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Background. Contemporary preschool children encounter various sources of emotional strain, highlighting the need to develop forms of psychological support that can be integrated into everyday kindergarten activities. Creative project activity may represent one such form, combining independent problem-solving, symbolic expression of emotional experiences, and social support.

Objective. To evaluate the potential of project activity as a form of psychological support aimed at reducing stress and maintaining subjective well-being in older preschool children.

Sample. The study involved 97 children aged 5–6 years with high levels of stress who were randomly assigned to either a project activity group or a control group (mean age = 63 months; standard deviation = 4.66 months).

Methods. Children in the experimental group participated in 20 creative project activity sessions held twice a week in small groups of 6–8 children. The control group continued to follow the regular educational program. Children’s perceived stress and well-being were assessed using the Perceived Stress Scale for Children (PSS-C). Teacher-rated child stress was measured using the PSS-6, while teachers’ own stress was assessed using the PSS-4.

Results. After controlling for baseline scores, children in the project activity group demonstrated lower levels of perceived stress than children in the control group. Teacher ratings also indicated lower levels of stress among children in the project activity group. Teachers working with children from the project activity group reported lower stress levels than teachers working with children from the control group. No statistically significant differences between the groups were found in children’s subjective well-being.

Conclusions. Project activity contributes to reducing stress among older preschool children and may be used as a form of psychological support in the kindergarten educational environment. Its implementation should include support for children’s initiative, engagement with emotionally meaningful problem situations, the creation of tangible products with personal meaning, symbolic expression of emotional experiences, reflection, and social presentation of the outcomes. Children’s participation in project activity may also indirectly contribute to reducing teachers’ stress.

Background. The problem of the unity of affect and intellect is central to cultural-historical psychology. However, the biographical and personal context of the formation of this idea in L.S. Vygotsky’s thought, as well as his practical application of Spinoza’s principles of transforming passions in his own life and scientific activity, warrant further exploration based on underexplored archival data.

Objective. To trace the evolution of L.S. Vygotsky’s personality through the prism of the unity of affect and intellect, demonstrating how B. Spinoza’s philosophical principles formed the foundation of his “peak psychology” and were applied by the scholar to overcome his own existential and personal crises.

Methods. Historical-psychological analysis, the biographical method, and content analysis of archival materials, including early poetic works, notebooks (such as the 1926 hospital notebook), and the correspondence of L.S. Vygotsky (with E. Kheifets, N.G. Morozova, A.R. Luria, and R.E. Levina).

Results. It has been established that the early (pre-psychological) period of Vygotsky’s life was characterized by the dominance of spontaneous, “Hamletian” affect and melancholy. The period of 1925–1926 at the Zakharyino hospital marked a turning point; there, hovering between life and death, the scientist achieved a feat of overcompensation: he subordinated his intense emotional state to a lofty scientific goal, thereby enabling him to lay the foundations of cultural-historical psychology by introducing the principle of sign mediation. In his mature years, Vygotsky interpreted will not as forceful suppression or mere arbitrariness, but as an “intelligent emotion” that uses the energy of affect as fuel for the intellect. This is vividly reflected in his strategies for helping loved ones overcome personal crises through the conscious articulation of thoughts and aspirations.

Conclusions. L.S. Vygotsky’s life path served as practical confirmation of his own theory. By transforming natural affect into a conscious “conceptualized affect,” he realized the Spinozist ideal of the “free man.” He achieved mastery over his own nature not through coercion, but through the development of “intelligent emotion,” love, and friendship. This allowed the scholar to attain inner freedom and courage in the face of severe illness, remaining faithful to his scientific and life mission until his final days.

Background. Cognitive impairments are common in children with cerebral palsy (CP) and do not necessarily correspond to motor severity, supporting the need for targeted correction programs.

Objective. To evaluate changes in cognitive and emotional functioning after a comprehensive psychological correction program and examine associations between CP type and psychological functioning.

Sample. Eighty-eight children with CP were assessed. Fifty-one children (mean age 12.510 ± 3.184 years; 27 boys, 24 girls) completed the full rehabilitation program. Data from 37 children (12.730 ± 3.477 years; 20 boys, 17 girls) who did not complete all procedures were used in secondary analyses.

