Play in inclusive early childhood education in pedagogical practices for children with disabilities

The aim of the research was to understand the role of play in inclusive pedagogical practices for children who are the target of special education (PAEE). The study took place in a Municipal Early Childhood Education Institution in the interior of Para. One teacher from the Pre-II class took part in the study. The survey procedures involved semi-structured interviews and participant observation. Content analysis was used to process the data, organized into thematic categories: play in the process of including children and planning and pedagogical practice: the centrality of games and play. The results suggest that play makes it possible to strengthen bonds between children and contributes to the process of inclusion of children with and without disabilities in Early Childhood Education. Playfulness helps methodological strategies that make teaching practice more efficient and productive, and is indispensable in inclusive Early Childhood Education.