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Contradictionary results of studies on the development of self-regulation in different activities in children are identified. The structure of self-regulation includes the ability to goal-setting, modeling conditions of activities, programming actions and self-control. The specificity of the manifestation of these abilities in different types of activity and features in preschool children is shown.

The method includes four problem situations. The first part is aimed at diagnosing the ability to self-regulate cognitive activity (metacognitive abilities). The second part is aimed at diagnosing the ability to self-regulate play activity (metaplay abilities).

Situations 1 and 3 suggest a hypothetical inclusion of the child in cognitive and play activities. The child must identify the goal and objectives, the conditions for the implementation of the activity and the program of action. Situations 2 and 4 are aimed at diagnosing self-control in cognitive and play activities. These situations imply a child’s assessment of «completing the assignment by other children».

Testing results indicate a relatively uniform distribution of the examined children according to the level of development of self-regulation abilities in different types of activities. Close and moderate correlation between the indicators of the abilities in cognitive and play activities was found. However, only 8% of the examined children showed a harmonious profile of metacognitive and meta-play abilities.

Self-regulation in preschool children has its own specifics in different types of activities. To diagnose metacognitive and metaplay abilities, it is necessary to use different diagnostic tasks. The results of testing the method indicate that it can be used in scientific research and for the diagnosis of mental development of preschool children.

A child’s ability to manage own activity is a condition of effective learning. The self-regulation of cognitive activity is carried out by means of metacognitive processes: goal-setting; highlighting the conditions of activity; programs of action; self-control. Metacognitive processes can be formal and dialectical according to the contents. Formal regulatory structures define knowledge as a set of unrelated actions aimed at the study of static and isolated properties of object. Dialectic metacognitive structures direct the subject to a comprehensive investigation of object, usage of all available resources, application of the different action programs and the substantial analysis of the achievements. Usage of visual models promotes the development of metacognitive processes in children of preschool age. It is difficult for children to hold the plan of activity and to control achievements due to the nature of their arbitrariness, thinking and memory. Experimental study of 40 children of 4-6 years showed that the visual models are an effective means of regulation of cognitive activity during its realization. The use of such models in the educational activity significantly influences on development of metacognitive processes such as analysis of the conditions of knowledge and programming of actions. Formation of the dialectical notion of cognition and skills to plan a cognitive process is organized by usage of metacognitive conversations. Such work is most effective with children 5–6 years.