Between the textbook and play: propositions for pedagogical practices in early childhood education

Abstract

This study aims to analyze how pedagogical practices in Early Childhood Education, based on the use of textbooks, enable the integration of play with children in the reference classroom. The research, with a qualitative and exploratory approach, used semi-structured interviews with three teachers from an Early Childhood Education institution as the data collection instrument. The study is grounded in theoretical frameworks on child development, playfulness, and the use of textbooks, taking into account the guidelines of the National Common Curricular Base (BNCC), the National Curriculum Guidelines for Early Childhood Education and the National Textbook Program (PNLD). From the analysis, it is observed that the use of textbooks, when applied in an isolated and decontextualized manner, can restrict the creativity, autonomy, and exploration that are inherent to childhood. However, when intentionally combined with playful, interactive, and investigative proposals, the textbook can become a complementary resource in the teaching and learning process. Thus, the study advocates for the importance of pedagogical practices that balance the use of textbooks with meaningful, playful, and diverse experiences that respect children's interests, learning paces, and unique ways of understanding the world, thereby contributing to their holistic development.