Aim. The aim of the study was to explore how pre-school children understand values and to determine how these are manifested in verbal and non-verbal narratives. The research question focused on identifying the values perceived by children in literary narratives, as well as analysing how they interpret these values and relate them to their own social and emotional experiences. Methods and materials. A qualitative research strategy was employed, appropriate to the exploratory nature of the problem. The research was conducted in a natural educational setting with a group of 18 children aged 4–5. A triangulation of methods was used: participant observation, guided interviews and analysis of artwork. The research tool was a series of original fairy tales serving as narrative stimuli to initiate the children’s interpretative activity. Data analysis was carried out in accordance with the principles of qualitative content analysis, considering the situational context and the meanings attributed by the children. Results and conclusion. The findings indicate that children prefer positive characters and interpret values primarily through the lens of actions and their consequences. Good is understood as helping others, cooperating and building relationships, whilst evil is associated with actions that harm others. Children’s narratives reflect their developing causeand-effect thinking and their ability to relate literary content to their own experiences. Artwork serves as an equally important vehicle for axiological meanings. The findings confirm that narrative – particularly when supported by children’s literature – is a vital tool for shaping an understanding of values, fostering the internalisation of norms and the development of social-emotional and cognitive competences.