Moral values are important attributes that help decide what is right and wrong. What better way to inculcate moral values than narrating stories? Stories are intriguing. If moral values are taught at a young age, it shapes the identity and raises morally right people who become an asset to society.
This blog covers 5 engaging and impactful moral tales.
The Benefits of Moral Stories for Kids
- Children often get excited and attentively hear stories as they increase their curiosity levels.
- It teaches essential values like honesty, compassion, respect, kindness, and responsibility.
- It encourages critical thinking in kids and helps them understand the impact of an action.
- It builds imagination skills and entertains them.
- Values get instilled in children, forming their personalities.
- They develop emotional maturity and follow moral practices.
- It helps them bond healthy relationships based on trust and respect.
- It boosts their confidence while facing challenges.
- Moral values motivate children to follow rules and display moral behavior.
- Stories improve vocabulary, communication and fluency.
- It sparks curiosity and develops lifelong reading habits.
5 Essential Short Stories with Powerful Moral Lessons
Story 1: The Boy Who Cried Wolf
Once there was a shepherd in a village. He used to take his flock of sheep to the nearby forests for grazing. After a few days, he found his job boring and thought of making it more fun.
One fine day, while the sheep were grazing, he gave a loud cry, “Wolf!, Wolf! Somebody, please help. A wolf is taking away my lamb.” The farmers working closeby heard the cry and came running for its rescue.
Upon reaching, they could not find any wolves. The boy jokingly said that he lied just for fun. After realising this, people left the place. But the boy kept on playing similar tricks frequently.
One day the boy really cried for help when the wolf arrived and attacked the flock. But this time, nobody believed him and thought he was again trying to fool them.
Moral: Once you are called a liar, no one will believe you even if you say the truth. Lying can lead to losing people’s trust when you need it most.
Story 2: The Thirsty Crow
On a sunny day, a crow feels thirsty and goes in search of water near the forest. It flew across the jungle but was still not able to find a water source anywhere. Suddenly it’s eyes fell on a jug of water.
When it reached the jug to drink, it noticed that the water level was too low and the opening of the jug was narrow. The crow’s beak could not reach it. Eventually, it came up with an idea. The crow started collecting pebbles around the jug and dropped them into the water.
Slowly, the water level started rising. Finally, the crow quenched its thirst.
Moral: Where there is a will, there is a way. It teaches the morals of perseverance and problem solving.
Story 3: The Lion and the Mouse
One afternoon, a lion was peacefully sleeping in a forest. A mouse saw the sleeping lion and playfully jumped on it. The lion got disturbed and woke up from sleep. Looking at the mouse, it got more furious and was about to kill it.
The mouse pleaded for forgiveness and promised to help the lion in return if it was spared. The lion was impressed and let the mouse go.
One day, the lion got caught in a hunter’s net. The lion tried to escape but could not escape from the net. It cried for help around. After hearing the lion’s roar, the mouse came to its rescue. The mouse bit the net with its sharp teeth and freed the lion. The lion and the mouse became best friends thereafter.
Moral: Kindness, no matter how small, is always valuable; promises should not be broken.
Story 4: The Fox and the Grapes
One day, a fox noticed a bunch of ripe grapes hanging from the branches of a tree. Looking at them, its mouth watered. The fox tried to grasp a bunch that was out of its reach.
It jumped once to catch hold of the grapes but failed miserably. It kept on trying until it was completely tired. After failed attempts, it gave up and declared that the grapes must have been and they are not worth it.
Moral: It is easy to give up. But in order to succeed, we should keep trying. It is not correct to dislike something that you do not have.
Story 5: The Ant and the Grasshopper
There lived an ant and a grasshopper by the river. During a hot summer season, the ant was working hard to collect wheat grains from nearby farmer’s fields. The ant worked from day to night collecting food on its back.
After collection, the ant stored the food in the home safely. It repeated the same task all day long.
On the other hand, the grasshopper spent its time always singing and dancing. In fact, it made fun of the hard-working ant. It asked the ant to join him in singing and stop working. But the ant would always deny saying it was preparing for the winters.
The ant advised the grasshopper to start collecting food for winters. But the grasshopper did not pay attention to the ant’s words and continued singing in the shade.
Summer passed by. Later, when winter arrived, the grasshopper realised that it had no food and the surrounding area was entirely covered in snow. He then recalled the ant and went to ask its help for food.
The ant replied that it had saved enough for itself and did not have plenty of food. It asked the grasshopper to sing somewhere else and earn food.The grasshopper realised its mistake of not working hard and wasting time during summers.
Moral: It teaches the importance of hard work and planning.
Conclusion
Stories may be small but they have a great impact on readers. They are timeless and teach invaluable lessons for people of all ages. Parents can narrate bedtime stories to influence the thinking of their children. At New Horizon Pre School, we teach moral values to children through stories and fun activities.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What are some Popular Moral Lessons from Short Stories?
Hard work brings success (The hare and tortoise); lying breaks trust (the boy who cried wolf); never judge the book by its cover (the ugly duckling); be prepared for the future (the ant and the grasshopper); kindness can be shown to anyone ( the lion and the mouse), etc., are some popular moral lessons from short stories.
Why are Moral Stories Important for Kids?
Moral stories teach big lessons. They guide the behavior and shape the personality of a child. It encourages imagination and creative thinking. It fosters communication and fluency. They develop essential values like respect, compassion, responsibility and kindness.
How Can Short Stories in English Teach Life Lessons?
Short stories have the power to teach complex things in a simpler and easy manner. They include diverse situations and characters that engage the readers and spark curiosity. It builds critical thinking and problem solving skills along with acting as a guide while making the decision.
What are the Benefits of Reading Moral Stories for Children?
The benefits of reading moral stories for children are – inculcates moral values; improves imagination; develops critical thinking and problem solving skills; enhances fluency and comprehension; develops lifelong reading habits.
