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Background. Today’s common typologies and categories of children’s toys are mainly decided by the manufacturers and retailers of children’s products. Such categorizations are not based on a theoretical understanding of child development and therefore cannot provide information about the opportunities that toys provide for the young.

Objective. This study proposed three criteria for categorizing toys based on the cultural-historical approach: their degree of realism; their degree of anthropomorphism; and their degree of detail. These criteria were chosen as a result of an analysis of theoretical works carried out in the framework of cultural-historical approach.

Design. The proposed criteria were tested through an experiment measuring children’s toy preferences. The participants were 129 children of ages 3-4 years. Experimental data confirmed that most children do prefer realistic and detailed toys rather than those with fewer of these properties. The contribution of socio-demographic factors and the children’s individual developmental indicators to their toy preference was also analyzed.

Results. The study revealed that among various socio-demographic factors, only the child’s gender and the number of siblings in the family acted as significant predictors for the toy preferences. None of child’s developmental characteristics (non-verbal intelligence, executive functions, and emotional understanding) were found to be significant predictors of preference for particular toys.

Conclusions. The assumption that toys can be assessed in terms of their realism and degree of detail found empirical support. The results of this study may be useful in designing further research and in the practical issue of toy selection for children age 3-4 years.

Justification of the study. The relevance of the study is justified by the sensitivity of children 5-6 years old to develop an understanding of emotions. Therefore, many programs have been developed for the formation of voluntary control emotions based on the understanding of emotions. However, such programs use multidirectional means of developing an understanding of emotions. This suggests the incompleteness of using the potential of the child's understanding of emotions for the formation of voluntary control emotions in these programs.

The aim of the study. The aim is a theoretical analysis of programs that develop a child's understanding of emotions.

Methods. The method was a comparative analysis. The subject of the analysis was the objectives and content of the programs. The analysis of the objectives was carried out with respect to their functions for the formation of voluntary control emotions. The analysis of the content was carried out from the perspective of the development of the motivational component and from the perspective of the development of voluntary behavior.

Sample. Emotion understanding training programs were selected for the study. These programs are presented in peer-reviewed publications or comply with the Federal State Educational Standard. In total, 12 programs were analyzed of which 6 were partial and 6 were complex.

Results. The objectives, means, and motivational components of the analyzed programs reflect the value orientations of the program. There are value orientations aimed at developing the child's understanding of his own emotions or at developing an understanding of the emotions of others. Both presented value orientations are necessary for the formation of voluntary control emotions. The topic of understanding emotions has a wide potential for the formation of a child’s desire for voluntary control emotions through the development of non-situational personal communication. The main tools of mastering voluntary control emotions are behavioral strategies and rules of behavior.  Behavioral strategies as a means of the formation of voluntary emotion control are characterized by utilitarianism. The rules of behavior are characterized by a focus on awareness of the holistic situation. Recommendations for the formation of voluntary control emotions by developing an understanding of emotions were presented.

The relevance of the topic of the article. The problem of adaptation of younger preschoolers to the conditions of preschool education is one of the most urgent in connection with the importance of finding effective means to optimize the reduction of the period of habituation of young children to a new social situation.

The aim of the study is to describe an experimental study and the results of optimizing the adaptation of children of the 3rd and 4th years of life to the conditions of preschool education when using game exercises with elements of nonverbal communication.

Description of the research progress. According to the hypothesis, game exercises with elements of nonverbal communication contribute to the optimization and reduction of the period of adaptation of younger preschoolers to the conditions of preschool education. The empirical study involved 40 children of the 3rd and 4th years of life, divided into two groups: experimental (EG) and control (KG). The study was conducted in three stages: ascertaining diagnostics, developmental classes and control. During the assessment and control, modified observation maps were used to diagnose the peculiarities of the emotional state of children, including indicators of nonverbal behavior and communication of children. In developing classes with EG children, game exercises with elements of nonverbal communication were used, forming an address to a partner (peer, adult). 12 classes were held (15-20 min.) 3 times a week for a month. The results of both groups were compared with each other. Methods of mathematical statistics were used in the processing of quantitative data of psychological and pedagogical experiment.

The results of the study. Classes in the EG allowed to reduce the period of adaptation of children of the 3rd and 4th years of life to one month with the expected effect: the emotional background of the EG children became steadily positive, the level of play activity and interaction with peers increased.