Methods. The 21-day inpatient program combined neuropsychological correction targeting attention, executive/regulatory, and visuospatial functions with biofeedback training. Pre- and post-program assessment included the Schulte Tables, Choice Reaction task, complex figure copying, and measures of anxiety and fears. Motor impairment was classified using the Gross Motor Function Classification System.
Wilcoxon, Kruskal–Wallis, and Spearman tests were used.

Results. At follow-up, children completed the Schulte Tables faster, performed better on complex figure copying, made fewer Choice Reaction errors (all p < .001), and reported fewer fears (p = .018). Improvements were most evident in executive/regulatory and visuospatial indicators. Anxiety did not change significantly. Children with left-sided hemiparesis had greater difficulty learning task instructions (p < .001). Motor severity was not associated with cognitive indicators.

Conclusion. The findings provide preliminary evidence of improvement in executive/regulatory and visuospatial functioning after the program and support individualized rehabilitation. The psychotherapeutic component requires further refinement.

Background. The discussion focuses on the interiorization fr om the perspective of the interaction between a child and culture. The relevance of addressing the problem of interiorization is determined by the need to overcome the simplified understanding of this process, both in educational practice and in developmental psychology. Assessing interiorization as a key concept in L.S. Vygotsky’s cultural-historical psychology as a dialectical process makes it possible to see the contradictions in the interaction between the child and culture.

Objective. The discursive component of the text concerns the drama of child development, in which culture poses risks to agency. The aim of the discussion is to identify the resources of the child-culture interaction that create conditions for the development of agency.

Results. The theoretical provisions of the cultural-historical concept regarding interiorization as a process underlying the interaction between a child and culture are considered. The limitations and risks caused by the simplification of the interiorization process as a transfer from the external (cultural) to the internal (mental) are revealed. The dialectics in the process of interiorization lies in the opposition of the positions of the object and the subject, which can potentially be formed in the interaction between the child and culture. The drama in this interaction arises in a situation wh ere culture is presented not as an imperative, but as an initiation, since in this case the child becomes a subject who exercises their freedom and choice.

Conclusions. During the discussion, interiorization is presented as a complex process of appropriating culture and generating meanings, in which the necessary condition for maintaining the child’s position as a subject is the expression of their will and the possibility of making a choice.

Background. In older preschool age, children actively acquire moral norms, rules of peer interaction, and ways of resolving conflicts. However, knowledge of a rule does not always develop into the ability to act in accordance with it in an emotionally significant situation. Educational practice should create conditions in which a child can not only reproduce a socially approved answer but also reflect on the conflict, articulate personal boundaries, take another person’s perspective, consider the consequences of possible actions, and verbally formulate a constructive way of interacting.

Objective. To identify the characteristics of pedagogically mediated selection and justification of behavioural strategies by older preschool children in simulated interpersonal-conflict situations using the “My Choice” technology.

Sample. The study involved 24 older preschool children aged 5 to 6 years; the mean age was M=5.8 years.

Methods. The study employed a qualitative pilot design. The material comprised 40 video recordings of individual play-based sessions using the “My Choice” technology. During the sessions, children were presented with simulated interpersonal-conflict situations and a visual play field with three roads symbolizing confrontation, avoidance, and cooperation. The pedagogically organized dialogue involved discussing possible consequences of actions, participants’ feelings, and constructive modes of interaction. Qualitative analysis of video recordings and transcripts, thematic analysis of children’s utterances, and analysis of the teacher’s prompts aimed at expanding the child’s moral reasoning were employed.

Results. The “My Choice” technology was found to function not as a neutral procedure for recording spontaneous moral choice but as a setting for pedagogically mediated discussion of alternative modes of action. Children’s utterances revealed relational-normative, boundary-oriented normative, and pragmatic-cooperative modes of decision justification. Of particular importance were episodes of pedagogically supported transformation of the child’s initial response, in which a child moved from an uncertain, impulsive, or insufficiently elaborated reaction to verbal expression of emotion, personal boundaries, circumstances of the peer’s action, and a possible constructive solution.

Conclusions. The “My Choice” technology has potential as a pedagogical tool for supporting the moral development of older preschool children. Its value lies not in directing a child toward a predetermined “correct” strategy but in organizing a dialogue that promotes self-regulation, decentration, verbal formulation of a moral position, and the ability to assert personal boundaries nonviolently. The findings are preliminary and require further investigation in a larger sample using a standardized protocol and external criteria for assessing moral development.

