ian. [8, 13-14] When the child is encouraged, one explorative activity creates another explorative activity, therefore a positive line is formed for initiative development. Interest develops from using the information obtained from explorative activities and observed role models, and it helps to control one’s behaviour and decision-making that is important at school and in the learning process. [8, 15] From the birth to school age thee child develops most intensively – both spiritually and physically (D.Liegeniece, J.Piaget, L.Vygotsky). The knowledge obtained in this period becomes as a fundament for all future knowledge and skills in all possible ways. [6, 14] It can be observed that in pre-school establishments, organizing upbringing and teaching work of children, often inappropriate methods are applied. For example, the lessons are taught frontally (therefore reproductive activity is dominating and creativity does not find expression as independent activity), offering exact solution for the issue (ability to choose is not encouraged, which is an important element for development of initiative and creativity), often the child is given too concrete examples and materials (creating a stereotype, one-sided perception), the child’s activity is restricted in time (that does not encourage explorative activity). Imaginative thinking is characteristic for pre-school age children (first, they imagine and then get to the form), therefore in this stage it is important to promote understanding about concepts and processes. (G.Abramova, I.Malkina-Pih, J.Piaget, L. Vygotsky) Similarly, describing language and speech development of pre-school age children, S.Zarina suggests that the teaching and upbringing methods used by teachers not always correspond to the needs of pre-school age children. (14, 98-99, 103) Therefore, development of initiative encourages the child to search for the origins of concepts and processes, explore them instead of waiting for the stereotype. If there are too many ready examples and the child is not encouraged for creative exploration, the consequences can already be noticed in primary school, for example, difficulty to understand mathematical and spatial concepts. Here a contradiction can be observed: in preschool one of the main educational tasks is promotion of child’s cognitive and inquisitive development ensuring acquirement of knowledge and skills (Law of Education, art. 14, v. 181 „Regulations for guidelines of pre-school education”), but for implementation of this task and also for development of child’s initiative often the teaching and upbringing methods are applied which does not always correspond with specifics of child’s perception and thinking. Therefore, it is important to explore and use the learning methods that would develop the explorative activity and initiative according to child’s possibilities and level of development,
which would later foster the learning skills. Pre-school age children have the perception of world in which anything can exist, even if it sounds absurd from the scientific point of view. In the child’s world the myth and reality organically exist side by side, and the links between causes and consequences might not be present. A child perceives the world of nature and the human world as one whole. [4, 171-177] A child is open towards the surrounding world and reacts emotionally to everything that is new and interesting. N.Podjakovs avers that the science stimulates a child for explorative activity, and the “Why?” questions show the ability of the mind and desire for knowledge. If adults do not react on child’s questions, the interest gradually decreases and it is replaced by indifference, although the interest and inquisitiveness of child in the preschool age has quite sound character. Therefore, adult with his/her actions is the one who can maintain the development of creativity and interest in the child. [18] According to E. Erikson, at the age of 4 – 7, if the teacher chooses appropriate teaching methods allowing the child to fantasize and choose the type of activity, it is possible to strengthen child’s initiative. But, if the adult demonstrates his/her superiority without appreciating child’s creativity, he/she contributes towards the feelings of guilt which would remain for the rest of child’s life. [1, 91-97] Often the lessons in pre-school are restricted in time (although it is not anymore required by “Regulations on guidelines for preschool education”), which limits independent creative activity of the child. By observing this time limit, pedagogues interrupt child’s activity, directing it towards something else, and therefore the holistic process of perception is interrupted and a child cannot explore the causes and consequences of reaching the result by going through all the stages of activity (idea, planning, implementation, evaluation, conclusion). N.Podjakovs suggests that by limiting a child during the lesson, the activity and independence of child is diminished and inquisitiveness and initiative is not encouraged. [18] In their research on exploring the particularities of children’s drawing activities, V.Hibnere and I.Mikelsone proved that particular subjects and images (cars, animals, people) if they are on their own and not connected with their role in the surrounding environment, do not create the desire and interest in children to picture them, therefore these objects do not become the content of independent artistic activity. Therefore, it is not wise to use a theme, which does not encourage a child to a creative expression of his/her attitude. Keeping in mind the above mentioned, there is a contradiction between suggested/implemented activity