Conclusion. The results confirmed the hypothesis and allowed us to clarify information about the differences in the development of children of the 3rd and 4th years of life due to the effects of experimental classes (in EG) and without it (in KG).

Relevance of the article. The development of emotional intelligence allows a person to successfully respond to the challenges facing him during his life. The need for the development of emotional intelligence is also confirmed by the documents regulating the sphere of preschool education. Developed emotional intelligence is also very important for the future of successful schooling, adaptation and building communication. The article presents the results of a theoretical study devoted to the problems of the formation of emotional intelligence in the field of language education of preschool children.

Research progress. Studies devoted to the problem of determining the essence and structure of emotional intelligence are analyzed. The analysis showed the importance of this type of work with preschoolers in teaching foreign languages, and also allowed to identify and describe the prerequisites for the development of emotional intelligence at an early stage of mastering a foreign language. The relevance of developing a problem in early foreign language teaching in accordance with the Federal State Educational Standard of Preschool Education, which sets tasks related to ensuring the social and communicative development of a preschool child, the formation of independence, purposefulness and self-regulation of their own actions; development of social and emotional intelligence, emotional responsiveness, empathy.

The results of the study. The development of emotional intelligence is one of the key components of the child’s psyche, which ensures the formation of his personality in ontogenesis and subsequent successful functioning in society. The priority of practical learning goals existing in the methodology of early foreign language teaching, suggesting a certain pragmatic orientation of the pedagogical process – the formation in a preschool child, first of all, of the ability to speak the language being studied and understand the speech of the interlocutor, does not allow to properly implement the requirement to ensure the development of emotional intelligence in preschool children.

Conclusions. The analysis of studies of the relationship between emotional intelligence and communicative properties, skills and abilities of the individual has shown that the development of emotional intelligence is especially organically integrated into the process of learning English. It is necessary for effective communication and develops in the best way within it, through the development of its speech competencies, through the improvement of the system of language means of the native and foreign languages assimilated by him, and along with the solution of educational and subject-related learning tasks, contributes to the implementation of one of the most effective approaches to teaching foreign languages – the communicative approach.

The relevance of the topic of the article. It is in the family that the foundation of the child’s social experience is laid. In the process of interaction of a child with a close adult, stable features of constructive personal response are formed, characterological features are fixed. As a rule, the mother is recognized as the dominant influence on the child, on the development of emotional sphere. It is the mother who satisfies the child’s needs for the benevolent attention of an adult. The boundaries of our research do not allow us to identify all the factors contributing to the formation of a particular style of parental attitude to the child. However, many researchers, revealing the concept of parental attitude style, note the unconscious nature of behavioral manifestations and parental attitudes assigned by the mother in childhood imprinted. Therefore, we assumed that one of the factors in the formation of a particular style of parental attitude to the child is the quality of the mother’s reflection. The mother’s reflection, which has a protective character from negative experiences (fear of failure, shame, guilt, resentment), giving a locally temporary effect – pathogenic reflection. Reflection aimed at solving the problem in the relationship with the help of adequate means of the situation – sanogenic reflection.

The aim of the study. The article presents the results of an empirical study of the relationship between well-being in child-parent relationships and factors that negatively affect its development. Such factors are the styles of the child-parent relationship “Excessive requirements-prohibitions” and “Insufficient requirements-prohibitions” and the pathogenic reflection of the mother. On the example of these styles of parental attitude to the child, the mechanisms that prevent the formation of the emotional and psychological well-being of the child are shown.

Description of the research progress. An empirical study was conducted with mothers raising preschoolers. The study involved 236 people – mothers of preschoolers. Mostly respondents have higher education (67%), are married (51%), work (70%) and have more than one child (45%). The r-Spearman rank correlation coefficient and the Mann-Whitney U-test, a nonparametric statistical method of data processing for independent samples, were used for data processing.

The results of the study. The style of parental relationship is a formal dynamic characteristic, which is based on fixed, habitual forms of behavior for the mother and relationships in general, which may be non-constructive (pathogenic) in nature. It is concluded that the style of parental attitude to the child depends on the quality of reflection. Reflexive defenses, in turn, manifest themselves in behavioral forms of reaction and are fixed as an experience in the styles of parental attitude.

