Abstract:

Abstract This study aims to reflect on how playing produces/can produce information about children's learning and achievements, in the context of evaluating educational practices in Early Childhood Education, assuming itself as an instrument of data generation. Therefore, the following path was followed in the construction of this text: a) discussion of the concepts of play, toy and playing; b) reflections on evaluation in early childhood education as a map in the investigation of the paths taken by children in their learning and reorientation of teaching practice; c) analysis and propositions about playing in the context of evaluative practices in Early Childhood Education, as an instrument of data generation. Thus, in the study, it is concluded that play can be used as an instrument to monitor and/or reorient the evaluation of educational practice in Early Childhood Education.

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