The Potential of Education Situations with Preschoolers of Different Ages Groups

The most impotent condition for the development of preschool children is their interaction with other children. In kindergarten conditions, educational situations often arise in which children of different age groups are involved and, as a result, of different ages. That is, the temporary unification of different kindergarten groups of the same age to solve educational problems. The subject of this study is these educational situations with preschoolers of different ages. The purpose is to characterize the potential of their use in preschool educational organization. The theoretical and methodological foundations of this process and historical prerequisites that can be used in the development of partial educational programs of preschool education for children of different ages are revealed. The empirical experience of the author and teachers of kindergarten № 121, kindergarten № 22 in Lipetsk during 17 years is presented. The purposeful guidance of teachers in educational situations with children of different age groups ensures that the interested and educational needs both younger and older children are respected. The conclusions are formed: the interaction of children of different ages has a positive effect on both groups of children. Older preschoolers learn to make decisions, be independent and responsible. Younger children adapt more easily to kindergarten conditions, learn knowledge faster and develop skills in all educational fields. General recommendations for teachers on the organization of educational situational with children of different age groups in preschool setting have been developed and presented. The authors characterized the potential of using educational situations with preschoolers of different age groups as effective opportunities for organizing the pedagogical process in a preschool educational organization. The results of the study will be of interest primary to teachers-practitioners of preschool educational and students of specialized specialties, as they describe the theoretical provisions of pedagogy in the conditions of real long-term kindergarten work.