in his hut.

A hare left his yard, sat down under a birch and cries. The wolf is coming. He sees the bunny crying.

— Why are you crying, bunny? the wolf asks.

— How can I, a bunny, not cry? We lived with the fox close to each other. We built ourselves huts: I - from loose sand, and she - from loose snow. Spring has come. Her hut has melted, but mine stands as it stood. A fox came, kicked me out of my hut, and stayed in it to live. Here I sit and cry.

- Don't cry, bunny. Let's go, I'll help you, I'll drive the fox out of your hut.

Let them go. They came. The wolf stood on the threshold of the hare's hut and shouted at the fox:

- Why did you climb into someone else's hut? Get down, fox, from the stove, otherwise I'll throw it off, beat your shoulders. The fox was not afraid, answers the wolf:

- Oh, wolf, beware: my tail is like a rod, - as I give, so is death to you here.

The wolf got scared and ran away. And left the bunny. The hare sat down again under the birch and wept bitterly.

A bear is walking through the forest. He sees a bunny sitting under a birch and crying.

— Why are you crying, bunny? the bear asks.

— How can I, a bunny, not cry? We lived with the fox close to each other. We built ourselves huts: I - from loose sand, and she - from loose snow. Spring has come. Her hut has melted, but mine stands as it stood. A fox came, kicked me out of my hut and stayed there to live. So here I sit and cry.

- Don't cry, bunny. Let's go, I'll help you, I'll drive the fox out of your hut.

Let them go. They came. The bear stood on the threshold of the bunny's hut and shouted at the fox:

- Why did you take the hut away from the bunny? Get down, fox, from the stove, otherwise I'll throw it off, beat your shoulders.

The fox was not afraid, answers the bear:

— Oh, bear, beware: my tail is like a rod, — as I give, so is death to you here.

The bear was frightened and ran away and left the bunny alone. Again the hare went out of his yard, sat down under the birch and wept bitterly. Suddenly he sees - a rooster is walking through the forest. I saw a bunny, came up and asked:

- Why are you crying, bunny?

— But how can I, a bunny, not cry? We lived with the fox close to each other. We built ourselves huts: I - from loose sand, and she - from loose snow. Spring has come. Her hut has melted, but mine stands as it stood. A fox came, kicked me out of my hut and stayed there to live. Here I sit and cry.

Don't cry, bunny, I'll drive the fox out of your hut.

— Oh, petenka, — the bunny cries, — where can you kick her out? The wolf drove - did not drive out. The bear drove - did not drive out.

- I'll kick you out. Come on, says the rooster. Went. A rooster entered the hut, stood on the threshold, crowed, and then how it screams:

- I am a chebetukh rooster,

I am a bastard singer,

On short legs,

On high heels.

I carry a scythe on my shoulder,

I'll take the fox's head off.

And the chanterelle lies and says:

— Oh, rooster, beware: my tail is like a rod, — as I give, so is death to you here.

The cockerel jumped from the doorway into the hut and cries again:

— I am a rooster,

I am a babbler,

On short legs,

On high heels.

I carry a scythe on my shoulder,

I'll take the fox's head off.

And - jump on the stove to the fox. He pecked the fox in the back. How the fox jumped up and how it ran out of the hare's hut, and the hare slammed the doors behind her.

And he stayed to live in his hut together with the cockerel.

Cat and Fox. Russian folk tale

there was a peasant. This man had a cat, only such a prankster, what a disaster! He bored him to death. So the man thought and thought, took the cat, put it in a bag and carried it into the forest. He brought it and threw it in the forest - let it disappear.

The cat walked and walked and came across a hut. Climb into the attic and lie down for yourself. And if he wants to eat, he will go into the forest, catch birds, catch mice, eat his fill - again to the attic, and there is little grief for him!

The cat went for a walk, and the fox met him. I saw a cat and marveled: “How many years I have lived in the forest, I have never seen such an animal!”

The fox bowed to the cat and asked:

- Tell me, good fellow, who are you? How did you come here and how do you call by name? And the cat threw up his fur and answers:

- My name is Kotofey Ivanovich, I was sent to you by the governor from the Siberian forests.

