The model for developing a healthy lifestyle in older preschoolers

Abstract

The article examines the issue of developing a healthy lifestyle in preschool children within the context of modern approaches to physical education. The authors emphasize the importance of active physical, mental, emotional, and social development in early childhood, as this period lays the foundation for health, forms motor skills, and establishes health-preserving competencies. It is noted that contemporary programs in various European countries focus on combining physical activity with a healthy lifestyle, particularly through the integration of motor exercises and play forms into the educational process. An analysis of different interpretations of the concept of a «healthy lifestyle» in scientific sources is presented. Researchers agree that a healthy lifestyle encompasses biological, social, and cultural aspects and includes a harmonious combination of physical, mental, and emotional components of health. Special emphasis is placed on the fact that physical activity is a key indicator of a child’s physical well-being and a factor that contributes to overall development and resistance to illness. The article also presents a project of a structural-functional model for developing a healthy lifestyle in older preschool children. The elements of this model are described, including motor activity, principles for cultivating health-preserving behavior, consideration of the child's psychological needs, and the implementation of play forms of physical activity