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Background. The trends of developing child friendly urban environment result in designing of play areas in places which are not specifically made for children: train stations, cafes, shopping centers, etc. The design of such places requires research of children’s behavior, understanding and experience of using play equipment and materials. This article deals with children’s play spaces in trains and at railway stations in Moscow.

The purpose of the study is to highlight the principles of organizing play environment and equipment at train stations, airports, in trains.

Play spaces at the railway stations and toy`s sets for kids in trains were analyzed according to the basis criteria of the examination of play spaces and toys. Based on the data obtained, the principles of organizing space were proposed, taking into account the special conditions in traveling (a large number of people, rush, small space, children of different ages, etc.).

Research results. The study showed that play spaces at railway stations are unsuitable for children’s age needs: they are like copies of typical street playgrounds, include the same equipment, designed for kids aged just 2-5 years and mostly for movement and not for the role play. In trains play spaces are better adapted for cognitive and productive activities of children, while play and motor activity are ignored. Play sets are also designed for age 3-6 and require significant changing. This analysis allows us to identify 3 key principles of organizing children’s space in trips. Creating a children’s space, it is necessary to consider the duration of trips, the capacity and possibility of a place, age specific of play, speech and other activities of children. It is also important to focus on the features of age and remember that adults are the mandatory companions of the child in traveling. This study can serve as a basis for a more detailed and large-scale study of the issue of children’s spaces, as well as a general guideline for evaluating and designing such play spaces.

Background. The relevance of the study is determined, on the one hand, by the significance of the problem of parent-child play interaction as an important aspect of family education, and on the other hand, by the insufficiency of its studies in the modern conditions of rapidly occurring profound changes in society, affecting the family microenvironment.

Objectives. 1) To identify and analyze the characteristics of play interaction between senior preschoolers with their parents, taking into account the possibilities of using digital devices. 2) To study the influence of the frequency of joint computer games in a family setting on the intellectual and creative development of children.

Sample. The study involved 180 preschoolers aged 6-7 years (Mage = 6.8, SD = 0.34; 88 boys, 92 girls), as well as their parents, mainly mothers. All preschoolers and their parents were the residents of Moscow. Most children (92.78%) attended preschool educational institutions.

Methods. A survey of parents was conducted. To diagnose children’s development, the following methods were used: a test method for diagnosing intellectual abilities (MEDIS); structured observation and expert assessments of children’s participation in a game lesson to reveal creative and intellectual potential. Methods of qualitative and quantitative data analysis were used (Jamovi 1.6.23 statistical package).

Results. In most families, play interaction between modern senior preschoolers and parents is implemented both in the form of traditional games (board, outdoor, role-playing, etc.) and computer games. However, the frequency of their use varies. In general, traditional games are chosen more often than computer games. At the same time, mothers are more likely to play traditional games with their children than fathers. When using gadgets, the opposite trend is observed: fathers are more likely than mothers to play computer games with their children. Preschoolers who rarely played computer games with their moms or dads had higher intellectual test scores.

Conclusions. The results of the study allow us to expand scientific understanding of the play interactions between modern senior preschoolers and parents. The need for psychological and pedagogical support for parents in choosing and organizing joint games with children is highlighted. The data obtained can be used in the development of recommendations to parents on the creation of a developing family microenvironment, in particular, on its digitalization.