Stories That Help Your Child Understand the World — And Help You Explain It

Every parent has faced those tough questions from their child: “Why is the sky blue?” “Why do people fight?” “Why do I feel sad when my friend moves away?” Explaining the world to a young mind is both a joy and a challenge. Fortunately, we have a secret weapon: stories. Whether it’s a beloved picture book, a thrilling middle-grade novel, a heartwarming family movie, or an episode of a favorite show, stories help children make sense of life’s complexities. They translate abstract ideas into adventures and characters that kids can relate to. More importantly, sharing these stories gives parents and children a common language—a way to explore big ideas together.

Why Stories Matter for Kids

Stories are more than entertainment—they are how children understand the world around them. Research shows that reading fiction actually helps children develop empathy and emotional intelligence. By seeing the world through a character’s eyes, young readers learn to understand what others are thinking and feeling. David Foster Wallace famously said, “Fiction is about what it means to be a human being,” and indeed stories allow children to experience lives and perspectives far beyond their own.

For example, a child in a small town might read about a kid in a big city or another country and begin to grasp that others have different experiences, dreams, and struggles. This exposure plants the seeds of curiosity and compassion for people from all walks of life.

Stories also show children that they are not alone in their feelings and experiences. Often, when kids encounter a character facing a situation similar to theirs—moving to a new school, feeling jealous of a new sibling, being afraid of the dark—it is deeply comforting. Research confirms that when children find a character they identify with, it “shows them they aren’t the only ones” dealing with that issue, which can be a huge relief.

Even if the story is about something your child hasn’t experienced, it still builds understanding. A study noted that reading about people different from us helps children make personal connections to characters and events outside their own lives. In other words, stories humanize abstract topics—a child can feel what it might be like to be, say, an orphan wizard, a young genius scientist, or a refugee, in a way no textbook or lecture could achieve.

Finally, storytelling strengthens the parent-child bond. Cuddling up with a book or watching a movie as a family creates a warm, safe space for communication. As you laugh at silly characters or get choked up at an emotional ending, you are sharing not just a story but an experience. Those moments open the door for kids to ask questions and for parents to share values.

Stories at Every Stage: How Kids Understand Stories as They Grow

Children develop rapidly, and their ability to understand and interpret stories grows with them. A tale that completely captivates a three-year-old might elicit eye-rolls from a tween, and a teenager’s novel might go over a younger child’s head. Understanding these developmental stages will help you choose the right stories and the right approach for discussion.

Babies and Preschoolers (1–5 Years)

At this age, children live in a magical world. They often have trouble distinguishing fantasy from reality—to a three-year-old, talking animals or flying superheroes might seem just as real as anything in daily life. In fact, studies have found that young preschoolers tend to believe that everything they see on TV is real; many 4-year-olds in one study thought Big Bird from Sesame Street was a real creature, while 5-to-6-year-olds understood it was a person in a costume.

This is important to keep in mind when selecting stories: the very young will take things at face value. What preschoolers can grasp are emotions, routines, and simple cause-and-effect—all delivered gently. They love repetition, bright images, and friendly characters. The good news is that even simple stories can be powerful for them. A book about a shy bunny making a friend on the playground, or a cartoon episode where a character learns to share, can teach real-life social skills.

Many stories for babies and preschoolers focus on naming and validating feelings: “Sammy feels sad because he lost his toy. What might make Sammy feel better?” This helps little ones start to identify their own emotions. Because toddlers think concretely, it helps to link story lessons to the real world immediately.

Parents should also be ready to gently explain things a toddler might misunderstand. If your child points to the flying dragon in the book and asks if it’s real, it’s okay to say, “That’s a fun pretend creature!” Toddlers rely on us to help them separate fantasy from reality as they gradually develop that ability themselves.

Above all, reading with this age group is about comfort and engagement—using funny voices, making faces, and asking simple questions like “Do you see the cat on this page?” or “How do you think the baby elephant feels?” to pull them in.

