Brincar e aprender na escola do campo: o lúdico como prática cultural e pedagógica na aprendizagem da criança

Abstract

This study analyzes play as a cultural and pedagogical practice in the process of child development in an Amazonian rural school, investigating how playfulness contributes to integral development, learning, and the constitution of children's cultures in the rural context. The research, with a qualitative approach, was conducted in a rural school located in the municipality of Barreirinha (AM), through participant observation, semi-structured interviews with teachers, and field notes. The results reveal that, although play is central to childhood and legally recognized as a right, its presence in the school's pedagogical routine is limited. Playful practices appear in a punctual and non-integrated way to the curricular planning, being understood by teachers mainly as entertainment or distraction. Observations demonstrate that, in moments when play was intentionally inserted, there was greater participation and learning among children. However, a routine marked by repetitive activities predominates, reducing the educational potential of play and making invisible cultural knowledge from the field that could enrich the learning process. It is concluded that valuing play in rural schools requires continued teacher training, curricular reorganization, expansion of the use of natural spaces, and recognition of children's cultures as pedagogical strategies. Play, understood as language and cultural experience, constitutes a powerful instrument to promote meaningful learning, strengthen identities, and guarantee children's right to a contextualized and humanizing education in the rural territory.