Artistic and aesthetic education of children by means of folk art: issues of content and methods

The authors substantiate the relevance, significance of artistic and aesthetic education of children using folk art from an early age, in particular, in children's educational institutions; specify the scientific content of the concept of «artistic and aesthetic education in a preschool educational institution», defining it as an integral pedagogical process, organized into a single system that meets the requirements for the inclusion of children in the artistic culture of their people and society as a whole, the harmonious development of children and the development of their aesthetic attitude to reality; present the content of artistic and aesthetic education using folk art through an analysis of programs implemented in preschool educational institutions of the Russian Federation and an appeal to the professional magazine «Preschool Education». The article presents a proven author's program «Creativity», the purpose of which is the artistic and aesthetic education of children through the means of folk art in a preschool educational institution. Focusing on the fact that the content of preschooler education is focused on folk traditions and folk art, the authors give a general description of the program, substantiate the principles of its construction, and the methodological strategy for conducting classes in a preschool educational institution. The authors developed and proposed the content of an elective course as a means of preparing students of a pedagogical university to implement the tasks of artistic and aesthetic education in a preschool educational institution through the means of folk art, as well as the «Creativity» program.