Early School Age (6–12 Years)

Once kids hit school age, their cognitive and language skills take a huge leap. Around age 6 or 7, most children can follow more complex plots and start to see the logical connections in a story. This is the age where the line between fantasy and reality sharpens: a 7-year-old might still enjoy fantastic stories, but they know dragons and superheroes aren’t real.

School-age kids are also developing a keener sense of morality and fairness. They care about rules and often want stories to make sense in terms of justice (the “good guys” should win, the villain should learn a lesson, etc.). However, they are also ready to handle more nuanced situations than preschoolers.

Because of these leaps, ages 6–12 are a prime time to use stories as windows to the wider world. Kids are curious sponges during these years. If your child asks how something works or why something happens, there is probably a story about it. Are they fascinated by space? Find a middle-grade novel about a family of astronauts, or watch a movie like WALL-E and talk about its vision of the future.

When discussing stories with school-age kids, ask open-ended questions to get them thinking. Instead of asking “Did you like it?” (which yields a yes/no answer), try “What was the most interesting part of that story to you?” or “Why do you think [Character] did that?”

Teenagers (13–17 Years)

The teen years usher in a whole new relationship with stories. Teens and young adults are capable of abstract thought and critical analysis, meaning they can appreciate irony, metaphor, complex character development, and ambiguous endings. They are forming their own identity and worldview, so they gravitate toward stories that resonate with their questions about life: Who am I? What is my place in the world? What is right or wrong, and why?

A 15-year-old might find a dystopian novel like The Hunger Games or Divergent thrilling not just for the action, but because it grapples with themes of authority, rebellion, and personal choice—themes that mirror a teenager’s emerging desire for independence and justice.

One characteristic of teen readers/viewers is that they often start to question and critique stories. Don’t be alarmed if your teen points out that a movie plot had holes, or that they disagreed with a protagonist’s decision. This critical eye means they are engaging with the story on a sophisticated level.

With teens, the parent’s role becomes harder to balance: you want to stay involved in their media lives without it feeling like prying. One strategy is to participate as a fellow reader/viewer. Consider reading the same book your teen is reading (maybe a few chapters behind, so they always stay ahead of you) and talk about it at dinner, almost like a mini book club.

A World of Stories: Books, Movies, and More

Stories come in many forms. In today’s world, your child might get their stories from a richly illustrated picture book, a gripping novel, a weekly TV series, a blockbuster movie, or even an interactive video game with a strong narrative. All are valid ways for kids to learn and grow—what matters is the content of the story and how we engage with it.

Books are a timeless source of stories for children. Picture books combine art and simple text to delight the youngest readers and impart gentle lessons. Early chapter books and young adult novels can tackle surprisingly complex themes while remaining accessible to younger minds.

One advantage of books is that they leave much to the imagination—kids get to picture the characters and scenes in their mind’s eye, which can make the story feel very personal. Books also allow kids to pause, flip back, and digest at their own pace.

Movies and series engage kids through visuals, sound, and acting, which can sometimes convey emotions and ideas even more directly. Many parents can recall a movie from their own childhood that made a huge impact—perhaps The Lion King made you think about loss and responsibility, or Mulan inspired you to question traditional gender roles.

High-quality media for kids today is often created with input from educators and psychologists. For example, Disney/Pixar’s Inside Out was developed with psychologists to accurately depict the emotions of an 11-year-old, which is why it resonates so well with both kids and adults.

The key with screen media is active engagement. It’s easy for a child to passively watch a show and miss the deeper message, but if a parent watches with them or talks about it afterward, the impact increases dramatically.

Building Emotional Intelligence and Empathy Through Stories

One of the most profound benefits of storytelling is how it helps kids understand feelings—both their own and other people’s. It can be hard for kids (and even adults!) to talk directly about emotions. But through characters, it suddenly becomes easier.

