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 YA novel, a heartwarming family film, or an episode of a favorite series, 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 Children

Stories are more than entertainment—they are how children make sense of 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 human,” and indeed stories let kids experience lives and perspectives far beyond their own.

For example, a child in a small town can read about a kid in a big city or another country and start 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 they are not alone in their feelings and experiences. Often, when kids encounter a character who faces a situation similar to theirs—moving to a new school, feeling jealous of a new sibling, being afraid of the dark—it’s profoundly 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. They gain a sense of release and even empowerment, as if the story gives them tools to handle their own problem.

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

Finally, storytelling strengthens the parent-child bond. Snuggling up together 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 misty-eyed at an emotional ending, you’re 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 Children Understand Stories as They Grow

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

Toddlers & Preschoolers (Ages 1–5)

At this age, kids live in a magical world. They often have trouble distinguishing fantasy from reality—for a three-year-old, talking animals or flying superheroes might seem as real as anything in daily life. In fact, studies have found that young preschoolers tend to believe everything they see on TV is real; many 4-year-olds in one study thought Big Bird from Sesame Street was a real creature, whereas 5- to 6-year-olds understood he 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 is emotion, routine, and simple cause-and-effect—all delivered in a gentle way. They love repetition, bright pictures, 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 toddler and preschooler stories 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 young children think concretely, it helps to tie story lessons to the real world immediately. If a story shows a character dealing with fear of the dark, you might later remind your child of that story when they feel afraid at bedtime (“Remember how the little bear in the story used a nightlight and felt brave? Shall we try that?”).

Parents should also be ready to gently explain things that a toddler might misinterpret. If your child points at the book’s flying dragon and asks if it’s real, it’s okay to say, “It’s a fun pretend creature!” Young kids rely on us to help them separate make-believe 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 baby elephant feels?” to involve them. At this stage, a story’s warmth and fun matter more than any deep lesson.

Early School Age (Ages 6–12)

Once kids hit school age, their cognitive and language skills take a big leap. By around 6 or 7, most children can follow more complex plots and start seeing 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 fantastical stories, but they know dragons and superheroes aren’t real. In fact, by age 7 or 8 children become little skeptics, using logic and what they’ve learned about the world to judge whether something is realistic.

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. A typical 8- or 9-year-old can appreciate a plot twist or a character who has both good and bad traits. They’re beginning to empathize on a deeper level: they can understand why a character feels a certain way, not just identify the emotion.

Because of these leaps, ages 6–12 are an ideal time to use stories as windows to the wider world. Children are curious sponges during these years. If your child asks about how something works or why something happens, there’s probably a story out there about it. Are they fascinated by space? Find a kids’ novel about an astronaut family, or watch a movie like WALL-E and talk about its vision of the future. Is there a tough topic you need to explain, like a divorce or a new baby in the family? There are age-appropriate books where characters go through these experiences, which can help normalize your child’s feelings and lead into a talk.

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 for you?” or “Why do you think [Character] did that?” You can even pose little moral dilemmas (“What would you do if you were in their shoes?”) to spark a conversation.

Teenagers (Ages 13–17)

The teenage years usher in a whole new relationship with stories. Teens and older adolescents are capable of abstract thought and critical analysis, which means they can appreciate irony, metaphor, complex character development, and ambiguous endings. They are forming their own identity and worldview, so they gravitate towards stories that resonate with their questions about life: Who am I? What’s my place in the world? What’s 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 tackles themes of authority, rebellion, and personal choice—themes that mirror a teenager’s emerging desire for independence and justice. Likewise, a teen might deeply connect with a coming-of-age film or a series that portrays mental health struggles, romance, or identity issues, because it validates and explores what they themselves are experiencing.

One hallmark 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’s 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. It’s actually a great opportunity for discussion: ask them why they think the character was wrong, or what they would have done differently.

With teenagers, the parent’s role becomes trickier 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 (perhaps a few chapters behind, so they always stay ahead of you) and talk about it over dinner, almost like a mini book club. Or have a family movie night with a film that skews older (a classic drama or a documentary, depending on their interest) and afterwards, ask for their review of it.

A World of Stories: Books, Movies, and More

Stories come in many forms. In today’s world, your child might get their storytelling from a richly illustrated picture book, a gripping novel, a weekly TV series, a blockbuster film, or even an interactive video game with a strong narrative. All of these 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 images and simple text to delight the youngest readers and impart gentle lessons. Early-reader and chapter books provide that bridge for young kids to start reading on their own, often mixing funny antics with moral takeaways. Middle-grade and YA novels can tackle surprisingly complex themes while still being accessible to younger minds.

