The paper analyzes the results of a part of an empirical research related to the influence of interaction between a child and puppet on children's behavior and play. Particular emphasis is on the part of the research related to correlation between preschool educator's emotional empathy and imagination, and prosocial and aggressive behavior of children, as well as with children's spontaneous play in kindergarten. It was established that there educator's empathy and imagination were connected with prosocial and aggressive behavior of children, and with certain aspects of children's spontaneous game. Children from groups led by more emphatic and more imaginative teachers (experimental group) were more prosocial, while the children from groups led by less emphatic and less imaginative educators were found to be more aggressive. The results of observing the children's spontaneous game indicate that the children led by more emphatic and imaginative teachers (experimental group of educators) used more imaginative games, particularly the symbolic puppet play, and did practical activities in small groups or pairs. The children led by control group of teachers played significantly more social and didactic games with rules, and sports games.

The present paper explores the idea that learning, both in and out of school,is a cultural act, and that school and its cultural-heritage environment stamp their own characteristics on pupils. This implies that pupils gradually, with the help of teachers and other relevant adults from their close social environment, develop and adjust their behaviour and lifestyle to their cultural and civilisational milieu. An integrative approach to learning and teaching, through the concept of “learning-centred teaching”, can be instrumental in this regard (Terhart, 2001). This approach aims at linking cognitive, social and moral teachings. According to this teaching concept, pupils learn to appreciate the value of their cultural-heritage environment by living and reliving its experience, while freely and reflexively interpreting and becoming active participants in the culture of those who “learn about life by living” (Terhart, 2001). The relationship between school and its cultural-heritage environment is discussed from a creative and artistic perspective in the second part of the paper. By visually stimulating artistic expression when learning about the culturalheritage and natural environment of school, and through the concept of “action- centred learning”, we explain how pupils can be motivated to learn and display creative-artistic expression, and how they can be actively involved in their communities (participating in organising art exhibitions in their neighbourhood, working in museum workshops, etc.). Pupils’ art projects, inspired by the historical, cultural and natural heritage of their environment, confirm that such projects are an effective way of encouraging pupils’ identity development and sensitivity towards the arts. They teach pupils about the importance of preserving cultural heritage, which is one of the basic principles in the upbringing of future participants and creators of new cultural values. Children’sartistic works illustrate examples of good school practice.

UMJETNIČKI SADRŽAJI U ODGOJU I OBRAZOVANJU -POVIJESNI PREGLEDUmjetnički sadržaji bitna su dimenzija odgojnih utjecaja na cjeloviti razvoj djeteta. Potrebu za lijepim već je pokazivao i prvobitni čovjek ukrašavanjem svojih nastambi. "Ljepota je postala bitni kriterij ljudskog vrednovanja predmeta, pojava, međuljudskih odnosa, umjetničkih produkata i svega što nas okružuje" (Vukasović, 1994: 145). Na nužnost uključivanja

In the first part of the paper we present different theoretical views on children's play as wel as features of children's behavior while at play. According to Kooij and Mayjes (1986), two basic aspects of exploring the concept of play can be distinguished: cognitive and affective play concept. Regarding the direction of the individual play concept, features of children's behavior while at play are indicated too. The following three parts of the paper will explain developmental possibilities of children's puppet plays. In a puppet play, many manners of behavior can be seen according to the concepts of play mentioned above. In the last part of the paper we analyze the relationship between children's play, creation and art. Many authors notice the connection between play and art - because both of these fields lead to establishing an independent, self-defining form of behavior as a basic feature of creativity, i.e. of children's play.Key words: art; children's psycho-social cognition; creation; features of behavior in children's play; symbolic puppet plays---Sažetak U prvom dijelu članka iznosimo različita teorijska motrišta o dječjoj igri i obilježja ponašanja u dječjoj igri. Prema Koiiju i Mayjesu (1986.) mogu se razlikovati dva osnovna aspekta u istraživanju koncepta igre: spoznajni i afektivni koncept igre. S obzirom na usmjerenost pojedinog koncepta igre, navode se i obilježja ponašanja u igri. U sljedeća tri dijela rada obrazlažu se razvojne mogućnosti dječje igre lutkama. U toj se igri uočavaju mnoga ponašanja prema spomenutim konceptima igre. U zadnjem dijelu rada promišljamo o odnosu dječje igre, stvaralaštva i umjetnosti. Mnogi autori vide vezu između igre i umjetnosti - jer oba područja dovode do neovisnog, samoodređujućeg ponašanja kao osnovnog obilježja kreativnosti, odnosno dječje igre.Ključne riječi: obilježja ponašanja u dječjoj igri; psihosocijalne spoznaje djece; simbolička igra lutkama; stvaralaštvo; umjetnost