Influência do gênero no brincar de crianças pré-escolares

Abstract

Play is the most important and expressive occupation in a child's life, as it allows children to develop valuable skills during their growth phase, aiding in motor, sensory, social, cognitive, and emotional development. Through play, children express their interests and preferences, even in a cultural manner, revealing the influences shaped by their own context. Thus, this study questions whether these influences affect how boys and girls play within a basic education preschool setting. Objective: To assess the play performance of preschool-aged children and to verify whether there are differences in play between boys and girls. Method: This is a cross-sectional, exploratory, and descriptive study with a qualitative-quantitative analysis. A convenience sample composed of 5 boys and 5 girls aged between 4 and 5 years old, all with typical development and enrolled in an early childhood education unit. The children were observed during educational activities conducted by the classroom teacher. The researcher recorded the children and analyzed the videos, evaluating each child using the Revised Knox Preschool Play Scale, considering the age ranges of 48 to 60 months and 60 to 72 months. Results: Differences were found in the play behaviors of boys and girls. Boys performed better in play skills related to spatial dominance, while girls showed better performance in pretend play skills. Age also influenced the evaluated skills, with better performance observed in items related to the 48 to 60-month age range. Conclusion: This study made it possible to understand the play performance of preschool children and to identify the differences in play between boys and girls, contributing to the understanding of gender influence on the play performance of preschoolers.

Keywords: Child; Play; Knox Preschool Play Scale; Gender.