O brincar e as brincadeiras na Educação Infantil: percepções de professoras de uma escola pública, em Arraias- TO

Abstract

This research aimed to analyze how toys and play are present in the daily routine of schools, based on the perceptions of early childhood education teachers. Specifically, our goal was to map the physical spaces designated for children's toys and play at school; to examine how play is addressed in the institution’s Pedagogical Political Project (PPP); and to identify, from the teachers’ perspectives, which toys and games are part of the children’s everyday experiences at school. The study focuses on analyzing teachers’ perceptions regarding the relationship between the quality of play spaces and children’s development. It is grounded in the premise that Early Childhood Education is a space for socialization and structured learning, as established by the guiding document of the Brazilian National Common Curricular Base (Brasil, 2017). To construct the theoretical framework, we drew upon the works of Carvalho (2007), Kishimoto (2010; 2016), Kohan (2015), among others. The methodological approach adopted is qualitative and empirical in nature, using school observations, photographs, and an online questionnaire. The results indicate that the quality of play spaces is directly related to the opportunities children have to explore them, thereby developing a range of skills and engaging in meaningful social interactions. This highlights the importance of intentionally planning these environments to promote richer educational experiences