What is the moral of Goldilocks and the Three Bears?

What that actually means

This is the smallest and most useful moral in the whole collection. Goldilocks does not do anything wicked. She is hungry and tired and the door is open, and every single thing she does is the sort of thing a small child does without thinking. The story is not about a bad girl. It is about the specific, uncomfortable moment when you realise that the thing you helped yourself to belonged to somebody, and that they have just walked in.

What happens in the story

Three bears go out for a walk while their porridge cools. A girl called Goldilocks finds their door open and lets herself in, and tries everything in the house until she finds the one that suits her. Then she falls asleep, and they come home.

Questions to ask afterwards

The lesson lands better when a child works it out themselves.

1. Goldilocks did not mean to do anything wrong. Does that make it alright?
2. How do you think the Little Bear felt about his chair?
3. Goldilocks runs away at the end. What could she have done instead?
4. The door was open. Does that mean she was invited in?
5. Has anyone ever used something of yours without asking? How did it feel?