Background. The development of a national system for teacher training and changes in higher education levels require an improved assessment system for students’ readiness for professional work. A demonstration exam is an effective mechanism for such assessment, enhancing the practice-oriented nature of midterm and final student of pedagogical universities assessments and aligning educational outcomes with professional expectations in preschool education.

Objective. To develop and test assessment materials to implement a procedure for independently assessing the readiness of students and graduates for professional work in preschool education, taking into account employers’ opinions.

Sample. The study participants included 170 students from five federal state pedagogical universities pursuing higher education programs in the “Pedagogical Education” majors in Preschool Education.

Methods. The study utilized a combination of theoretical and empirical methods: analysis of psychological and pedagogical literature and law regulatory documentation, comparison, generalization, modeling, a pedagogical experiment, questionnaires, and quantitative and qualitative data processing methods.

Results. Practice-oriented assessment materials for the demonstration exam were developed, taking into account the specifics of preschool teachers’ professional activities and employer opinions. These include a list of competencies (job functions, actions) to be assessed, examination assignments, assessment criteria, and indicators. The results of a pilot study of assessment materials at five pedagogical universities across the country implementing preschool teacher training programs indicate a high level of development of the required competencies among more than 70% of students in the disciplines and 60% in the internships. The survey revealed that the majority of students were satisfied with the new exam format, as well as some difficulties in preparing for it, confirming the need for psychological and pedagogical support for students in both real-life and virtual environments.

Conclusions. The developed assessment materials enable the implementation of a procedure for independently assessing the readiness of students and graduates for professional work in preschool education. The assessment materials can be used to conduct demo exams for the midterm and final assessments of future teachers, as well as to assess the developed competencies of current preschool teachers.

Background. Modern preschool development is characterized by a shift toward hybrid interaction formats, where media content is becoming a significant factor in the formation of children’s subcultures. Studying the influence of the media environment on free play is essential for addressing socialization issues, developing a child’s personality, and implementing the principles of spiritual and moral education in preschool education.

Objective. To study the influence of media content on play intentions and the methods for implementing them in playful interactions with peers, as well as to highlight sociocultural factors in modeling free play in preschool children.

Sample. Children aged 5-6 and 6-7 years, students in the senior and preparatory groups of the Smart School kindergarten in Moscow (N=18).

Methods. The primary research method was the original experimental game “Magic World in a Sandbox,” accompanied by non-participant observation and video recording. Playful interactions were organized in triads of participants of different genders. A qualitative analysis of video recordings of play sessions was conducted.

Results. The study identified strategies and mechanisms by which media content influences the structure and content of children’s subculture. It was found that popular media characters are used by children primarily to model strategies for defense, security, and threat overcoming. Gender-specific patterns in play behavior were identified: boys tend to engage in fragmented episodes of territorial defense and confrontation, while girls tend to create holistic narratives of care, restoration of well-being, and restriction of play space.

Conclusions. A pronounced transformation of the sociocultural component of child development is observed, including elements of deformation under the influence of marketing technologies interfering with children’s play space. The experimental game “Magic World in the Sandbox” has proven its effectiveness as a tool for assessing the sociocultural specifics of free play in modern preschoolers.

Background. A successful transition from preschool to primary school education is determined not so much by cognitive readiness as by the child’s social and personal readiness: the ability to self-regulate, engage in constructive interaction within a group, and fulfill new social roles. At this stage, social skills become a key resource for school adaptation. However, the expectations of adults (family and school) may diverge, and the subjective assessment of a child’s skill development may not meet the level of required standards.

Objective. To conduct a comparative analysis of the importance ratings of social skills by parents and primary school teachers; to identify the skills perceived by parents as least developed; to establish which skills necessary for school are most often insufficiently developed in children at the start of their education.

Sample. The study involved 80 primary school teachers (assessing skill importance) and two groups of parents: 510 individuals assessed the importance of skills, and 1,269 individuals assessed the level of their child’s skill development.

Methods. A cross-sectional, multi-informant survey was conducted. Skill importance was rated on a 1–5 scale (5 – “very important”), and skill development was rated on a 1–5 scale (5 – “describes the child extremely accurately”). The analysis included descriptive statistics; group comparisons using Welch’s t-test and effect size estimates (Cohen’s d); Spearman’s correlation analysis (r); calculation of the difference (imbalance) between importance and development levels; identification of “critical zones” based on importance-performance analysis (IPA).

