European Children Toys ¹¹⁷³

This article represents the investigations of phenomenon of a toy, the approaches to examination of toys in the European science. The analysis of basic approaches to research of toys and their theoretical and methodical bases are presented. Also the role of toys in the development of the child personality is described. Changes in the relations to the games and toys, loss of their value during the epoch of postmodern are considered. We discussed the necessity of the psychological and pedagogical examination of toys in the article. The different lines of realizing the exrert1s estimation are shown. We described the comparative analysis of the psychological and pedagogical examination of toys in the Moscow City Center of examination of toys and German organization “Spiel gut”, which carries out the expert activity within 55 years. The cultural meaning of the toys in child development is in the center of expert’s interests. The scientific bases, criteria and concrete methods of carrying out the psychological and pedagogical examination of toys are compared. Also we showed the difference in the assortment of toys in Russia and Europe.

Keywords: Cultural, historical and activity approach, play, toys, games materials, psychology and pedagogical examination, the developing potential, qualities of the toy, free for child activities, operational possibilities of toys.

Column: Developmental Psychology