One advantage of books is that they leave a lot to the imagination—children can picture the characters and scenes in their mind, which can make the story feel very personal. Books also allow kids to pause, flip back, and digest at their own pace. And of course, reading together is a fantastic bonding ritual.

Films and series engage children through visuals, sound, and performance, 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—maybe The Lion King made you think about loss and responsibility, or Mulan inspired you to question traditional gender roles.

High-quality children’s media today is often created with input from educators and psychologists. For instance, Disney/Pixar’s Inside Out was developed with psychologists to accurately depict an 11-year-old’s emotions, which is why it resonates so well with kids and adults. Studies have found that movies can indeed be meaningful for children, not just entertaining. In one study, children aged 4 to 15 who watched Inside Out were able to make sense of the characters’ feelings and motives, effectively using the film to practice social and emotional skills.

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 afterwards, the impact increases dramatically. Researchers observed that when children discussed a meaningful film with an adult or even re-watched it to understand a tough scene, they gleaned more insights and found the story more meaningful.

Building Emotional Intelligence and Empathy Through Stories

One of the most profound benefits of storytelling is how it helps children understand feelings—both their own and other people’s. It can be hard for kids (and even grown-ups!) to talk about emotions directly. But through characters, it suddenly becomes easier. A child might not be able to say “I felt jealous today,” but after hearing a story where a character feels left out, they might blurt out, “I felt like that when no one would play with me at recess.”

Stories give kids a safe, once-removed 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 put yourself in someone else’s shoes, and reading (or watching) fiction is like a training ground for that skill. Studies show that readers of fiction tend to have stronger abilities to understand others’ thoughts and feelings.

When a child reads a book like Wonder by R.J. Palacio—which is told from the perspective of a boy with a facial difference and those around him—they get a chance to live inside those characters’ heads for a while. They feel Auggie’s hurt when he’s bullied and his joy when he makes friends. By the end, they have emotionally experienced the importance of kindness.

For older kids and teens, literature and film can delve into deeply emotional territory: a YA novel might explore grief, mental health, or love, giving readers who haven’t experienced those things a window into those who have. And for a teen who has felt those things, finding a character who mirrors their emotions can be hugely validating.

How can parents maximize the emotional learning from stories? The key is discussion and reflection. While or after reading, ask questions that prompt emotional insight: “Why do you think this character is feeling this way? Have you ever felt like that?” or “What do you think made them so upset, and what helped them feel better?” These kinds of questions encourage children to analyze emotions and motives, building their emotional intelligence.

Teaching Ethics and Values Through Storytelling

Since ancient times, people have told stories to impart moral lessons. There’s 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 the youngest children, simple moral tales work well. Fables and fairy tales often reduce ethics to very clear examples: someone does good and is rewarded, someone does bad and faces consequences. Little kids find this satisfying—their world is very much about clear rules and fairness.

As children get older, they enter what psychologists call more “autonomous” moral reasoning—they realize that not all situations are cut-and-dry, and they start considering 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. Discussions you can have: Was it right for Harry and his friends to break rules to fight evil? Is it ever okay to bend rules for a greater good?

Interestingly, research indicates that children only develop the capacity to fully appreciate certain higher values (like self-sacrifice for others, or the emotional beauty of a kind act) as they mature. One study found that feelings of being moved by moral beauty—like feeling goosebumps when a character does something truly noble—“start to emerge around the age of 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. If a story has a clear moral (like a fable), you might ask, “Why do you think that story ended that way? What can we learn from it?” If the story is more nuanced, ask about specific characters’ choices: “Do you think it was right for [Character] to do that? What else could they have done?”

Sparking Curiosity in Science and the Wider World

Not all stories are about feelings and morals—many are about exploring knowledge. Children are naturally curious about how things work, where things come from, and why the world is the way it is. Telling stories 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 fantastical 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 hardly realize they’re learning science facts because they’re caught up in the story.

Books are equally powerful for sparking curiosity. A lot of children’s nonfiction is now written in a story-like style, because educators know that facts delivered as narrative are more engaging. For instance, a book about the water cycle might follow the “adventures” of a water droplet named Droppy traveling from the ocean to the sky to the mountains and back.

