Fables are stories that teach morals about human behavior, usually with animals as the main characters. Fables help kindergarten-aged children because they take abstract morals and communicate them through images and characters that the children understand and enjoy. Aesop's fables, from ancient Greece, are famous for their messages. The fable of "The Goose with the Golden Eggs," for example, teaches children not to be greedy by showing them that a person can lose a treasure if he is too greedy. "The Lion and the Mouse" shows that acts of kindness and forgiveness will be rewarded, and "The Young Thief" discourages stealing. Each of Aesop's fables has a verse stating the moral immediately following the story.
Bible stories can also be used to teach morality to young children. Stories from the Old and New Testament can be simplified and retold in an attractive manner for kindergartners. The story of David and Goliath (1 Sam 17) speaks of courage and bravery. The fate of Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen 19) can be used to teach children the wrongs of violent crime and the benefits of good behavior. Other stories from the Old Testament and stories from the New Testament about what Jesus said and did can be used to teach children about goodness, mercy, kindness, forgiveness, justice and other values.
Fairy tales are more than simple stories. They were written to transmit lessons about morals, society or politics. Kindergartners easily learn from fairy tales because they transmit the message in a dramatic and exaggerated way. "Little Red Riding Hood," for example, teaches children not to talk to strangers or disobey their parents. Hansel and Gretel are punished for being greedy and taking what isn't theirs, while Cinderella is duly rewarded for her goodness and patience. "Beauty and the Beast" show that appearances can be deceiving.
Sometimes, young children learn best from true stories. You can teach them morals by telling them stories from your own childhood that they can relate to. Tell them about the day you learned that stealing is wrong, or what happened the first time you told a lie. They will be interested in the stories about people they know or about other children like them and will remember the lesson.