Teaching Material

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Child stories are a great parenting and teaching tool for fostering child development. You can use child stories as teaching material to help children (and even adults) learn moral lessons, factual information or emotional intelligence. The beauty of using teaching material with children's stories in this way is that the stories teach without teaching. As my high school English teacher used to say: "show, don't tell."

You can download or print out the teaching guides (or "learning guides") available here or develop your own. And for more inspiration, download The 7 Step Guide to Fostering Child Development by Using Teaching Material with Child Stories.

View the 7-step guide or download the pdf file

Learning Guide for “Princess Barbie”

Suitable for ages 7-10

It’s said that you don’t always get what you want, but sometimes you get something better. Perhaps that’s the lesson of this story.

Discussion Questions

  1. What is Helena’s “little problem”?

  2. After a while, Helena can picture her Princess very vividly (clearly) in her mind. Can you picture anything so clearly that you can smell and feel it?

  3. What could be nice for Helena about a picture of the Princess in her mind? What could be nice for Helena about the real Princess?

  4. Do you think Helena is silly or smart to keep on trying to get the Princess to appear using only her mind?

  5. Does “Mind Technology” (picturing the Princess in her mind) work for Helena? Does a real princess appear?

  6. At the end of the story, do you think Helena’s happy? Why? Did she get what she wanted?
Download story and learning guide (69 KB) or view the story

Learning Guide for “Uncle Harvey’s Incredible Spanking Machine”

Suitable for ages 7-10

You can use this story to explore the morality of punishment as well as its effectiveness. The story can also stimulate discussion about the best way to get people to do what you want as well as the right way.

Discussion Questions

  1. Do you think that Uncle Harvey is right to spank Johnny? Is it necessary to punish children sometimes? If so, what’s a good way to punish them?

  2. Aside from punishing children, how can you get them to do what you want?

  3. What do you think is the most effective/best way to get children to behave?

  4. Should criminals be punished, too? How do you think they should be punished?

  5. What do you think is the most effective/best way to get criminals to behave?

  6. Why does Uncle Harvey stop spanking Johnny and other children? How do you think he feels?

  7. What do you think is the best way to get people to do what you want them to do?

  8. When/how is it OK to get people to do what you want them to do and when/how is it not OK?
Download story and learning guide (74 KB) or view the story

Learning Guide for "Giants of the World Cup"

Suitable for ages 7-10

This story explores the power of faith or belief – in one’s self, in life and (for some people) in God. Perhaps it can also be used to help children cultivate an attitude of gratitude.

Discussion Questions

  1. Do you know where Brazil is? Can you point it out on a map? Where is Rio de Janeiro?

  2. Do you think that Paulo really believes that he’ll play in the world cup someday?

  3. How come Paulo doesn’t cry or get angry when the men make fun of him?

  4. Do you think Paulo was a bit stupid to make a bet with the men? Was he just trying to show off or did he really think he could win?

  5. Even though Paulo lives in a shanty town, he notices the beautiful moonlight. Are there any beautiful things in your life? Can you name a few?

  6. Is it just good luck that Paulo finds a soccer ball or do you think it’s the answer to his prayer?

  7. When Paulo and his friends are playing with their old wooden tree stump again, how do you think they feel? What happens next?

  8. Do you think that Paulo will play in the world cup some day? Why or why not?

  9. Is there something that you want to do or someone whom you want to be like? What’s stopping you from doing it or becoming that person? If you believed in yourself like Paulo does, do you think it would make a difference?
Download story and learning guide (94 KB) or view the story

Learning Guide for "Jerry's Magic Shoes"

Suitable for ages 7-11

This story can be used to teach children (and adults!) the power of positive thinking (in a realistic way), that practice and persistence pay off, and, most important of all, that our self-image is what defines us, not what other people think.

Discussion Questions

  1. How does Jerry feel at the beginning of the story? Why does he feel that way?

  2. Do you ever feel like Jerry?

  3. What does Michael Jordan say to Jerry? Does it make sense to you?

  4. How come Jerry plays well after the time out?

  5. Do you think that Jerry’s shoes are magic?

  6. What do you do or think when you want to do something well (play a sport, play a musical instrument, create a picture, etc.)?

  7. Is it important what other people think of us? When/how might it be? When/how might it not be?

Download learning guide pdf file or view the story

Learning Guide for "The Forgiving Fluoroles"

Suitable for ages 5-11

This story shows what forgiveness means and some of the reasons why it’s important.

Discussion Questions

  1. What kind of place was the land of the Fluoroles before the Xanathoids arrived there?

  2. What does Spartagonus want to do about the "Xanathoid problem"? Do you think he’s right?

  3. What does Ichtheus want to do about the "Xanathoid problem"? Do you think he’s right?

  4. Why does Ostian call the Fluorole army an “army of love and forgiveness”?

  5. Even though many Fluoroles lost their lands, what was it that they were able to keep or gain back?

  6. What is important to you in your life that you would never want to lose?

  7. After 100 million years, the Fluoroles and Xanathoids finally were able to live in harmony. What do you think happened?

