Existing research on the personal development of pre-school children is limited in the scope of investigation. It lacks an integrative approach in respect of the complex impact of arts such as music, painting and other such work. This article examines a pilot programme directed towards the early musical and aesthetical development of pre-school children. This programme gradually introduces more complex content. Previous research has established that when children aged 3-4 years received music and aesthetical education in specialised centres, then by age 6-7 they surpassed the personal development of those who had received a standard schooling. In particular it was found that they acquired an ‘ear’ for musical development – a skill in distinguishing rhythmic and melodic contrast, together with harmonic sequences more delicately. This was associated with an ability to distinguish the emotional states of others. They were better in the embodiment of emotional states, experienced an immersion into the depth of images, and had better imagination and emotional intelligence in music. This research was extended to typical schools with typical children to explore the effective development of personality in pre-school children. The research was carried out over a three-year period, following children from age 3-4 until they were 6-7 years old. Twenty five children in the experimental group were compared with an equal number in the control group. The children were tested at the start and again at the end of the period. The results showed variations in the development of personal development. In particular, some skills, such as the ability to perceive rhythmic and melodic pictures and harmonic sequence, developed more slowly than others. It was found that the rhythmic and melodic forms of the musical ear developed more quickly that the harmonic ear, which is developed later – and more slowly. The development within the experimental group was not particularly rapid when compared with the control group but was more productive.
The subjects in the experimental group showed more effective development of generic perceptual unity and understand of human emotional state. Similar results were obtained in the formation of emotional displays in the cast plot scenes. Children learned not only to identify and to depict the emotional state of the character with the help of an adult but also showed the ability to empathize to another one, and to express their emotions objectively using a large set of facial expressive means of communication. In verbal imagination the experimental group significantly outperformed the control group. In particular, the children demonstrated the ability to express the plot of the story, using uniqueness and originality. The results concerning the expression of the emotional character of a story and the dominating mood were mixed. The expression of emotion was significantly developed but the perception and expression of a landscape did not show a significant improvement. Overall, the results that early musical and aesthetic development has a positive effect on the personal sphere of preschool children. This is based on the musical ear as the ability to make delicate distinctions and of aural representations that affect other mental functions of children.