Why do humans tell stories across all cultures and times?

Humans tell stories because they help us understand and remember important things in our lives, like what happened, why people did things, and how to make better choices.

Imagine you have a favorite toy that helps you win your game. A story is like that toy, it helps you win at life by making big ideas feel small and familiar. When we hear a story, our brain can remember what happened more easily than if someone just told us facts.

Stories are also like family recipes passed down from one generation to the next. Just as your grandma’s recipe for cookies helps you make the same delicious treats every time, stories help people in different places and times learn about each other, how they lived, what they feared, and what made them happy.

Telling stories is a way to share life lessons, just like sharing a cookie with someone new. And that’s why we’ve been telling stories for as long as we can remember!