Contributions of Play-Based Practices to Early Literacy Development

Abstract

This article analyzes the contributions of play-based practices to early literacy development in the early years of elementary education. Based on a qualitative bibliographic approach, the study discusses the relevance of play as a pedagogical strategy capable of fostering the learning of reading and writing in a meaningful, participatory, and contextualized manner. The research is grounded in theoretical frameworks from education and developmental psychology, highlighting the contributions of scholars such as Piaget, Vygotsky, Wallon, Kishimoto, Freire, and Soares to the understanding of the relationship between playfulness and learning. The findings indicate that play-based activities, such as educational games, recreational activities, dramatizations, songs, and storytelling, promote children's cognitive, linguistic, emotional, and social development, strengthening essential skills for the literacy process. Furthermore, play-based practices enhance motivation, creativity, social interaction, and students’ active participation, making the school environment more welcoming and inclusive. The study also emphasizes the teacher’s role as a mediator of learning experiences, highlighting the need for pedagogical planning and teacher training aimed at integrating playfulness into educational practices. It is concluded that playfulness constitutes an important pedagogical resource for promoting more meaningful literacy development and fostering the holistic development of children.