StoriesMoral stories for children
Short stories that end with a clear, gentle lesson: patience, honesty, teamwork and respect for old things. The lesson is shown through what the characters do, not preached, and each story ends with three questions that help a child put the moral in their own words.
- The Crooked PotIn the village of Kumharpur lived a potter named Dhanna. Every morning his wheel hummed, and round, even pots rose under his fingers like magic.Moral stories · Ages 5 to 9 · 2 min
- The Mango Seed That Could Not WaitArjun ate the sweetest mango of the summer and decided, right there, to grow a mango tree. He pushed the seed into the soil behind the house, poured a mug of...Moral stories · Ages 5 to 9 · 2 min
- Meenu and the Extra Ten RupeesMakar Sankranti was two days away, and Meenu had saved thirty rupees for a kite. At Rahim Chacha's stall she chose a red one with a long yellow tail. It cost...Moral stories · Ages 6 to 10 · 2 min
- चींटी और गुड़ की डलीएक रसोई के कोने में चिन्नी नाम की चींटी रहती थी। एक दिन उसे फ़र्श पर गुड़ की एक बड़ी-सी डली मिली। इतनी बड़ी कि चिन्नी की आँखें चमक उठीं।Moral stories · Ages 4 to 8 · 2 min · हिंदी
- नन्ही बूँदएक काले बादल में एक नन्ही-सी बूँद रहती थी। नीचे धरती सूखी पड़ी थी। खेतों में दरारें थीं और पेड़ों के पत्ते धूल से भरे थे।Moral stories · Ages 4 to 8 · 2 min · हिंदी
- दादा जी की साइकिलकबीर के दादा जी के पास एक पुरानी साइकिल थी। काली, भारी, और उसकी घंटी "ट्रिंग" की जगह "खर्र" बोलती थी।Moral stories · Ages 6 to 10 · 2 min · हिंदी
How to read a moral story with a child
Children do not learn a value by being told it. They learn it by watching somebody make a choice and seeing what follows. So read the story first as a story, with all its suspense, and leave the lesson alone until the end. Then ask the three questions printed under it, and let the child say the moral in their own words before you read ours. A child who says "the pot was useful because it was different" has understood far more than one who has heard an adult say it.
Choosing the right one
Pick a story for what is happening in the child's life this week. A child who gives up quickly will see themselves in the mango seed that could not wait. One who has found money or been given too much change will follow Meenu's problem closely. Do not announce why you chose it; children resent a story that has been aimed at them, and enjoy one they have discovered.
One story, several evenings
Children like to hear a good story again, and each telling does new work. The first time, simply read it. The second time, stop before the ending and ask what the character should do. The third time, let the child tell it to you, or to a younger brother or sister. Retelling is where the moral finally becomes their own. For Hindi stories of the same kind, see हिंदी कहानियाँ.