- Oh, Kotofey Ivanovich! - says the fox. - I didn't know about you, I didn't know. Well, come visit me.

The cat went to the fox. She led him to her hole and began to regale him with various game, and she kept asking:

- Kotofei Ivanovich, are you married or single?

- Single.

- And I, the fox, am a girl. Marry me!

The cat agreed, and they began to feast and have fun.

The next day the fox went to get supplies, but the cat stayed at home.

The fox ran and ran and caught a duck. Carries home, and a wolf meets her:

- Stop, fox! Give me the duck!

- No, I won't!

- Well, I'll take it myself.

- And I will tell Kotofey Ivanovich, he will put you to death!

- And who is Kotofey Ivanovich?

- Haven't you heard? Voivode Kotofey Ivanovich was sent to us from the Siberian forests! I used to be a fox-girl, and now our governor's wife.

- No, I haven't heard, Lizaveta Ivanovna. How would I look at it?

- Wow! Kotofey Ivanovich is so angry with me: whoever he doesn’t like will eat it now! You prepare a ram and bring it to bow: put the ram in a conspicuous place, and bury yourself so that the cat does not see you, otherwise, brother, you will have a hard time!

The wolf ran after the ram, and the fox went home.

A fox is walking and she meets a bear:

- Stop, fox, who are you bringing the duck to? Give it to me!

- Go on, you bear, I'll do a good job, otherwise I'll tell Kotofey Ivanovich, he will put you to death!

- And who is Kotofey Ivanovich?

- And which was sent to us from the Siberian forests by the governor. I used to be a fox-girl, and now our governor - Kotofey Ivanovich - is the wife.

- Is it possible to see it, Lizaveta Ivanovna?

- Wow! Kotofey Ivanovich is so angry with me: whoever doesn’t like him will eat it now. You go, prepare the bull and bring it to bow. But look, put the bull in a conspicuous place, and bury yourself so that Kotofey Ivanovich does not see you, otherwise you will have a hard time!

The bear followed the bull and the fox went home.

Here the wolf brought a ram, skinned it and is worth thinking about. He looks - and the bear climbs with the bull.

- Hello, Mikhailo Ivanovich!

- Hello brother Levon! What, did not see the fox with her husband?

- No, Mikhailo Ivanovich, I'm waiting for them myself.

- Go and call them, - the bear says to the wolf.

- No, I won't go, Mikhailo Ivanovich. I'm clumsy, you better go.

- No, I won't go, brother Levon. I'm furry, clubfoot, where can I go!

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a hare runs. The wolf and the bear how to scream at him:

- Come here, oblique!

The hare just sat down, his ears tucked up.

- You, a hare, are agile and quick on your feet: run to the fox, tell her that the bear Mikhailo Ivanovich and his brother Levon Ivanovich have long been ready, they are waiting for you with her husband, with Kotofey Ivanovich, they want to bow to the ram and the bull.

The hare ran towards the fox at full speed. And the bear and the wolf began to think where they could hide.

The bear says:

- I will climb the pine tree. And the wolf says to him:

- Where can I go? Because I won't climb a tree. Bury me somewhere.

The bear hid the wolf in the bushes, covered it with dry leaves, and he himself climbed onto the pine tree, to the very top, and looks to see if Kotofei Ivanovich is walking with the fox.

The hare, meanwhile, ran to the fox hole:

- The bear Mikhailo Ivanovich and the wolf Levon Ivanovich were sent to say that they have been waiting for you and your husband for a long time, they want to bow to you with a bull and a ram.

- Go, oblique, we'll be right there.

Here come the cat and the fox. The bear saw them and said to the wolf:

- What a little voivode Kotofey Ivanovich is!

The cat immediately rushed at the bull, ruffled the fur, began to tear the meat with his teeth and paws, and he himself purred as if angry:

- Mau, mau!

The bear again says to the wolf:

- Small but gluttonous! The four of us can't eat, but he alone isn't enough. Perhaps he will get to us!

The wolf also wanted to look at Kotofey Ivanovich, but he couldn't see through the leaves. And the wolf began to slowly rake the leaves. The cat heard that the leaves were moving, thought it was a mouse, but how it would rush - and right in the face of the wolf grabbed its claws.

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