A fairy tale has a simple narrative structure, in which good meets evil. No matter how hopeless the situation, at the end of the story, good usually triumphs and evil is punished for its actions. As a result, when you read to your child, you give your child a positive attitude, which influences their behaviour in everyday life. Eventually, they learn that good always wins, which is why they want to act that way themselves.
Reading fairy tales stimulates the imagination
Reading fairy tales stimulates your child's imagination and makes them believe that anything is possible. This makes things magical that they don't understand in everyday life. This is completely normal, since logical thinking is hardly developed in early childhood. Nevertheless, your little one is curious and wants to understand the world. At the same time, their self-confidence increases, as it is easy for your child to put themselves in the shoes of the main character of the fairy tale and identify with them. As a result, any adventures the two share together feels very real and exciting.
Fairy tales also convey to your child that you are never alone. When the time comes, a brave helper rushes to the side of every courageous fairy tale character, who supports them in coping with their tasks, which often leads to a friendship for life (for example with the seven dwarfs, who take in Snow White and save her in the end).
Educational value of fairy tales
The lively, colourful stories also subconsciously send out educational messages. For example, your child will learn from the Cinderella fairy tale that they should not be unkind or from The Gingerbread Man story that they should be careful about trusting strangers.
Strengthen parent-child bond
The reading time that you spend with your child contributes a great deal to a positive parent-child bond. With the lights dimmed, being snuggled up to mummy or daddy under the big blanket means a very special moment for your child, which you will also most certainly enjoy too.
The fairy tales are particularly well received by your little one if you tell them actively and vividly. Additionally, they can tell you what they can see from the pictures in the book to make the story even more real. If your child can already read by themselves, you can take turns or think of an alternative ending. Try it out - you will see that your child will notice this twist and draw your attention to it with a "But that's not how the story ends". But maybe you will like the new version a lot better and in the future you will create completely new fairy tales together. It's so rewarding discovering new worlds and experiencing exciting adventures together.