Results. Teachers, on average, rated social skills as more important (M=3.96) than parents did (M=3.87), with statistically significant differences found for 15 out of 18 skills. The greatest discrepancies in priorities were identified for emotional regulation and responsibility for personal belongings (higher among teachers), as well as for the ability to ask clarifying questions, express needs, and demonstrate learning motivation (higher among parents). According to parental assessments, the least developed skills in children are emotional regulation (M=3.03), persistence (M=3.36), and adaptability (M=3.40). The maximum gap between high importance and low development, noted by both groups, was recorded for the skill of emotional regulation. Common “critical zones” for both parents and teachers were the skills of peaceful conflict resolution and active listening.

Conclusions. The results emphasize the need to enhance practices in preschool age aimed at developing self-regulation, resilience to difficulties, and skills of constructive interaction. The discrepancies between school and family expectations require not merely informing parents but jointly designing the content of educational continuity. Preschool institutions can initiate dialogue with primary school teachers, including through joint diagnostic and preventive measures.

Background. As AI becomes embedded in children’s lives, from entertainment to learning, the role of content is transforming—from passive consumption to active, system-embedded dialogue.

Methods. This article draws from content development experience at Mako Kids and research-led design at KidsAI. It integrates global studies, co-design fieldwork, and expert interviews to analyze how children interpret AI tools and how design influences developmental outcomes.

Results. Findings show that children anthropomorphize AI agents and that system behavior often teaches unintended lessons. Core principles of quality content—including age-appropriateness, holistic thinking, inclusion, safety, play-based learning, and cultural relevance—remain essential in AI-driven environments. Structured prompts, ethical voice design, and scaffolded interactions are key design features in KidsAI’s work, including the development of Olly, KidsAI’s assistant for kids.

Conclusions. Content must now function as ethical infrastructure in sociotechnical systems. Designers must avoid emotional simulation and focus on supporting autonomy, reflection, and cognitive safety. AI should guide—not mimic—human relationships, with clarity and respect.

Background. Modern developmental psychology increasingly faces the need to integrate psychological techniques and socio-cultural analysis, especially in the context of the transformation of family structures and educational practices. In this context, rethinking classical diagnostic techniques, such as L.A. Venger’s “Polyanka” method, in new social conditions is of particular importance.

Objective. To show the continuity of scientific ideas of L.S. Vygotsky and his school (A.V. Zaporozhets, D.B. Elkonin, L.A. Venger) in modern interdisciplinary research. To rethink L.A. Venger’s “Polyanka” method not only as a diagnostic tool for visual-imaginative thinking, but also as a means of analyzing the “social situation of development” of a preschooler. To identify the influence of family structure (complete/incomplete) and parental educational strategies on the cognitive development of children, in particular, on the success of completing tasks using the “Polyanka” method.

Sample. 623 older preschool children. Additionally, 941 respondents (fathers and mothers) of these children were interviewed using a special parental questionnaire.

Methods. The following research approaches were used to achieve the objective: analysis of the results of diagnostics of children’s visual-imaginative thinking using Venger’s “Polyanka” method; sociological survey of parents using a specially designed questionnaire; qualitative analysis of the obtained data with the identification of significant correlations.

Results. The study found that boys from single-parent families have significantly lower rates of visual-imaginative thinking (21.9 points) according to Venger’s “Polyanka” method compared to boys from complete families (31.4 points), while such a dependence was not found in girls. Divorced mothers are more likely to use strategies that require their sons to follow strict rules in normatively defined situations, in contrast to fathers in complete families who orient their children towards behavior in uncertain conditions. It was also found that the father’s higher education has a positive effect on the results of girls (32.2 points), and for boys, the best results are associated with the mother’s secondary education (27.8 points). The lowest results are in children whose parents do not use encouragement (25.1 points), and the highest are in those who are not punished (31.7 points).

Conclusions. The study confirmed the importance of the scientific legacy of L.A. Venger for modern developmental psychology. A significant influence of family factors on the development of visual-imaginative thinking of preschoolers has been revealed. Differences in the educational strategies of parents in complete and incomplete families were determined. The “Polyanka” method has proven its effectiveness and social validity in modern conditions, and can be effectively used not only for diagnosing cognitive processes, but also as a tool for analyzing the social situation of development, especially in the context of the dynamics of family development.