Download learning guide pdf file or view the story

Learning Guide for
"Elisa and the Spider King"

Suitable for ages 5-10

This story can be used to teach children (and adults!) several lessons:

  1. Not all spiders are dangerous, and in fact, most aren’t.

  2. To overcome fears, it’s important to get the facts.

  3. You often get what you focus your attention on.
Discussion Questions
  1. Do you think all spiders are dangerous? Which ones are dangerous? Where do they live? In what way are they dangerous? How dangerous are they (e.g. can you die from them?)?

  2. How many different kinds of spiders are there in the world? Where could we go to find out? How many of all these spiders are actually dangerous to people?

  3. Why do you think Elisa is afraid of spiders? How much does she know about spiders before visiting the spider kingdom?

  4. Why do you think Elisa is transported to the Spider King’s realm? What would have happened if she had been thinking about something else? Can you give examples of other things she could have been thinking about and what might have happened?

  5. At the end of the story, why is Elisa no longer afraid of spiders?
Download learning guide pdf file or view the story

Learning Guide for "Billy's Bodacious Belly"

Suitable for ages 5-8

You can use this story to teach anatomy as well as empathy and how to handle our fears.

Discussion Questions

  1. Do you know where your appendix is? Can you touch it?

  2. Why do we have an appendix? Do we need one?

  3. Do you think Billy and his mom were afraid when his appendix started to hurt? Why do you think they were frightened? Do you think they would still have been afraid if they had known what was inside his tummy?

  4. Have you ever been afraid of something but then found out that it wasn’t so scary after all? Did some of the people or things you were afraid of turn out to be nice, funny or even “cool”?
Download learning guide pdf file or view the story

Learning Guide for "Santa's Vacation"

Suitable for ages 5-8

This story teaches values such as empathy, gratitude and altruism, and how we can look beyond our own narrow self-interest. It also shows that sometimes there is a time and place for “tough love”. Lastly, it can even be used for early “career development”.

Discussion Questions

  1. Why do you think Santa was feeling sad? Why was he tired?

  2. Why do you think Santa ate and drank so much? Was it healthy?

  3. Do you think Santa should be skinny? Is Santa happy with his body? Should he be?

  4. Why do you think Santa is unhappy on his first day of training with Kimo? When does he start to enjoy it?

  5. Do you ever feel tired, like you need a break? Do you think your Mom & Dad or your teachers ever feel tired, too?

  6. How did Santa feel when he went back to the North Pole? Why did he feel that way?

  7. Do you think Mrs. Claus was mean to send Santa on vacation even though he didn’t want to go? Do your Mom & Dad or teachers ever make you do things that are good for you but that you don’t want to do?

  8. Why do you think Santa works so hard all year to make toys for boys and girls around the world? Do you think he enjoys it?

  9. What kind of job would you like to do when you get big? Can you already “start” your job in some way (e.g. by pretending, wearing costumes, reading books about people who do the job)?
Download learning guide pdf file or view the story

Learning Guide for "The Dolls"

Suitable for ages 5-8

You can use this story to teach the importance of taking care of things, pets and people. It also teaches values such as gratitude, compassion, empathy and optimism. Lastly, it can be used to show how to learn social skills and overcome shyness.

Discussion Questions

  1. How come Alma didn’t like Joanne? Do you think those are good reasons?

  2. Why did Alma’s dolls go to Joanne’s house? Do you think that things have feelings? Should we take care of them almost as well as we take care of our people and pets?

  3. Do you have a pet and/or favorite stuffed animal? What’s its name? How do you take care of it?

  4. How come Joanne and Alma never played with each other? If they had talked to each other before and been honest with each other, do you think they could have become friends sooner (i.e. before Alma’s dolls brought them together)?

  5. Is there someone you want to be friends with? Do they know? How could you get to know them? What’s the worst thing that could happen if you started talking to them? What’s the best thing that could happen?

  6. What do you think they’d like to talk about? Are you curious about them? What could you ask them about themselves?
Download learning guide pdf file or view the story

Learning Guide for "Sleepy Papa"

Suitable for ages 5-8

This story shows how a little love and affection can go a long way, and that we shouldn’t forget to express our feelings for each other.

Discussion Questions

  1. Why do you think Sleepy Papa doesn’t wake up?

  2. Why does Sleepy Papa finally wake up? How do you think he feels?

  3. Do you like to get kisses and cuddles from your Mom & Dad or brothers and sisters? Do you kiss and cuddle them back?

Download learning guide pdf file or view the story

Learning Guide for "Amy"

Suitable for ages 5-10

This story helps children see things from other people’s perspective and to develop compassion.

Discussion Questions

  1. Why does Amy hate ants? What/how much does she know about ants before her birthday party?

  2. How does Amy like being an ant? Is it fun? What’s it like?

  3. After Amy lives like an ant, how does she feel about ants?

  4. Who’s your best friend? What do you think it’s like to be them? What do you think they do all day? How do they feel?

  5. Who’s your least best friend (worst enemy)? What do you think they do all day? How do they feel?

Download learning guide pdf file or view the story

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