3 Ways to Celebrate Tell a Fairy Tale Day in Your Preschool

The Three Billy Goats Gruff is my youngest son’s favorite story. I think he sees himself as the littlest billy goat and his brothers as the big billy goats. This is because fairy tales allow kids to explore ideas and concepts without fearing trolls in the night. Here are three fun ways to celebrate National Tell a Fairy Tale Day on February 26th!

Celebrate Tell a Fairy Tale Day

Have Your Child Tell You a Fairy Tale

Celebrate Tell a Fairy Tale Day by having your child tell you a fairy tale for once. I’m certain your preschooler has a favorite fairy tale. It may be Jack and the Beanstalk or Beauty and the Beast, but every child has one. Just look at my youngest son who adores the 3 Billy Goats Gruff.

Write the story down as your child recites. Put only a couple of sentences at the bottom of each page and later encourage your kid to draw pictures above the story. Staple the pages together to create a book.

You’ll end up with a personalized version of your child’s favorite fairy tale as told by them.

Discuss the Classic Opening and Closing of Fairy Tales

Fairy tales begin in the traditional manner, Once upon a time. It’s the classic opening.

This opening tells kids that they’re dealing with a fairy tale. It’s not real. It’s not happening in their back yard or in the news. It’s a story from a place far, far away and a time long, long ago. There’s no reason to fear a troll in the night.

The same goes for the ending: And they lived happily ever after. Kids hear those words and the story is over. The hero and heroine lived happily for the rest of their lives.

Chat about these openings and closings with your preschoolers. Make certain they understand that they’re hearing a fairy tale when the words, Once upon a time, are said. It’s make believe. It’s fiction. It’s safe.

And when your child hears And they lived happily ever after, your child knows the story is ended. The good won, the bad lost, and everything is just the way it should be.

Chat About Right and Wrong

Which leads us to the moral lessons of fairy tales. Fairy tales are an instructional tool parents have used for centuries. They’re designed to let children know how they’re expected to behave. They educate kids about what is good and what is bad.

As you read and enjoy fairy tales with your children, take a moment to discuss what’s being taught in the fairy tale. What character traits are being rewarded?

Is our hero being kind and generous to those he meets? Compare him to the villain. Is the villain kind and generous? What happens in the end? Who gets the happy ending?

Point out that characters in fairy tales sometimes go through a long dark period of trouble without end, such as in Rapunzel. Rapunzel and her prince were separated without hope. Yet good won in the end. Rapunzel and her prince were reunited.

Discuss these lessons with your preschoolers. See what they have to say about the right and wrong of fairy tales. You’ll be surprised at the insight of your child.

On February 26th go ahead and pull out your favorite fairy tales to read with your preschoolers. Exchange stories, discuss the lessons, and enjoy the time together. Celebrate National Tell a Fairy Tale Day.

What is your favorite fairy tale?