THE USE OF PLAY AS A PEDAGOGICAL STRATEGY IN RELIGIOUS EDUCATION IN THE EARLY YEARS OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Abstract

This article investigates the use of play as a pedagogical strategy in the Religious Education curriculum in the early years of elementary school, in line with the guidelines of the National Common Curricular Base (BNCC). The research, qualitative and bibliographic in nature, is based on classical authors such as Piaget, Vygotsky, Huizinga, and Freire, as well as contemporary works on playfulness and education. The study shows that play, understood as a cultural language and mediator of knowledge, enables more meaningful learning, fostering students' comprehensive development in cognitive, socio-emotional, and ethical dimensions. Practices such as storytelling, dramatizations, cooperative games, and art workshops increase student engagement and contribute to the internalization of values such as empathy, cooperation, and respect for diversity. However, significant challenges remain, such as the need for specific teacher training, the scarcity of adequate teaching materials, and the risk of superficiality or confessionalism. It is concluded that play, when planned intentionally and aligned with the skills provided for in the BNCC, constitutes a powerful methodological resource to qualify Religious Education, consolidating it as a space for critical reflection, intercultural dialogue and citizen construction.