The children do not simply enjoy stories. Stories help them understand life. To the northern forest peoples the sun that gave direction was often the hero of their stories. The sun came to Earth to transform things and make things good for the people, then watched them from the sky to see them live in the way he had made possible. Stories, such as these and ceremonies and rituals made it easier for children to learn and understand their place among their people.
All children learn by doing things.
In the past, as today, Indian children were taught by their parents and the other adults in the community. They learned many things about nature and how to conserve nature. They also learned skills that would enable them to survive as adults. In the past these were not studied in classrooms. The tools they used were made from stone, wood, or bone and great skill was needed to use them well.