Importancia de los cuentos y la literatura infantil en la educación inicial

Stories and children's literature play an essential role in the integral development of children during early childhood education. These pedagogical tools stimulate language, creativity, emotional intelligence, and socialization. However, there are still challenges regarding their systematic integration into the educational curriculum, as structured approaches are often prioritized over playful methods. The central issue lies in the underutilization of stories and literary texts as instruments to enhance fundamental skills from the early years. Therefore, this article aimed to analyze how the use of stories and children's literature contributes to comprehensive development in early childhood education. The methodology employed was qualitative, with a narrative design and an inductive-deductive method, based on a documentary review of current scientific sources. Bibliographic matrices and academic databases were used for systematic analysis. The findings confirm that early contact with literature strengthens reading comprehension, verbal expression, emotional regulation, and cultural identity. In addition, strategies such as storytelling and dramatization foster creativity and active participation. It is concluded that stories and children's literature should constitute a structural axis in early childhood education, as they are effective means for fostering integral child development.