Pedagogical and Psychological Features of Forming Spiritual and Moral Qualities in Preschool-Aged Children

The article analyzes the pedagogical and psychological features of forming spiritual and moral qualities in preschool-aged children from theoretical and regulatory-legal perspectives. The relevance of the study is determined by the state policy adopted for developing the preschool education system until 2030, the significant expansion of enrolment, and the fact that the foundation of personality is laid at an early age. The paper comparatively examines the moral development theories of J. Piaget, L. Kohlberg, L. Vygotsky, A. Bandura and M. Hoffman, and describes the early formation mechanisms of empathy, prosocial behavior, self-regulation and conscience. The research employed systemic analysis, the comparative-historical method, analysis of normative legal documents and generalization of the results of international empirical studies.