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This paper features the results of theoretical research of the problem of education and development of a preschooler as a behaving actor in a preschool educational organization, conducted by the Early Childhood Education Department of the Institute for Childhood of the A.I. Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia for several decades. The purpose of this study is to define conceptual approaches to the education and development of a contemporary child as a kindergarten behaving actor.

Axiological understanding of the child as an actor capable of authorizing, entering and developing activities in accordance with its own idea, vision, image and result, as well as the ability to evaluate and change it has been applied. The basis of the research was outlined by the ideas of personality-centered and developing education, approaches of actor-oriented and non-linear construction of educational content and forms of support for preschoolers in the educational process.

The result of the study reveals the initial idea about the child as a behaving actor of a preschool age, developed by the St. Petersburg scientific school of preschool pedagogics, the provisions of the collective actor, the principles of education and development of the child as a behaving actor, the principles of updating the content of preschool education and age-correlated methods of its learning by children, the principles of personally-oriented interaction between the teacher and children, event-based, unusual and situational approaches to education. The new competence of a contemporary early childhood education teacher shall be efficiency, flexibility and variability in the organization of the personalized educational process. The conducted research allows to see the necessity of changes in early childhood education based on the changes that have occurred in the childhood over the last decade.

Introduction. The paper introduces the idea of a pedagogical project, that is going to be tested in several preschools in St. Petersburg, Russia. The significance of the project is determined by the importance of social and cultural design as one of the key methods for providing fair and positive environment for child development during the preschool period.

Methods. Methodologically the research is based on: academic, and subject approach; concept of development of a preschool child as a subject of children’s activities and behavior (T. I. Babayeva, A. G. Gogoberidze and othes); the concept of cultural and historical development of a child personality by mastery of experiences of previous generations (L.S. Vygotsky, A.N. Leontiev), provided that they interact with adults (N. F. Radionova); research data on individual behavior and activity of senior preschoolers in of St. Petersburg, obtained at the turn of the 2010s. System analysis was applied, including theoretical analysis of philosophical, psychological and pedagogical literature on the research subject, developing method of learning materials “St. Petersburg - the Territory of Childhood”, ensuring the subjective engagement the senior preschool children with design of social and cultural learning environment for their development.

Results. The results of the research contain an analysis of organizing of educational potential of the social and cultural environment in St. Petersburg for development of preschool students. Development and testing of methodological tools for studying values, interests, culture and subculture, subjective manifestations of children, methods for identifying motivation for development, assessing the potential for personal development. Approaches to design of additional cultural and artistic programs, programs for design of environment of a modern kindergarten have been determined. The characteristics of the key implementation tools of the Project, institutionally represented by the educational and methodical complex “St. Petersburg - the Territory of Childhood”, which has a culturally oriented development, is presented.

Conclusion. The study first attempted to identify the conditions under which a senior preschooler can become a designer of social and cultural learning environment for their development. The data can be used by Childhood experts to create a modern space for children culture, subculture, activities that form a unique “world of childhood” that determines a unique development of the child individual cultural experiences.