In my estimation, there is no better "curriculum" to help children cope with real-world fears and anxieties than the myths and stories that have been told to generations of children and adults around the world.
Throughout these tales, regular people undertake impossible quests; heroes and monsters battle to the death; the clever and kind outsmart the wicked and selfish. Sometimes the ending isn't fair in a particular story, but overall we see the powers of good triumph over evil.
Some tales from history simplify historical events to distill powerful lessons, which if not entirely true, inspire us to be our best selves. And literature tales can make the most exciting stories of our literary past enjoyable and accessible without dumbing down the language or the complex characters for younger listeners.
I can't think of a better time than now, with so much uncertainty in the air, and so much time at home, to choose any one of these collections and read just one story a day. They appeal to all ages and can provide a rich seasoning to imaginative play. And they are all free in the public domain!
