Формирование безопасного поведения в быту у детей старшего дошкольного возраста

The relevance of this research stems from the fact that today, cultivating safe behaviour in older preschoolers at home is an integral part of their upbringing, education, and socialisation. This is also emphasised in the Federal State Educational Standard for Preschool Education (FSES PE) within the educational domain Socio-Communicative Development. This domain aims, among other things, to equip preschoolers with safe behaviour skills in domestic settings, in society, in nature, etc. Consequently, educators in preschool institutions and parents (or legal guardians) of older preschoolers face the following tasks in fostering safe domestic behaviour:

• developing a positive attitude toward oneself, others, and the surrounding world;
• nurturing children’s social and communicative competencies.

It is worth noting that the most common domestic injuries among preschoolers include:

• cuts and bruises;
• burns;
• poisoning by various substances;
• ingestion of foreign objects;
• bites and scratches from pets;
• electric shocks, etc.

Therefore, it is crucial to create conditions in preschool institutions and at home that allow older preschoolers to gradually accumulate knowledge, skills, and habits of safe domestic behaviour, which they can apply in real‑life situations [4, p. 990].

Understanding safe domestic behaviour

Contemporary pedagogical literature offers multiple interpretations of safe domestic behaviour. For instance:

• G. Khromtsova defines it as «knowledge of basic rules and safety precautions in everyday life» [5, p. 12].
• The programme Basics of Safety for Preschool Children describes it as «preschoolers’ acquisition of certain rules for everyday life» [1, p. 21].

Thus, the essence of safe domestic behaviour can be summarised as: knowledge of common hazards and the rules and precautions for everyday life.

Pedagogical conditions for fostering safe domestic behaviour

Cultivating safe domestic behaviour in older preschoolers should be systematic and well‑planned. It is most effective when the following pedagogical conditions are met:

1. Continuous enrichment of children’s understanding of safe behaviour in various domestic situations.
2. Full use of the subject‑developmental environment in preschools to practise applying learned safety rules.
3. Collaboration between preschool educators and families of older preschoolers.

1. Enriching children’s knowledge

This condition ensures that children’s awareness of safe domestic behaviour grows steadily. Key methods include:

• didactic games;
• visual aids and modern technologies (ICT, multimedia, clips from animated and feature films, etc.);
• reading and discussing age‑appropriate literature.

Safe domestic behaviour can be taught:

• during lessons;
• in daily routines;
• through conversations and travel games;
• via creative play;
• by simulating problem situations, where children can take on roles such as rescuers, doctors, police officers, firefighters, etc.

Sometimes a topic cannot be covered in one lesson. In such cases, it is advisable to:

• hold several sessions on the same topic;
• extend activities across different forms of engagement.

Examples:

• Dangerous or Not? – helps children recognise hazards, learn precautions, and understand how to act in dangerous situations.
• Tanya Is Sick – teaches basic first aid [3, p. 69].

2. Subject‑developmental environment

The effectiveness of education in safe domestic behaviour largely depends on the environment in which it takes place. A well‑designed subject‑developmental space in preschools is crucial for practising safety rules.

S. L. Novoselova defines the subject‑spatial environment as «a system of material objects for a child’s activities, which models the spiritual and physical development of the child. It supports diverse educational programmes, considering national‑cultural, socio‑economic, and other conditions, while respecting age‑specific features» [2, p. 33].

In a preschool group, the environment should:

• fully realise the educational potential of the space;
• enable interaction and joint activities between children and educators;
• support physical activity and opportunities for solitude.

A key task for educators is to create and enrich a safety corner with informational, educational, and visual materials that promote safe domestic behaviour.

3. Collaboration with parents

Engaging parents (or legal guardians) is vital for fostering safe domestic behaviour. Preschools can use both traditional (parent meetings) and non‑traditional (entertainment programmes, games, quests, etc.) methods. The goal is to equip parents with pedagogical knowledge to support their children’s safety education at home.

Conclusion

Fostering safe domestic behaviour in older preschoolers is a key pedagogical condition for:

• integrating children into modern society;
• developing their readiness to act effectively in various, sometimes hazardous, situations.

It is essential to base this education on the psychological aspects of teaching and raising older preschoolers.

When designing content, methods, tools, and techniques for fostering safe domestic behaviour, it is important to consider that older preschoolers:

• experience growing physical activity and expanding capabilities;
• are highly curious and eager to explore independently, which can lead to risky situations;
• often struggle to make quick decisions in critical moments;
• may not gauge the danger of a situation against their own abilities;
• have underdeveloped foresight regarding their actions;
• can be impulsive, leading to unpredictable behaviour.