Stories give kids a safe, indirect way to recognize and express feelings. For young children, books and shows often explicitly label emotions to build this understanding. Think of the countless picture books about feelings—Today I Feel Silly, The Color Monster, When Sophie Gets Angry—Really, Really Angry—which are basically guides to emotions packaged as stories.

As kids grow into independent readers, stories become a powerful tool for building empathy. Empathy is the ability to step into someone else’s shoes, and reading (or watching) fiction is like a training ground for that skill. Studies show that fiction readers tend to have stronger skills in understanding others’ thoughts and feelings.

How can parents maximize the emotional learning from stories? The key is discussion and reflection. During or after reading, ask questions that prompt emotional insight: “Why do you think this character feels that way? Have you ever felt like that?” or “What do you think upset them so much, and what helped them feel better?”

Teaching Ethics and Values Through Storytelling

Since ancient times, people have told stories to impart moral lessons. There is something about seeing virtues and vices play out in a narrative that resonates more deeply with us than any dry lecture could. For children especially, stories make ethical concepts concrete.

For younger kids, simple moral tales work well. Fables and fairy tales often boil ethics down to very clear examples: someone does good and is rewarded, someone does bad and faces consequences. Young children find this satisfying—their world revolves a lot around clear rules and fairness.

As kids get older, they enter what psychologists call more “autonomous” moral reasoning—they realize not every situation is black and white, and they start to consider intentions and context. This is where complex stories shine. An 11-year-old reading Harry Potter will encounter themes of loyalty, prejudice, bravery, and choice.

Interestingly, research indicates that children only develop the ability to fully appreciate certain higher values (like self-sacrifice for others, or the emotional beauty of an act of kindness) as they mature. One study found that feelings of being moved by moral beauty—like getting goosebumps when a character does something truly noble—“begin to emerge around age eight” in children.

For parents, the goal isn’t to turn every story into a stern lesson, but to highlight the values within it. Let the story do the heavy lifting—our job is to facilitate reflection.

Sparking Curiosity About Science and the Wider World

Not all stories are about feelings and morals—many are about exploring knowledge. Kids are naturally curious about how things work, where things come from, and why the world is the way it is. Storytelling can be a powerful way to teach scientific and factual concepts because it frames learning as an adventure rather than a chore.

From the earliest ages, you can find story-based learning materials. For example, The Magic School Bus books and TV episodes famously take kids on fantastic field trips to places like the solar system, inside the human body, or back in time to the dinosaurs—all with a narrative arc led by Ms. Frizzle and her class. Kids barely realize they are learning scientific facts because they are caught up in the story.

Books are equally powerful for sparking curiosity. Much non-fiction for kids is now written in a story-like style, because educators know that facts delivered as narrative are more engaging.

For older kids, historical fiction and biographies in story form can ignite interest in social studies and science. A middle-grade novel like I Survived the Sinking of the Titanic, 1912 places a fictional child in a real historical event, making history come alive in a way a dry timeline never could.

Another aspect of understanding the world is cultural knowledge. Stories are a beautiful way to introduce children to different cultures, traditions, and ways of life. Folktales from around the world, for instance, not only entertain but give insight into the values and humor of other cultures.

Exploring Identity and Gender Through Characters

As children grow, part of “understanding the world” is really understanding themselves—who they are, what makes them unique, and how they fit into their community. Themes of identity (including gender, race, family, etc.) can be complex or sensitive, but stories provide a gentle entry point.

For young children, one of the most important messages is that “you can be anything.” Traditional fairy tales and older cartoons sometimes reinforced narrow roles (e.g., princesses waiting to be rescued, boys always being brave and never crying), but modern children’s literature has thankfully blossomed with stories that break stereotypes.

It is also vital for children to see themselves in stories. A child who never sees anyone who looks like them or shares their background in books or media might feel invisible or inferior. Fortunately, there are now many books for diverse children—in terms of race, culture, religion, family structure, and more.