Background. Currently, key aspects of children’s mental development remain insufficiently studied in psychological science and educational practice, among which the problem of the relationship between speech and thinking stands out. Despite considerable attention to this area, an in-depth study of a number of classical works makes it possible to identify works that were previously underestimated and are now gaining special importance due to their important conclusions and prospects for further research. Such works include a monograph that presents a study of the relationship between words and images in solving various tasks for preschoolers, carried out by psychologists under the guidance of L.A. Venger.

Objective. Analysis of the results of an experimental study conducted by a research team led by L.A. Venger in the late 1990s and devoted to the study of the genesis and mechanisms of interaction between verbal and figurative components of thinking in preschool age.

Methods. Analysis of scientific literature, review and presentation of the initial data and results of the study of the relationship between words and images in the process of solving mental tasks by preschool children.

Results. The study showed that in preschool age, thinking is mediated primarily by images and visual models, and speech performs auxiliary, guiding and expressive functions, but is not the main means of solving cognitive problems. It was established that the word can become a mediating means only when solving logical problems that require conceptual analysis and planning, which is typical for senior preschool age. Figurative and verbal thinking develop in parallel and independently of each other, but with specially organized training, close relationships are formed between them.

Conclusions. The data of the presented study strongly suggests that speech performs mainly an auxiliary role when using visual models in solving mental tasks (generating an image, drawing on past experience, designating visual means of solving problems, etc.). The word can perform a mediating function by the older preschool age when solving tasks by children where it is necessary to establish hierarchical relationships between generalizations and generalized speech planning. The study of the problem of the relationship between image and word in solving cognitive tasks by preschool children not only provided answers to some important psychological questions on the complex topic of the relationship between speech and thinking, but also outlined further lines of study of this problem.

Background. Preserving the self-worth of preschool childhood, maximizing the use of age characteristics for the cognitive and personal development of a child is an extremely important task of modern psychology and pedagogy. Right now, when many parents are trying to teach their kids to read and count, starting at the age of three, or even earlier, when gadgets, the Internet and Artificial Intelligence become part of our lives, the task of finding methods and educational work that would ensure the cognitive development of preschoolers while maintaining forms specific to this age is becoming urgent.

Objective. Scientific understanding of the works of L.A. Venger, the study of the relationship of biographical events with research ideas, the identification of areas of creative potential in the current situation of the development of psychology and pedagogy.

Methods. A retrospective analysis of L.A. Venger’s biography and work in the aspects of his contribution to the development of theory and practice of preschool education.

Results. The study of L.A. Venger’s scientific heritage revealed the specifics of his understanding of the development of abilities in preschool childhood. Being a consistent advocate of cultural and historical theory and working within its framework, the scientist considered the cognitive development of preschoolers through the prism of the development of various types of general abilities. Thus, following his teacher A.V. Zaporozhets, Leonid Abramovich considered sensory abilities as perceptual actions that are acquired by a child in the process of mastering sensory standards. The development of cognitive abilities occurs through the mastery and use of visual-figurative models (diagrams, drawings, plans, etc.). The development of creative abilities occurs on the basis of mastering actions with images, while speech means are added at the older preschool age. The undoubted merit of L.A. Venger is that the mechanisms for the development of each type of ability were described in detail, not only the means were described, but the ontogenesis of the corresponding actions was revealed. Educational systems based on these mechanisms have gained recognition in the pedagogical community, and diagnostic systems in the psychological community. At the same time, the issue of developing preschoolers’ abilities at the present stage is important for further study, in the context of childhood, which often takes place with an excessive presence of gadgets, but is not saturated with games and specific productive activities of children.

Conclusions. The concept of developing abilities presented in L.A. Venger’s research contributes to solving such fundamental problems of psychology as the relationship between learning and development; preserving the self-worth of preschool childhood in conditions of adequate educational work; developing the child’s imagination and creativity. L.A. Venger’s ideas undoubtedly remain relevant, and his work is continued by his followers and students.

Background. The article presented as a discussion brings up the variety of relevant topics on the dialectical thinking formation: “Why is the modern education not interested in developing the dialectical thinking?”; “If based on the dialectical and formal logic, will educ programs be marked with internal inconsistencies?”; “Can psychology define the operational structure of dialectical thinking as well as in the theory of formal-logical thinking?” The discussion emphasises that digitization calls for new didactic methods to build a mind able to find flexible solutions in contradictory situations. 

