DIAGNOSTIC ASPECTS OF RHYTHM SENSE DEVELOPMENT IN CHILDREN OF THE THIRD YEAR OF LIFE

Abstract

The presented article accumulates the results of a comprehensive experimental study focused on identifying effective mechanisms for strengthening self-regulation skills in infants and preschool children. The relevance of this work is driven by contemporary challenges: raising the younger generation in Ukraine under martial law requires educators and psychologists to possess not only empathy but also a profound understanding of the neurophysiological processes occurring in a child’s body under chronic stress. At the core of the study lies a neurobiological approach, which views rhythmic synchronization and coordinated motor activity as fundamental tools for forming neural connections responsible for executive functions – working memory, cognitive flexibility, and emotional control. The author demonstrates that engaging a child in a structured rhythmic environment allows for the “reprogramming” of stress responses, shifting the focus from destructive arousal to conscious self-control. A key aspect of the research is the exploration of the replicability of the results through accessible group interventions within the educational space of preschool education institutions (PEIs). Particular attention is paid to the author’s methodology, based on cycles of musical-rhythmic games. These games are built on the principles of hierarchical task complexity and mandatory psychophysiological de-escalation at the end of each session. The scientific inquiry revealed a direct correlation between somatic pre-activation (body preparation), expressive locomotion (movement in space), and instrumental manipulations with a qualitative improvement in a child’s inhibitory control. Additionally, the article substantiates the feasibility of implementing narrative synesthesia – a combination of musical imagery, word, and movement – as a method for stabilizing the psycho-emotional state in conditions of chronic uncertainty. The evidence base, formed from a representative sample of 149 students, convincingly confirms a positive trend: children engaged in regular rhythmic practices demonstrate a significantly higher level of behavioral self-control and the ability to recover after emotional outbursts. The article concludes that under wartime conditions, rhythm serves not only as a musical category but as a reliable psychological support that restores a child’s sense of world predictability. Musical-motor interventions are justified as an inclusive, economically accessible, and highly effective method for supporting mental health and fostering the academic readiness of future first-graders, which is strategically vital for the educational system of modern-day Ukraine.