Stories also allow children to step into the shoes of others regarding identity. A book like It’s Okay to Be Different by Todd Parr, with its bright illustrations of kids with glasses, wheelchairs, turbans, etc., teaches little ones that all kinds of people exist and deserve kindness.

Gender identity and LGBTQ+ themes, once almost absent from kids’ media, are now also represented in age-appropriate ways. For example, Julian Is a Mermaid is a beautiful picture book about a boy who loves dressing up as a mermaid—it’s a simple, joyful story about self-expression and acceptance.

When sharing stories about identity and gender, parents should be ready to listen and affirm. Kids might ask very direct questions (“Why is that boy wearing a dress?” or “What does it mean she has two dads?”). These are great teaching moments.

Stories as Mirrors of Society: Talking About Big Issues

The world can be a confusing place, even for adults. When it comes to children, shielding them completely from difficult topics is neither possible nor ultimately helpful. Whether it’s hearing snippets of news about a war or pandemic, experiencing a loss, or noticing social injustices as they grow, kids will encounter big, scary, or sad realities. Stories can act as a buffer and a bridge to these topics—simplifying and contextualizing events in a way kids can process, and providing a starting point for those critical conversations with parents.

For very young children, any discussion of current events or serious issues needs to be extremely gentle and concrete. Often, instead of addressing an event head-on, a parallel story can be used.

For older children, you can start to address more explicit analogies to real-world events. Historical fiction is a great tool: it has the emotional distance of “this happened long ago,” but often mirrors issues we face today.

Contemporary realistic fiction and YA novels can tackle almost every tough topic: poverty, racism, violence, illness, death, you name it. The advantage of a novel or movie is that it focuses on individuals and stories of hope even in dark times.

From Story to Conversation: Making the Most of Shared Stories

We’ve talked a lot about using stories to spark conversations—now let’s focus on how to have those conversations effectively. The goal is to turn storytelling into a two-way street, where it’s not just you reading to your child, or the two of you silently watching a screen, but rather an interactive experience that draws your child out.

Here are some strategies for using stories as a springboard for meaningful conversations:

Ask Open-Ended Questions: Instead of quizzes or yes/no questions, try asking questions that invite your child to think and share.

Connect to Their Experiences: Help your child make personal connections to the story.

Share Your Perspective: Don’t be afraid to share your thoughts or even your emotions about a story.

Encourage Questions: Kids often have a million questions, and stories will trigger more.

Be Age-Aware in Discussions: Tailor your conversation to your child’s developmental level.

Use the Story as a Safe Example: Sometimes kids won’t talk directly about their own feelings or problems, but they will talk about a character’s.

Follow Up Later: A great story conversation doesn’t have to end when the book closes or the credits roll.

Conclusion: The Lasting Impact of Shared Stories

Stories are, at their core, about connection—connecting us to information, values, other people’s experiences, and each other. When you share stories with your child, you are doing so much more than just reading a bedtime book or having a movie night. You are helping to shape the lens through which they will view themselves and the world.

A toddler who felt safe from the “scary monster” because a story taught them to be brave becomes a child who faces challenges with confidence. A child who learned about kindness and empathy through characters grows into a teenager who is compassionate toward their peers.

Crucially, the conversations and bonds you build through stories will outlast the stories themselves. Today you might be discussing talking animals and superheroes, tomorrow it might be first love or career dreams—the specific stories will change, but the habit of sharing and talking will remain.

So keep that library card handy, queue up meaningful movies on family nights, and above all, keep the dialogue going. Ask the questions, welcome the questions, laugh at the funny parts, wonder aloud at the hard parts. These shared experiences are like a rehearsal for real life, giving your child a safe space to explore and learn.

Years later, they might not remember the details of every book you read together or every movie you watched, but they will remember that you took the time to explore the world with them, side by side, through stories. And that is a story of its own—one of love, learning, and connection—that your child will carry forward as they understand their world.