Parents are always on the lookout for great moral stories for kids. However, at KathaKids, we believe that kids learn the morals of stories even if they aren’t explicitly mentioned. When a story is well-written, the takeaway, or the moral of the story, is readily apparent. Such lessons get absorbed far more than if they are spelt out.
We also don’t believe in spoon-feeding morals to kids. Rather, we feel that stories spark ideas within children’s minds. This can trigger conversations about the story and what they learnt from it with their parents and peers. (We have truly been fascinated when we have asked children to come up with their own morals for the stories they have read!) And this is true process of learning.
Having said that, we do understand that parents sometimes need help identifying kids moral stories – perhaps to relate to an incident that has occurred in daily life.
So if you are looking for stories with morals, here’s presenting a collection of moral stories for kids on KathaKids.
1. Lion and the mouse
A classic Aesop’s Fable that tells the story of a mighty lion and the mouse who offers his friendship to him. The lion is initially amused by the offer, but later finds out that even small mice can help the so-called large and powerful.
Moral for kids: Treat everyone with respect regardless of how they look.
2. Equal Division
Two mice are fighting over a piece of chocolate. They are so angry with each other that they decide to ask their arch-enemy, cat, to intervene. Do the mice get the chocolate?
Moral for kids: Be careful who you trust to resolve fights.
3. Elephant and the tailor
An elephant is friends with a tailor. However, one day, the tailor pricks the elephant with a pin. The tailor laughs as the elephant squeals in pain. How does the elephant react?
Moral for kids for kids: Don’t hurt anyone even for fun
4. Let’s fly
A story from the Panchatantra which is known for its moral stories for kids. In this story, a group of birds are flying together. They land on the ground to eat grains. That’s when a hunter throws his net on them. The birds panic and try to fly, but find themselves trapped. The leader teaches them an important lesson that helps them escape.
Moral for kids: When you work together, you can overcome any obstacle.
5. Sweet Talk
A hungry fox is looking for food. He comes across a crow sitting on a tree branch with a piece of cake in its beak. The fox comes up with a plan to get the cake.
Moral for kids: Don’t fall for sweet words
6. Unity is Strength
Four brother are always fighting among themselves. Their father asks them to stop fighting and work together. But his advice falls on deaf ears. The father comes up with a unique way to demonstrate his advice.
Moral for kids: You are stronger when you stick together as a group.
7. The fox and the drum
Shika the fox was scared of many things in the jungle. The slightest noise would startle her. So imagine her shock when she heard a loud noise one day – “DOOM!” Shika is extremely scared, but she decides to investigate anyway. She discovers a strange animal making the sound. What animal was it? And does Shika defeat it?
Moral for kids: Things that seem extremely scary, are often harmless. So don’t be irrationally afraid of everything.
8. Monkey and the wedge
Makranda the monkey was very mischieveous. He would jump from branch to branch without a care for his safety. One day he came across a tree-trunk which was being cut into smaller pieces by woodcutters. The woodcutters had left a wedge where they were making the cut. Makranda wanted to play with the wedge. The elders warned him against doing mischief. But Makranda went ahead anyway and learnt a painful lesson.
Moral for kids: You can hurt yourself by playing with things you don’t understand.
9. Milk for Shiva
Koosu’s father is a temple priest. He delivers sermons where he says, “Shiva is everywhere!” Little Koosu hears everything her father says. One day the priest has to go out of the village for some work. He asks Koosu to bathe the Shiva Ling in the temple with milk instead of him. Does Shiva get his milk?
Moral for kids: Be kind to everyone – especially those less fortunate than you.
10. Lost and found
A woodcutter is hard at work in a forest. Suddenly, his axe slips from his hand and falls into a lake. The lake fairy appears in front of the woodcutter and offers to help. She goes back into the lake and comes out with a golden axe. “Is this the axe you lost?” she asks. What does the woodcutter say?
Moral for kids: Don’t desire the things that don’t belong to you
11. The Arab and the camel
An Arab trader is crossing a desert with only his camel for company. At night, the trader sets up a tent and settles inside to sleep. Meanwhile, it grows extremely cold outside. The camel asks the trader if he can come inside. The trader points out that there is no space inside the tent for camel. The camel asks if he can put his head – just his head – inside the tent. The trader agrees. But he is in for a shock in the morning.
Moral for kids: Be careful of helping someone who takes advantage of your kindness
12. Free Bird
This is story is from the Buddha’s childhood. Prince Siddhartha is out in the jungle with his cousin. The brother shoots down a swan with his arrow. Both prince run to the spot where the bird has fallen. Siddhartha reaches first and bandages the bird’s wound. The cousin arrives later and lays claim on the bird since he is the one who shot it down. The dispute reaches the king’s court. Who is right?
Moral for kids: All beings deserve kindness
13. Belling the cat
The mice are worried. The cat in the house is catching many mice because she is able to move without making a sound . At this rate the mice will have to leave the house! One of the mice comes up with a clever plan to save everyone.
Moral for kids: Believing flattery can backfire on you.
14. Wolf! Wolf!
The classic tale of the boy who took sheep out for grazing. He decides to have some fun and shouts “Wolf! Wolf!” The villagers come running to help the boy, only to find him laughing at them. The villagers fall fo the trick two more times. But then one day a wolf actually attacks the boy and the flock of sheep.
Moral for kids: Never lie, even for fun.
15. Literate Illiterate
A scholar gets into a boat. He is shocked to know that the boatman is not literate and that he doesn’t even know simple grammar. Suddenly, dark clouds gather in the sky. There’s a thunderstorm. Do the two reach the other shore safely?
Moral for kids: One should always be humble and respect others
16. Change of Colour
A crow is hungry. He sees a flock of white doves being fed with grains by humans. He too wants the grains. But the doves shoo him away. The crow decides to look more like the doves and takes a dive in a bucket of white paint. Does his plan succeed?
Moral for kids: Always be true to yourself.
17. Sweet Grapes
A fox look hungrily at a bunch of juicy grapes. He jumps trying to get a bite of it. But he cannot reach it. A monkey offers to help the fox. What is the fox’s reply? (This is a fresh take on a classic fable, ‘Sour Grapes’)
Moral for kids: When you put in the effort, you will always get the fruit.
18. Making of Hanumanji
Roshan is training to be a cricketer. But when the coach pushes him hard one day, he feels like giving everything up. He reaches a Hanuman temple and strikes an interesting conversation with a rock.
Moral for kids: There is no gain without pain.
19. The talkative turtle
Jo the turtle loved to talk. He liked to talk most with his two best friends – a pair of geese. One summer the lake they lived in dried up. The geese were ready to fly away. But Jo wanted to go with them. The two geese held a stick between their beaks. They asked Jo to hold on to the stick with his mouth. This meant that poor Jo could not talk while they were flying. What do you think happened next?
Moral for kids: You should control your desires – especially when it is for your own good.
20. The crow and the serpent
A pair of crows built a nest on the branch of a beautiful banyan tree and laid eggs. A serpent living at the base of the tree gobbled up some of the eggs. Did the crows run away?
Moral for kids: You can overcome any problem, if you use your intelligence
Hope you enjoyed these moral stories for kids. Go to kathakids.com to see more stories from Indian mythology and folklore.
