“I DON’T PLAY BECAUSE MY MOTHER COMES HOME TIRED”: AN ANALYSIS OF LEISURE AMONG CHILDREN FROM DIFFERENT SOCIOECONOMIC STRATA

Abstract

This study aimed to understand how socioeconomic and educational contexts influence the perception and practice of leisure among children from a city in the central region of Rio Grande do Sul. This exploratory study was conducted using a qualitative questionnaire. Participants were 5th-grade elementary school children enrolled in two public schools located in the same neighborhood but with distinct socioeconomic profiles. The analyses showed that children from the more advantaged social stratum have more time for interaction and play with their caregivers and a greater diversity of leisure experiences, which was not observed in the less advantaged social stratum. Leisure among children in greater social vulnerability is mediated by the use of smartphones and digital technologies, demonstrating lower critical awareness regarding their use.