Comprehensive Analysis of the Perception of Virtues in 5–6-Year-Old Preschoolers with Different Judo Experience Based on an Authorial Scale

Objectives. The study aimed to analyze the perception and development of virtues in 5–6-year-old children with varying experience in activities based on the philosophy of judo. Materials and Methods. This study involved 36 preschool children divided into three groups according to their judo experience: novices (no prior practice), one year, and two years of practice. At this age stage, training excluded throwing techniques and focused on fundamental elements, preparatory exercises, and play-based forms aligned with judo principles. An authorial observation scale was developed to assess four virtues — friendship, respect, honesty, and participation. Data were collected through structured observations during physical activity sessions and analyzed quantitatively. Results. Children with longer judo experience demonstrated significantly higher scores across all assessed virtues compared to novices. The two-year practice group achieved the highest results in friendship and respect, indicating the positive role of judo-based educational activity in fostering moral values. Conclusions. The study highlights the importance of integrating judo-based activities not only as physical training but also as a pedagogical tool for cultivating social and emotional competence in early childhood. The findings confirm the effectiveness of the authorial observation scale for monitoring virtue development in preschool education.