Abstract:
Seeking to understand how children appropriate spaces, identify themselves and act within them, workshops were conducted with 35 children from 5 to 10 years old, living in Babilônia, a favela in Rio de Janeiro. Unlike children whose experience is more restricted to private spaces, the children of this favela were walking and playing with their peers on the streets, occupying common spaces. In doing so, they were exposed to the problems of the place they live in. They criticized disturbances caused by the construction works of the Morar Carioca program, the poor maintenance of public spaces, the garbage, as well as the residences precariousness. Through action and playing, the children transformed these spaces into places they care about, which made for a complex look at their reality, enabling them for social participation.
Keywords:
childhood; favela; playing; participation; public space