THE IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATIONAL GAMES IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION, ARTICULATING COGNITIVE, SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL, AND MOTOR DIMENSIONS, AS WELL AS THE TEACHER'S DIDACTIC INTENTIONS.

Abstract

This work aims to analyze the importance of play, through games and activities, in the integral development of children in early childhood education. The research is based on a qualitative approach and a literature review of authors such as Piaget, Vygotsky, Lima, and Gadelha, who discuss play as an essential part of learning. The study identifies that play favors cognitive, emotional, motor, and social development, in addition to strengthening autonomy, imagination, and socialization among children. It was observed that playful activities, when planned and mediated by the teacher, make the teaching process more meaningful and enjoyable, stimulating creativity and the construction of new knowledge. It concludes that the use of play in the classroom is not just a recreational resource, but a fundamental pedagogical practice capable of promoting lasting learning and the full development of the child.