PLAYING AS A CORE AND PEDAGOGICAL RIGHT IN THE BNCC: EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND THE INITIAL YEARS OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Abstract

This article discusses the role of play as a pedagogical axis and a fundamental right in the Brazilian National Common Curricular Base (BNCC), focusing on Early Childhood Education and the early years of Elementary School. Based on theoretical and practical approaches, it analyzes how play contributes to the holistic development of children, being recognized as a language, experience, and right. In Early Childhood Education, play is central to the fields of experience and learning rights, while in the early years of Elementary School, it remains an effective pedagogical strategy for promoting meaningful learning. The text also presents practical activities that integrate play into the school routine, reinforcing the importance of educational environments that respect children's time, interests, and ways of expression. It concludes that play should be understood as an essential educational principle, capable of transforming the school into a space of discovery, affection, and knowledge construction.