Young children love stories, and folk tales are already part of many families’ traditions. These researchers asked whether an old, familiar tale could help preschoolers understand that people and nature are connected and that every creature has a place.
The researchers worked with 13 five-year-olds in one Turkish preschool class. Nasreddin Hodja is a well-known funny and wise character in Turkish folk tales. In the original story, he rests under a walnut tree and wonders why such a big tree has tiny fruit while huge watermelons grow on thin vines. Then a walnut falls on his head, and he realizes nature knows best.
The researchers added a second part. Hodja calls a snake ugly and drives it away. Mice then ruin his harvest. He apologizes, and the snakes return.
The researchers told the story with two props:
- A flannel board with felt characters.
- A “magic board.” The pictures are drawn on clear plastic over black card, so they stay invisible until a sheet of white paper slides behind them.
After each telling, they chatted with the children about the story, and volunteers retold it using the props. A week later, the researchers repeated the session. Each child then retold the story and answered seven questions in a 15-minute interview.
What they found
- Children got the main message. All 13 could retell the story. Eleven understood that every creature has a role, even if it looks ugly. Only two picked up the harder point from the walnut-and-watermelon part: changing how nature works can cause problems nobody expects.
- All the children said every animal is good for nature, but few could explain why snakes matter. All 13 agreed that animals, including worms and insects, are good for nature. One child explained that worms make holes that let air reach plants. Only five could explain what would happen if all the snakes were killed: the mice would multiply.
- Most children showed empathy. Asked how they would feel if they were the snake, 10 of 13 said they would feel bad. Two said they would chase the snake away too, copying Hodja.
- Nearly all children showed respect for the snake. Twelve of 13 said Hodja should have been kind to it. They said he should have let it stay, been polite to it or not thrown stones at it.
- Children gave different reasons for why animals matter. Four said all living things belong together and keep nature in balance. Two focused on people, for example that snakes are dangerous to humans, or that animals give us milk and wool. The rest gave no reason.
What this means for your practice
- Adapt the folk stories you already know. The researchers added the snake-and-mice section to a familiar tale to make the message about balance clearer. Nearly every child took away the idea that every creature matters. Look for tales in your community’s tradition with animals, plants or landscapes that could carry a similar message.
- Tell it more than once and let children retell it. The children heard the story several times over two weeks, with two different props, and retold it themselves. The researchers suggest that props children can handle help them pay closer attention. They did not test this directly.
- Ask “how would you feel?” questions. “If you were the snake, how would you feel?” drew empathy from most children. “How should Hodja have behaved?” let them voice respect. These questions can follow any story with animal characters.
- Plan follow-ups for harder ideas. Few children grasped how losing one species affects others. The researchers suggest pairing stories with time outdoors and other follow-up activities that explore connections in nature.
- Listen to children’s reasons. Children’s reasons for why animals matter show you how their values are developing. The researchers suggest that storytelling sessions can help nurture the view that all living things have value.
The Bottom Line
Researchers told an adapted folk story several times using simple props, then asked each child to retell it and answer questions about it. Almost all the children understood that every animal matters, even ones that look ugly or scary. Nearly all said the snake in the story should be treated kindly, and most could imagine how the snake felt. Fewer children grasped the harder idea that harming one species can upset the balance of nature. For educators, the study shows that a familiar folk story can help young children feel empathy and respect for living things. It works especially well when retold with props and followed by “how would you feel?” questions. Harder ideas, such as balance in nature, may need follow-up activities.