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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.

Using data from a sample of Chinese children (n = 297) aged 3–6 years in Beijing, we examined the characteristics of Chinese parenting styles and the relationship with children’s developmental outcomes. A 6-month follow-up study of 110 of the 297 participants further explored the long-term effect of parenting styles on children’s development. Results showed that: (a) the mean scores of the four dimensions of authoritative parenting were significantly higher than those in the four dimensions of authoritarian parenting; (b) democratic participation positively predicted children’s mathematics and science, and non-reasoning/punitive strategies negatively predicted children’s social-emotional and cognitive development in Wave 1; (c) in Wave 2, verbal hostility positively predicted children’s cognitive development, and directiveness positively predicted children’s social relations.

This research article attempts to determine strategies that can be used to support children’s cognitive and social-emotional development in early childhood care and education programs. By synthesizing empirical evidence about pedagogical techniques that promote children’s competencies, the article aims to identify those characteristics of programs that ultimately contribute to the effectiveness of early childhood care and education. In particular, the article summarizes strategies that foster children’s acquisition of language, math, and social-emotional skills. In so doing, it responds to the needs of program staff who struggle to understand and address the numerous developmental needs of young children and it provides concrete guidance for policymakers and management personnel who aim to design purposeful programs which benefit child development effectively.

The presence of fears in preschoolers is a common problem any practicing psychologist faces in his or her work. In the present study we sought to determine whether a preschooler’s emotional ill-being reflects on the level of cognitive activities and the development of his social competence. The study involved 81 older age preschoolers from Moscow kindergartens. The average age of the girls is 69.2 months; the average age of the boys is 70.7 months. The analysis of the data obtained found no correlations between the amount of fears and the level of cognitive and social development. The data obtained suggests that the amount of fears as such do not affect the level of cognitive and social development, while increased levels of anxiety interfere with the successful cognitive activity of a child.

The study of the relationship between high level of anxiety and the degree of formation of higher mental functions in primary school children is presented. The high demands of parents to the child without regard to his individual characteristics lead to high levels of anxiety, lack of motivation to learn, underachievement. It was found that children without cognitive impairment often have a high level of anxiety and their neuropsychological status was characterized as low level of units of higher mental functions. Practical experience proves the effectiveness of a systematic approach to correcting the identified deficiency of symptoms in mental functioning, as well as the alignment of the emotional background.

The article is addressed to parents of preschool children and is presented in question-answer form, stating that reading fairy tales to children is an essential element of genuine education and a base for constructive relations between children and parents. Reading fairy tales can be started from the first weeks of a child’s life: for this period the most important aspect of reading is not understanding of the content, but rather emotional communication with parents . The first fairy tales with which children are acquainted in the Russian culture are “The Gingerbread Man”, “The Turnip”, “The Wooden House” . These fairy tales carry important meanings and values that characterize the mentality of the Russian people and reflect its archetypes. Reading fairy tales should be based on the child’s reactions to the text - that is why in the case of a negative perception of a fairy tale, adult should not insist on the reading. “Scary” tales should be read in accordance with age and individual differences of the child. These fairy tales help children to master coping skills in a situation of safe environment. Until five or six years many children posses magical thinking: they sincerely believe in magical properties of the objects, in the possibility of transformation of people into other beings, that is why magic should be presented with the caution. Children who are elder than five will be interested in magic fairy tales: “Twelve Months”, “Cinderella”, “Thumbelina”, “The Little Mermaid”, “The Snow Queen” . Multiple iterations of a fairy tale are needed to maintain child’s confidence in the stability of the world and to address the critical current needs of the child. Children need fairy tales - they are the nutritional environment in which children’s psyche, foundations of the worldview, belief systems, values and national identity develop.

This article analyzes the problem of formation and development of empathy in preschool children. Empathy is considered as a significant factor of further development and operation of the emotional and social status of the child. Child development is unfolding through social interaction. Public attitudes to child and child relations with society influence the development of personality, cognition, emotions and social behavior. The article describes the main directions of development of empathy in the preschool years, as well as ways of its development in children in classroom settings.

Background. The emotional development of preschoolers plays a key role in their mental health and subsequent social adaptation. Despite extensive research on emotional development and social interaction in preschoolers, the targeted study of emotion expression rules and the development of methods for their effective implementation in the educational process remain understudied.

Objective. To identify pedagogical conditions for forming a conscious attitude toward emotion expression rules in older preschool children.

Sample. The study involved 77 older preschool children (M = 73.77 months, SD = 5.6) from two kindergartens in St. Petersburg.