Conclusion. The more pronounced the indicators of the protective (pathogenic) reflection of the mother, the more the unconstructive style of parental attitude towards the child is presented, the less competent she is in educational activities. It is established that the style of parental attitude to the child depends on the quality of reflection. The pathogenic reflection of the mother is not aimed at solving problems arising in the child-parent relationship, but at her own experiences and states, which actualizes the need to protect against them. Reflexive defenses, in turn, manifest themselves in behavioral patterns and are fixed as an experience in parenting styles.

The relevance of the topic of the article. The level of emotional competence in early and preschool age has a significant impact on the formation of personal characteristics (self-esteem, empathy, level of destructive aggression), success of social interaction (ability to cooperate, conflict, tendency to deceit, envy, etc.), as well as the child’s involvement in the educational process and academic achievements in kindergarten and school.

The aim of the study. Based on the research review, we describe the factors of the family and educational environment that determine the development of the ability to regulate and recognize emotions in preschool age.

Description of the research progress. The article presents a review of 57 studies concerning the problem of emotional development of preschool and primary school children. Special attention is paid to such aspects as: the influence of family characteristics and the characteristics of the home environment, the relationship with speech and physical development, the influence of educational environment factors and the relationship with future school success.

The results of the study. The following positions are formulated: the age of children in the preschool period of life is a significant factor in increasing the level of emotional competence. In primary school, the role of age decreases and then has a significant impact already in adolescence; the determining role in the formation of emotional competence is played by the family and the characteristics of the home environment, where the child’s early and preschool childhood takes place; the level of emotional competence of preschool and primary school children is significantly related to the level of speech development, both in terms of the ability to regulate and recognize emotions.

Conclusion. The level of emotional regulation, expressiveness and the ability to recognize emotions, in preschool and primary school age, respond well to targeted pedagogical influence. An important factor in emotional development is the strategy of the teacher’s co-regulation of emotions, especially in kindergarten; the ability to recognize and regulate emotions in kindergarten is a significant predictor of school success, involvement in the educational process, adaptation to school life, and academic performance.

The article discusses the results of the study of the emotional well-being of 6-7 years old children of kindergartens in Moscow. The data were obtained through a questionnaire survey of children and their parents using the supplemented Children’s Barometer methodology, consisting of 22 questions for a child and 8 questions for a parent. The study was attended by 151 parent-child couples; children from 15 groups of 5 different preschools. Emotional well-being is based on satisfying the needs of the child, both basic and essential for the age at hand, and essential for personal development including personal relevance, recognition in the group, autonomy and initiative. It was important for us to hear the “voice of the child”, attitude towards kindergarten, what makes child happy and discomforting. It was found that children of 6-7 years old can express their opinion and attitude to what is happening in kindergarten. Organized forms of activity are less interesting for children than free activity; there are discrepancies between children’s and adults’ assessment of issues important for the child; children remember conflicts in kindergarten and it is important for them how the teacher resolves the children’s conflict. The educational environment and style of interaction between adults and children in groups implementing different pedagogical systems influences children’s attitude towards kindergarten, which was shown in significant statistical differences.

The ability to recognize emotional states by the expression of the face is part of the group of competencies necessary for the successful implementation of communication activities. Body language, as an important means of communication, is ambiguous in content, which can lead to difficulties in understanding and responding to information (M. Lisina, Kh. Sherjazdanova). The relevance of learning how to recognize emotions in preschool age is related to the high importance of communicative competence for the child’s socialization in kindergarten and preparation for school.

This paper analyzes research on the characteristics and conditions of development of the ability to recognize emotions in childhood. The majority of scientists allocate the following factors: recognition of emotions by facial expression passes a way from the undifferentiated perception of a sign of emotion through allocation of separate elements of mimicry to the integral and generalized perception; there are distinctions in type of perception of emotions of different modalities; ability to recognize emotions depends on experience of child-parent relations and influences personal and social development of the child.

Based on the results of research by A. Shtetinina, E. Listik, M. Kuzmishcheva, J. Russell, D. Lable, R. Thomson, T. Forslund, S. Denham, etc., the hypothesis about the relationship between the two determinants that make the success of the recognition of emotions in preschool age: the development of the proper cognitive means involved in the process and the peculiarities of interpersonal relationships between the child and parents is substantiated. This conclusion is consistent with the provisions of L. Vygotsky, L. Bozhovich, M. Lisina and others on the important role of communication with a close adult for the mental development of the child: the adult acts as a source of various influences, enriches the experience of the child, sets the task of mastering new knowledge, supports and corrects his efforts, as well as acts as a role model for the child.