Objective. The discussion advocate for using both the dialectical and formal logic in the modern education. 

Results. The discussion explores the highlights of N. E. Veraksa dialectical thinking concept. The discussion also demonstrates the operational structure presented by the dialectical mental actions of unification, transformation, reversal or change of alternative. The article considers the preferable age to start training dialectical thinking in a child: despite Jean Piaget’s thesis that a preschool child’s mind is insensitive to contradictions, the study recommends to start teaching children to solve contradictory situations at an early age. The article analyses the opportunities and prospects of implementing dialectical thinking concepts in the modern education.

Conclusions. The main conclusion of the article is that digitization of childhood featuring information-dense social situations of development encourages the psychological science to come up with methods of developing thinking in new cultural environment. One of such children’s cognitive deve­lopment methods is dialectical thinking in solving contradictory problems.

Background. The relevance of the article is related to the increase in the number of violations of the logic of Russian speech of senior preschool children in a multilingual environment, with the lack of development of methodological techniques for identifying these violations and correcting them in the process of familiarization with works of children’s literature in different languages.

Objectives. To demonstrate linguo-methodological techniques for analyzing presuppositions that determine the logic of speech (correctness of word order, their compatibility, sequence in a sentence), as well as techniques for determining the degree of logical connection of words in Russian texts obtained as a result of their translation by older preschool children from Tatar, English and Chinese; to develop methodological recommendations for working on the logic of children’s Russian speech in a multilingual environment.

Sample. The study (2020-2024) analyzed 333 children’s texts: in Russian — 84, in English — 82, in Tatar — 84, in Chinese — 83.

Methods. The following methods were used: linguistic and psycholinguistic methods of text analysis, identification of presupposition, determination of the degree of logical connection of words in a sentence, mathematical processing of the research results; pedagogical experiments, translation and comparative analysis of texts.

Results. The results of the study were: methodological interpretation of the features of presupposition in Russian, Tatar, English, Chinese; methodological procedures for analyzing the logic of children’s Russian speech in a multilingual environment (analysis of presupposition, degree of logical connection) in children’s Russian speech adapted to the tasks of preschool education; linguodidactic interpretation of the obtained data; methodological recommendations for working on the logic of Russian speech in a multilingual environment.

Conclusions. The study concludes that in order to form the logic of children’s Russian speech, overcome logical anomalies in it, and increase the degree of logical connection, various linguo-methodological techniques are needed to overcome the interfering (negative) influence of a second or third language on Russian speech; promising areas of pedagogical research in the context of developing multilingualism may be technologies for developing children’s speech by means of digital content.

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.

Background. Monitoring the labor market in the field of education makes it possible to timely identify the needs of employers in teaching and management personnel, analyze the demand for professions, the functional workload of employees, identify areas of shortage and inefficient use of personnel, and investigate the impact of various economic and social factors on changes in the content of labor. Analysis of the monitoring results contributes to the preparation of conceptual solutions in the framework of the implementation of strategic objectives for the development of preschool education.

Objective. To analyze the results of monitoring the labor market in preschool education and offer recommendations for optimizing professional activities and improving the mechanisms for the professional development of preschool education workers.

Sample. The study involved 46.766 employees of the preschool education system from 81 subjects of the Russian Federation.

Methods. The following methods were used in the study: online survey, calculation of descriptive statistics, factorial (exploratory) analysis, correlation analysis according to Charles Spearman, Mann-Whitney U-test.

Results. The degree of satisfaction of preschool education workers with working conditions was determined, as a result of the analysis of the functional load of educators, the frequency of their performance of certain labor functions was established, additional, redundant and duplicating labor functions of educators were identified, the need of the preschool education system for new qualifications was clarified, factors influencing the passage of advanced training by educators were highlighted.

Conclusions. The results of the analysis are of key importance for predicting the labor market needs in the field of preschool education for new qualifications and timely solving the identified systemic problems in this area — eliminating excessive functional load of specialists and duplication of labor functions.

Background. This problem is caused by two factors. On the one hand, there is a need to develop educational programs for various types of preschool educational organizations operating in the conditions of standardization of preschool education content. On the other hand, there is a lack of an approach that allows designing and implementing educational programs in accordance with the current norm.

Objective. Testing a regional approach to the design of basic educational programs of preschool education in preschool educational organizations with various key characteristics and scales.