Methods. Emotion comprehension test (Veraksa et al., 2021), conversation about children’s understanding of emotion expression rules, and observation of children’s emotional reactions followed by a conversation (Diaz et al., 2015).

Results. Comparison of the research results before and after the formative experiment, according to the specified methods, showed sufficient effectiveness of the proposed pedagogical influences. Over 60% of participants demonstrated a high level of understanding and application of emotion expression rules after completing the program. An intermediate level was recorded in more than 35% of children. A low level of understanding of the rules for expressing emotions and their use was not recorded after the classes, while before the classes it was about 40%. Control group results confirmed changes associated with preschoolers’ participation in the program.

Conclusions. Thus, to develop a conscious attitude toward emotion expression rules in older preschoolers, it is necessary to: cultivate feelings related to respectful treatment of emotions; develop conceptions about emotions and the ability to identify causes of one’s own emotions; enhance awareness of emotion expression methods as means of communicating emotions to others.

Background. Despite the amount of research on emotion understanding, the relationship between value orientations of domains and the development of emotion understanding abilities in preschoolers remains unexplored. Understanding these connections is important for developing effective programs to support emotional development and create conditions for the harmonious formation of values in younger preschoolers.

Objectives. A study of the correlation of value orientations and the level of emotion comprehension in children of primary preschool age.

Sample. The sample consisted of 321 children aged 40 to 67 months (M = 54.61; SD = 4.42) who attended secondary kindergarten groups in the following Russian cities: Moscow (24.3% of the sample), Sochi (4.4% of the sample), Tatarstan (47% of the sample), Barnaul (24.3% of the sample). The sample included 46.7% of boys.

Methods. To study the child’s value orientations, the “Three Wishes” technique (Prizhozhan, Tolstykh, 2005; Veraksa, 2012) was used. The “Test of Emotion Comprehension” method (Pons, Harris, 2000; Veraksa et al., 2021) was used to assess the ability to understand emotions in preschoolers.

Results. It was found that egocentricity of desires in young preschool children is one of the key features of their mental development. Value orientations of preschool children are largely associated with material goods. Children’s inability to invent desires and social desirability are associated with a low level of understanding of emotions. Communicative values positively correlate with children’s understanding of mental causes of emotions, while status values are associated with understanding of external causes of emotions and the general level of understanding of emotions.

Conclusions. The results of the study show a relationship between the ability to understand emotions and value orientations in young preschoolers: in children with a more developed understanding of emotions, material, communicative and status values predominate, while children with a less developed understanding of emotions demonstrate social desirability in their desires or are unable to formulate them at all.

Relevance. The toy is a carrier of strong emotionally loaded images. Historically, it acts as an intergenerational translator of culture and is one of the most important factors in the socialization of a child. At the same time, the modern toy market is not regulated in any way in terms of emotional and figurative content. This makes it necessary to analyze the emotional and imaginative qualities of game products for children from the perspective of its developmental function.

Progress of the study. The aim of the study is to identify the emotional content of toys recommended by manufacturers and sellers for preschool children. A sample of 150 photos of toys for preschool children taken in children’s goods stores, on manufacturers’ websites and the most popular marketplaces was carried out. To process the data, the “Image Expert” program was used, which includes a battery of measured image parameters that take into account the modalities of human perception in their expression through specific emotions.

Research results. A quantitative analysis of the range of gaming products included in the research complex, offered for preschool children by manufacturers, stores, and electronic trading platforms, showed that intellectual and constructive toys predominate in the total volume. The analysis set also included soft and interactive toys, professional and household play sets, dolls, robots, and children’s weapons. The analysis of the emotional content of the toys showed a low intensity, inexpressiveness of the toys despite the bright colors and bizarre shape. The perceptual properties of toys are contradictory, which reduces their overall emotional content and gives the toys a deceptive, insincere character. In general, toys offered for preschooler’s appeal more to the child’s mind rather than to the emotions, and also implicitly convey information about the insincerity and unreliability of the world around them.

Conclusions. Emotional well-being determines the full-fledged development of a child, one of the means of ensuring which is a child’s toy as a special socio-cultural and psychological phenomenon. Therefore, a conscious and responsible choice of toys by adults should become a sustainable element of a child’s healthy lifestyle. The data obtained make it possible to outline a scientific perspective and determine the subject of further research, and will also be informative for parents and teachers of educational institutions in order to form their sense of responsibility when choosing toys for preschool children.