TRANSFORMATION OF PRESCHOOL CHILDREN’S PLAY IN THE TIME DIMENSION OF THE WAR IN UKRAINE

Abstract

The article analyzes the results of a study of the dynamics of preschool children’s play (its content and procedural characteristics) in the conditions of war in Ukraine. It is noted that the full-scale armed aggression of the russian federation significantly changed the play of Ukrainian preschool children compared to the pre-war period, which is manifested in: the dominance of various plots of military actions in the content of the play and the playing of new roles by children, caused by the new military reality; the active use of toy weapons and toys-substitutes for modern weapons by children; the modernization of traditional children’s play based on military plots; a general reduction in play time; children’s refusal of noisy, motor play in favor of quiet, sedentary play alone; children’s emotional arousal in the play process; a significant replacement of object play with electronic (digital) games, etc. A comparative analysis of the features of preschool children’s play activities based on the results of observations by educators in different years of the war showed the existing dynamics in its plots: a significant decrease in children’s play activities on military plots (playing soldiers, playing with military equipment, playing with military weapons, military bases) and a significant increase in play with non-military themes (play based on cartoon plots, play based on peaceful plots) was found. However, no significant changes were found in the frequency of children’s play activities on such topics as air raids, staying in shelters, as well as play in missile and drone attacks and air defense. The specified topic remains stable due to the relevant life experience of children from the beginning of the full-scale war to the present. The obtained research results make it possible to trace the features of the play activities of preschool children during different phases of the war in Ukraine, to identify the dynamics of storylines and characteristic features of the reflection in the play of traumatic events experienced by young and adult Ukrainians, which is extremely important for finding effective tools to support their well-being.