Jogos e brincadeiras na educação infantil: percepções docentes.

Abstract

Games, play, and playfulness play a fundamental role in child development. Games are structured activities with rules and objectives that promote cognitive, motor, and social skills. Play, on the other hand, refers to spontaneous and free activities driven by children's imagination and creativity. Both elements contribute to learning, socialization, and emotional growth. Playfulness represents the fun, enjoyable, and stimulating aspect present in gaming and play activities, providing motivation, engagement, and meaningful learning. Thus, the research problem was formulated as follows: What are the perceptions of early childhood educators regarding the importance of games and play in the educational process? The overall objective of this thesis is to analyze teachers' conceptions regarding the use of games and play in early childhood education. To do so, we intend, through specific objectives, to reflect on how early childhood teachers incorporate games and play in the classroom and their intentionality; to emphasize to educators the influence of games and play in promoting the teaching-learning process; and to discuss the use of games and play based on the National Common Curricular Base for early childhood education. Thus, the methodological approach of this research involved conducting a field study in a school in Cajazeiras/PB, using a semi-structured interview as a data collection instrument with early childhood teachers. In the discussions conducted to explore concepts and theories regarding the study topic, authors such as Libâneo (2010), Friedmann (2013), Kishimoto (2017; 2002), Brougère (1998), Bacelar (2009), Feitosa e Soares (2021), Modesto e Rubio (2014), Mascioli (2010) e Marcelino (2000). The collected data were analyzed using thematic content analysis. Therefore, this research presents its results for academic socialization, highlighting that the importance of games and play in early childhood education is widely recognized and supported by various aspects. It is worth noting that games and play play a vital role in early childhood education, offering an effective means of cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development. By incorporating these activities into educational programs, professionals in the field can provide