Fun Tagalog Stories That Your Kids Will Love
If improving your kids’ Tagalog is on our New Year’s Resolution list, here are some stories they’ll surely love!
A lot of kids are struggling to learn Tagalog because the resources that expose children to the language are harder to come by. What’s more, kids nowadays have more control over what content they consume. And they often choose foreign shows or even literature, among others.
Comparing the content of then and now, let’s face it—some stories are not just as exciting as the others. Especially when compared to the magic of Harry Potter and the heroic feats of Percy Jackson. But with a fair amount of digging, we’ve found a few Tagalog stories that we’re sure kids would love to read, laugh, and think about.
6 Fun Tagalog Stories for Kids
The Tales of Pilandok
Follow the adventures and misadventures of the clever Pilandok as he manages to outwit the many greedy and sinister villains who try to capture him. Unlike most heroes, Pilandok relies on his cunningness to save himself from various situations. He has so many tales regarding his feats that kids may just see him as the Philippine version of Captain Jack Sparrow.
Stories about Pilandok are usually written in Tagalog for kids and are likewise available in local bookstores.
Pan de Sal Saves the Day: A Filipino Children’s Story
A multi-lingual story of confidence and loving oneself, Pan de Sal Saves The Day is about a young girl who struggles with self-love. Not only does she hate her name, but she also finds her appearance strange and believes herself to be the unluckiest person in the world.
Written in both English and Tagalog, this kids’ story speaks about gratitude and how confidence can make even the unluckiest moments great. Plus, it’s available as an e-book, which you can access for free for 30 days!
Ang Tikbalang Kung Kabilugan ng Buwan
If your kids got into the cartoon Bojack Horseman then, the Tikbalang bears some similarities. This Tagalog story will answer your kids’ questions about the supposed monster that roams around the night, likewise adding a whimsical and heartwarming twist to the tale.
Magandang Gabi, Mahal Ko!
Magandang Gabi, Mahal Ko! is a story of a boy who struggles to sleep and when he complains to his dad after their bedtime story reading, he learns that dreaming about places to go might help! As he closes his eyes, his imagination and dreams will take us to all sorts of places.
Perhaps this Tagalog story will also give us ideas on how to get our kids to sleep when they’re too lively!
Donut The Dragon
If the kids just love How To Train Your Dragon—or dragons in general—Donut The Dragon comes in both English and Tagalog! When 10-year-old Kyle jumps out of an airplane and his parachute fails, Donut the Dragon saves him and charges 12 donuts for his rescue!
If the book isn’t available, the audiobook is also available on iTunes as a podcast.
Mga Alamat ni Lola Kerps
Unlike the aforementioned standalone stories, Mga Alamat Ni Lola Kerps is an anthology of stories about all sorts of things—from crinkles to mouthwash?! A comedy-filled audiobook on Spotify, your kids will be laughing out loud as they listen to Lola Kerps tell all sorts of tales and legends about modern-day objects.
Want an immersive experience with visuals? The creators also have a YouTube channel that your kids can watch.
The struggle is real—finding Tagalog stories for kids!
With the Philippines specializing in two not-so-kid-friendly genres—that is, horror and romance, it can be hard to find a good Tagalog story for our kids. What’s more, most Tagalog storybooks nowadays are a translation of Western tales!
Luckily, the ones we listed above come in both English and Tagalog, so translating and learning either language is a lot easier during storytime sessions with kids.
More for kids?
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5 Lessons Kids and Teens Can Learn From the Film GomBurZa
Why Following Your Kids’ Interests Builds Better Relationships With Them
