10 Reasons Why Children Should Also Read Non-Disney Fairy Tales

When it comes to stories for young children, most parents would prefer tales of happy endings and princes rescuing princesses. In short, Disney fairy tales are easily the choice of stories for little kids.

By now, many have come to know that fairy tales by Disney that both adults and kids love are based on original stories that are far different from animated versions. But besides reading feel-good Disney stories, young readers should also be exposed to the complexity and rich stories by authors Hans Christian Andersen, Andrew Lang and Comtesse de Ségur and here are 10 reasons why.

#1. Appreciate different culture

Stories taken from the Norse mythology, African folk tales and Arabian Nights tales are a great way to introduce different cultures and traditions to children.

#2. It doesn’t get boring

It won’t take you hours to finish reading a fairy tale. Short stories are great, especially for children, as well as those that are not too keen on reading.

#3. Stories of Hope

Many non-Disney fairy tales offer stories of hope – hope that good can always conquer evil, the hope of redemption and the hope that evil can be defeated.

#4. Shared mythology

Knowledge of original fairy tale stories is a great foundation for having a wonderful literary experience. Many other fairy tales reference them so it’s good to have a background knowledge on the story that started it all.

#5. Immerse in a fantasy world

Children are introduced to the fantasy genre if they read about fairy tales. These are the kinds of stories that renowned authors like J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis also loved. This will entice kids to explore more on the fantasy genre.

#6. World of possibilities

Fairy tales give us an idea on the possibilities in life. It gives the thought of “what if the supernatural creatures in the stories are real?” Although we know that these stories are fictional, there are still those that believe that they are real.

#7. Scary but safe

Fairy tales give a spooky feel but allow children to deal with these scary situations.

#8. Hard truth

Some fairy tales don’t really have happy endings to it, unlike in all Disney stories. This is an opportunity to let kids face the truth that sometimes, bad things do happen.

#9. Life Lessons

While there are many things that a kid can learn from Disney stories, the original ones can also offer the same – except the lessons are different. In the case of Little Mermaid by Andersen, the author didn’t write the story to teach how to win the heart of a prince but to warn that every action has a consequence.

#10. Princesses don’t follow a dress code.

Disney is not the authority when it comes to fairy tales and you’ll understand that if you read the works of fairy tale authors. What most of you will discover is that princesses are not required to wear colorful dresses and gowns.