axl_carnaby93
Were fairy tales originally made for children like they are today?
Many fairy tales that we know today were adapted from oral traditions. The oral traditions were for teaching children valuable moral lessons, and for keeping them in line. 'If you don't do what I say and don't get distracted, that wolf won't eat you.' (Reference: Red Riding Hood) Old wives' tales is the saying associated with stories like that. Note how many of the Grimm fairy tales involved good children getting the happy endings, and bad people getting the unhappy endings.
A lot of them were told around taverns as a way to let off steam after a hard day at work. So many early oral versions had more adult themes to them. They were stories told by adults to take their minds off how hard it was back then.
Edit: So to answer your question, many fairy tales were made for both. There were tales for children but they were not like the ones we know today. In those days fairy tales served a purpose, to teach children moral lessons. They weren't all happy and full of rainbows and happy endings.