I have been showcasing one fairy tale and looking at how it can be used as a teaching/learning activity for kindergarten readiness for little ones. Sleeping Beauty seems to be another story of a helpless female, needing to be rescued and wakened by a prince. If that’s all it is, it needs to disappear into the ages, but below the surface there is much more. 
The long sleep can be compared to the long stage of growing up. Children need time to mature so they are ready for the next stage of life. Sleep itself is part of our lives because this is when we heal and physically grow. We all need quiet retreats from time to time to think and plan, reflect and dream.We are not just preparing kids for kindergarten or school. These old traditional stories can help us share values along with kindergarten readiness activities.
I also like to use this story to talk about time. With your child, think of all the words for time such as minute, hour, day, etc. Ask which is longer, a minute or an hour? Which is shorter a day or a week? Talk about the days of the week. Do you have a favorite day? (Fryday, Sundae?) Go for a walk inside the house and count up all the things that tell time. How many did you count?