DEVELOPMENT OF CONSCIOUS PHYSICAL ACTIVITY OF CHILDREN OF MIDDLE PRESCHOOL AGE DURING CREATIVE CLASSES

ABSTRACT

This article is intended to briefly highlight the study conducted in the control group of children of middle preschool age and aimed at proving that the development of conscious physical activity in the process of creative actions contributes to the general intellectual development, stimulation of concentration and attention, discipline and self-organization.

Keywords: physical activity, creativity, the Total Physical Response method, middle preschool age.

Lack of physical activity in childhood is the cause of many health problems in the future. In addition to physical complications, restriction of physical activity threatens a number of difficulties in psychological development. There is no doubt that it is necessary to start to pay attention to the health of a child and his attitude to  mobility from preschool age.

Low physical activity, immobility can be denoted by the medical term “hypodynamia”. According to the dictionary by Merriam-Webster, this word is formed from the fusion of the Greek prefix “hypo-”, meaning a decrease in something relative to the norm, and the root “dynamis” (acting force) and means reduced mobility due to a decrease in the force of motion [1]. Hypodynamia is fraught with problems in the development of the musculoskeletal system, impaired blood supply to organs, muscle atrophy.

Physical activity implies the interaction of a child with a teacher and peers. Limiting physical activity deprives children of emotional and communicative components of psychological development [2].

The competent use of pedagogical tools allows you to use the creative abilities of a child and his fantasy. Various methods used in organizing physical activity can inculcate children with skills in social interaction, self-assessment of the situation and decision-making. Full moral, physical and intellectual development of a child is associated with properly organized and realized physical activity.

The middle preschool age (4-5 years) is characterized by the high quality of assimilation of information by a child and the plasticity of his psyche [2]. This age is characterized by the first manifestations of creativity during activity.

Using methods that encourage children to creative actions in physical activity is more effective when working with middle preschool age.

The Total Physical Response method contains all the recommendations described above. The basic approach that characterizes this method is to combine the training with the fulfillment of tasks. The principle underlying the method – “do while studying” – has high pedagogical performance when working with children of middle preschool age due to the practice of memorizing the teams (intellectual component) and their fulfillment (physical component), implying awareness of what has been performed [3]. Mindfulness increases a child's focus and motivates to be concentrated throughout the learning process.

As part of a study on the use of the Total Physical Response method for the development of conscious physical activity of children of middle preschool age, a control group of 26 children was organized and involved in creative classes. This pedagogical method has been used for 3 months. It is important to mention that the method consists of elements of creative, communicative classes based on physical activity, aimed at developing awareness of the actions performed by the control group.

The use of the elements of physical activity had a positive effect on the physiological development of the test subjects. Organized activities have led to an increase in communication skills. The creative basis of classes has developed the intellectual side of creativity. And the use of the Total Physical Response method fixed the result of classes with awareness of all the actions performed by children.

During the research (in the process of organizing pedagogical activities) the aforecited method showed especially good results in organizing theatrical activities. Awareness of the actions performed along with physical activity and creative component positively influenced the comprehensive development of children.

The effectiveness of the method also proves the increased discipline of children. Instructions and commands performed by children, both in the framework of collective classes and in the organization of daily activities, show the applicability and pedagogy of the method.

Thus, the Total Physical Response method can be considered as the basis of an effectively organized method of conducting creative classes aimed at developing conscious physical activity among children of middle preschool age. The applicability of the method, both in conducting collective classes and in an individual approach, indicates the multifaceted pedagogical variability of its use. The fundamental basis of the method, related to the physical activity of children aimed at raising awareness, makes it basic only in conjunction with other methods aimed at comprehensive development.

References:

1. Dictionary by Merriam-Webster [Электронный ресурс]. – Режим доступа: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hypodynamia (дата обращения: 02.01.2021).
2. Elkind, D. Children and adolescent. – New York: Oxford University Press, 2011. – 184 p.
3. Haskel Lendall L. Art in early childhood years. – Columbus, Ohaio, 2012. – p. 30–32.