Sample. The study involved 6 preschool educational organizations of the regional network of various scales and with different initial characteristics and amounts of resources.

Methods. The study used: training of management teams, individual consultations on the application of the approach, expert support for the process of designing educational programs for preschool education and their experimental implementation in kindergartens.

Results. Each preschool educational organization participating in the study developed an educational program for preschool education. All programs were designed in accordance with the content of the Federal Educational Program for preschool education based on the proposed regional approach. The presentation of the software products obtained during the study was carried out in five regions of the Russian Federation as part of the implementation of a federal grant from the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation.

Conclusions. The results of the study allow us to rethink approaches to the design of educational programs of preschool education, minimize the risks of full-fledged implementation of Federal Educational Program for preschool education and a formal approach to designing educational programs of preschool education. The obtained software products can be used in developing recommendations for educational organizations experiencing difficulties in designing educational programs and as model software solutions for the implementation of the practical part of professional development programs that take this issue into account.

Background. In modern conditions, attention to the quality of education at all levels, especially in preschool institutions, is becoming increasingly important. The quality of preschool education directly affects the development of children, their social and emotional skills and readiness for learning. The assessment of the quality of educational services in kindergartens not only helps to identify weak areas and improve processes, but also provides transparency for parents and managers.

Objective. To collect and analyze information on the quality of preschool education, followed by substantiation of recommendations for making management decisions to improve the quality of preschool education.

Sample. The study was carried out on the basis of preschool educational organizations of the Khabarovsk Territory: 87 municipal kindergartens implementing preschool education programs attended by more than 31 thousand children. The study involved 2.284 teachers of preschool educational organizations and 36.908 parents (legal representatives) of pupils.

Methods. During the experimental work, the following methods were used: analysis of the Concept of Monitoring the Quality of Preschool Education in the Russian Federation; personnel questionnaires; parent survey; survey based on questionnaires created by N.L. Karabanova; diagnosing children using the tasks of the program “OT ROZHDENIYA DO SHKOLY” (“FROM BIRTH TO SCHOOL”) edited by N.E. Veraksa, T.S. Komarova, M.A. Vasilyeva for diagnosing educational areas for children aged 6-7; observation; a methodology for examining children compiled using child development charts for the program “OT ROZHDENIYA DO SHKOLY”, preparatory for school group (6-7 years) by N.E. Veraksa, A.N. Veraksa.

Results. Diagnosis of children in preschool educational institutions by educational areas allowed us to rank the results as follows: more than 60% of children have above-average social and communicative development, more than half of the children have above-average cognitive, physical and speech development, artistic and aesthetic development of the majority is at an average level. According to the survey results, 90.8% of parents believe that preschool education is available. 81.1% of parents are completely satisfied with them of the child (children) staying in kindergarten, 16.8% are rather satisfied than not. 78.2% believe that children in kindergarten can receive the necessary development and preparation for school (15.1% believe that they will receive it rather than not).

Conclusions. The results of the monitoring should serve as a basis for the development and implementation of management decisions aimed at optimizing the educational process and creating favorable conditions for the learning and development of pupils. This implies taking into account the individual characteristics and needs of each child, as well as adjusting educational programs and methods in accordance with their level of development. In this way, we will be able to improve the quality of preschool education, providing equal opportunities and conditions for realizing the potential of all children.

Background. Preschool age is a period of great importance for psychological development and preparation for school. One of the activities that must be formed in preschool age is visual activity, which is of great importance for the overall development of a preschooler. Involving children in visual activity is a step necessary for forming a solid neuropsychological foundation that will determine their success not only at school, but also in life in general.

Objective. The purpose of this study was to apply a program for gradual formation of drawing skills and determine its impact on development in preschool age.

Sample. This study involved 9 preschool children - third-grade students of a preschool institution. A qualitative assessment of visual activity was applied to all participants before and after inclusion in the experimental program.

Methods. To achieve this goal, an intervention program was implemented, which consists in gradually teaching drawing to children in their third year of preschool attendance (Solovieva, Quintanar, 2016). All children were given the same qualitative assessment tool for the development of drawing skills before and after the application of the program (Solovieva, Quintanar, 2016).

Results. The data obtained allow us to state an improvement in the results of the final assessment, which revealed qualitative and quantitative changes.

Conclusions. It was shown that the program for the gradual formation of drawing skills had a positive effect on the acquisition of visual activity.