Neuropedagogical and Psychological Aspects of Play

A new article by Ukrainian experts in ethno-pedagogy for the first time in science maximally summarizes the neuro-pedagogical, psychological and social potential of human development through the reproduction of folk games. The aim of the article is not only to consider the thematic diversity, but also to demonstrate how Ukrainian folk children's games and ancient adult games have a natural influence on the formation of worldview, socialization and maturity with the involvement of physical, neurophysiological and psycho-pedagogical mechanisms. Using general scientific, historical and neuroscientific methods, we proved the imitative, compensatory, sublimational, imitative, ritual and entertaining nature of folk games. Within the limits and possibilities available to the authors, neuroscientific commentary is presented to substantiate the underlying functions and mechanisms of folk games. The main result of the article is the creation of the fullest possible classification of the developing educational potential of folk games at two levels of generalization (general pedagogical aspects and specific functions). The authors were also able to review related literature on the topic, identify valuable observations and gnostic lacunas in need of scientific explication and ekplanatornost.