Organizational and Methodological Principles of Integrating Olympic Education into the Activities of Preschool Education Institutions

Abstract

Abstract: The purpose of the article is to scientifically substantiate and determine the organizational and pedagogical conditions for integrating Olympic education into the activities of preschool education institutions, as well as to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed forms, methods, and means of its implementation in the educational environment of Ukrainian preschools. Methods. The study employed analysis of scientific literature and online materials, synthesis and generalization, methods of mathematical statistics, and a survey of 323 preschool children (72 from Chernivtsi, 69 from Poltava, 22 from Dnipro, and 160 from Kyiv), 309 parents of preschoolers, and 184 educators. Results. The findings of the ascertaining stage of the experiment revealed a positive attitude among the participants in the educational process toward Olympic education. Under certain organizational and pedagogical conditions, they expressed readiness to implement it within preschool institutions. The study established that integrating elements of Olympic education through a structural-functional model into the implementation of the Child Development Program from Birth to Six Years “I in the World” not only demonstrated positive changes in preschoolers’ competencies but also confirmed the potential of this model for broader educational application. The research identified general and additional organizational and pedagogical conditions that contribute to the effective use of the educational potential of Olympic education in the implementation of the program’s educational lines. The general conditions aim to create a favorable environment for all participants in the preschool educational process, while the additional ones are designed to ensure the moral and spiritual development of children. Conclusions. The theoretical research made it possible to substantiate and develop a structural-functional model for integrating Olympic education into preschool education, which graphically reflects the unity and interdependence of the functional characteristics of the model’s structural components. The study defined the organizational and pedagogical conditions ensuring the effectiveness of this integration and demonstrated that the implementation of Olympic education in preschools constitutes a holistic pedagogical process, functioning effectively under compliance with specific pedagogical and organizational requirements. The results of the final stage of the pedagogical experiment conducted in Kyiv preschools (No. 225 and No. 168) showed positive changes in key indicators: awareness of the Olympic Games increased by 26.82% compared with the control group (p=0.002); watching sports TV programs grew by 40.33% (p=0.001); awareness of the Olympic emblem rose by 19.29% (p=0.016); and knowledge of Olympic awards increased by 15.07% (p=0.013). Awareness of winter sports reached 100% in both the experimental and control groups. Motivation for sports activities increased by 10.66%, and the desire to learn more about the Olympic Games by 7.58%, although these differences were not statistically significant (p=0.104). Keywords: preschool children, Olympic education, structural-functional model, integration.