For older children, 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 a glimpse into other cultures’ values and humor.

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. Issues of identity (including gender, race, family, etc.) can be complex or sensitive, but stories provide a gentle entry point.

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

It’s also vital that children 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 lesser. Fortunately, there are now many diverse children’s books—in terms of race, culture, religion, family structure, and more.

Stories also allow kids to step into others’ shoes with regard to 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 children’s media, are now being represented in age-appropriate ways as well. For example, Julian Is a Mermaid is a beautiful picture book about a boy who loves dressing up like 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 blunt questions (“Why does that boy wear a dress?” or “What does it mean that she has two dads?”). These are excellent teachable moments. Using the story as context, you can explain in simple, positive terms.

Stories as Mirrors of Society: Talking About Big Issues

The world can be a confusing place, even for adults. When it comes to kids, 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, children 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 children can process, and providing a starting point for those critical conversations with parents.

For very young children, any discussion of current events or heavy issues needs to be extremely gentle and concrete. Often, instead of addressing an event head-on, a parallel story can be used. For example, if there’s news of a natural disaster that your five-year-old is aware of, you might reach for a picture book like Flood by Alvaro F. Villa, which shows a family preparing for a flood, experiencing it, and recovering together.

For older children, you can begin to tackle more explicit analogues to real-world events. Historical fiction is a great tool: it has the emotional distance of “this happened long ago,” yet often parallels issues we face today. For instance, reading Number the Stars (about two Danish girls during World War II) with a 10-year-old not only teaches about the Holocaust in an age-appropriate way, but can lead to discussing courage and standing up to injustice.

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

Sometimes the world confronts our kids with a difficult topic suddenly—perhaps a school lockdown drill scares your child, or they hear about a tragedy on the news. In those cases, finding an appropriate story after the fact can help them work through it. Stories do that—they highlight the helpers and the hope.

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 at your child, or the two of you staring silently at 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 things that invite your child to think and share. For example, after a story (or during a natural pause), you might ask, “Which part of the story made you think the most?” or “Who was your favorite character and why?”

Connect to Their Experiences: Help your child make personal connections to the story. “Have you ever felt like that?” “Did anything like that ever happen to you (or someone you know)?” Personalizing the discussion helps them apply the story’s lessons to real life.

Share Your Perspective: Don’t be afraid to share your thoughts or even your emotions about a story. “That part made me a little sad, because it reminded me of when I lost my pet as a kid.” By doing this, you model that stories affect everyone and that it’s okay to talk about those feelings.

Encourage Questions: Kids often have a million questions, and stories will trigger more. Embrace these moments. If your child is asking questions, you’ve struck gold—they’re interested and engaged. Take each question seriously.

Be Age-Aware in Discussions: Tailor your conversation to your child’s developmental level. A five-year-old will give you a one-sentence answer about a story; that’s fine—keep it light and move on if they seem done. A ten-year-old might engage in a back-and-forth for a while; fantastic—ask another question or introduce a “what-if” scenario to keep them thinking.

Use the Story as a Safe Example: Sometimes kids won’t talk about their own feelings or problems directly, but they will talk about a character’s. This is a well-known counseling technique—difficult conversations are easier at one remove.

Follow Up Later: A great story conversation doesn’t have to end when the book is closed or the credits roll. You can reference it days or weeks later: “Remember that story we read about the girl who overcame her fear of the water? Look at you swimming today—just like her!”

Conclusion: The Lasting Impact of Shared Stories

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

A toddler who felt safe from the “scary monster” because a story taught them how to be brave becomes a child who faces challenges with confidence. A child who learned about kindness and empathy through characters grows into a teen who is compassionate toward peers. A teen who explored big ideas in books and conversations with you is better prepared to enter the adult world with an open mind and critical thinking.

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 could be first love or career dreams—the specific tales will change, but the habit of sharing and talking will remain.

By making storytelling a collaborative activity, you show your child that you’re there to guide them through any plot twist life throws their way. As one literacy expert wisely said, if we give children a wide variety of literature—even those “tough, controversial” stories—and teach them to read and discuss it critically, they have a better chance of growing into sensitive, thoughtful, reasonable adults.

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 about the funny parts, wonder aloud about the hard parts. These shared experiences are like a rehearsal for real life, giving your child a safe space to explore and learn.

Years from now, they may not remember the details of every book you read together or every film 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 your own—one of love, learning, and connection—that your child will carry forward as they make sense of their world.