Elena I. Izotova

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.

The relevance of research. The article presents the results of the development of the Draft Concept for the Development of Preschool Education until 2030. The characteristics of the theoretical foundations, the key problems of the current situation are given, on the basis of which the goals, objectives, principles and mechanisms for implementing the main provisions of the Concept are determined.

Organization of the study. The purpose of the study was to determine the theoretical and methodological foundations for the formation of a strategy for the development of preschool education in the Russian Federation and to develop the Concept for the Development of Preschool Education until 2030 as a document reflecting the policy in the field of preschool education in the Russian Federation. In the course of the study, the current state and problems of the domestic preschool education system were analyzed, the aim and key tasks were determined, on the basis of which, in turn, the mechanisms, stages and activities to achieve the stated prospects were specified.

Research results. As a result of the study, the proposed Draft Concept for the Development of Preschool Education until 2030 includes 4 areas of its implementation improving the regulatory and organizational and methodological support of the pre-school system; improving the availability and quality of pre-school education; development of material and technical support and infrastructure of pre-school education. Each of the designated areas includes a set of ongoing activities that already have an active status at the moment (implementation stage 2023-2025), as well as assuming a promising solution at the stage 2025-2030.

Conclusions. The Draft Concept defines priority areas and key growth points for the domestic preschool education system. The proposed Draft Concept for the development of preschool education is the basis for developing a regional agenda for the development of preschool education in the constituent entities of the Russian Federation, designing programs for the development of preschool educational organizations, professional educational organizations, organizations of additional professional education that train teachers for the preschool education system.