Interações entre o comportamento infantil e o ambiente construído, observações da abordagem Pikler na primeira infância

Abstract

The main objective of the research is to understand the relationship between the built environment and the motor development of children in early childhood, analyzing behavioral observation at the Vila Materna educational institution, inspired by the Pikler approach. The study focuses on the needs of children in early childhood and the importance of the built environment being suitable to the anthropometric scale, offering functionality for the autonomous use of the space. This allows, through the organization and furniture, the child to experience free motor activity that contributes to their development. The ergonomics of the built environment studies the relationship between the user and the environment in the execution of daily activities, based on the adequacy of the environment to human needs and desires. This topic provides a framework for analyzing and creating an environment that is accessible to early childhood users. This is an interdisciplinary study that uses neuroscience strategies to understand the needs of children in early childhood and how the quality of the environment impacts the user’s behavior. The educational environment needs to communicate the principles of the approach that guide the pedagogical practices applied to direct learning and development, offering its users an environment that supports these practices. A school that is inspired by the Pikler approach, designed for children from zero to three years old, was chosen to apply observation techniques. The dissertation follows a qualitative methodological design. Data collection will be conducted in four stages. The first stage involved a systematic literature review on the relationship between neuroscience and the built environment, focused on early childhood and motor development. The second stage contextualized the theoretical framework by authors discussing the Pikler approach, the proposal for furniture, and the organization of the environment aimed at promoting free motor activity in early childhood, also addressing the ergonomics of the built environment centered on the child user. The importance of the child’s interaction with an environment that provides autonomous experiences in a safe space for free mobility, in accordance with their anthropometric scale, was also analyzed. The third stage consisted of an exploratory visit to the Vila Materna educational institution, located in Maceió/AL, with approval from the Ethics Committee, to observe the motor behavior of the children in the institution’s indoor environments. The interactions of the children with the elements that compose the organization of the environment were analyzed, in addition to photographic and video records, in order to create a mapping of the built environment and a behavioral map of the users. In the fourth stage, the Childcare Environment Evaluation Scale – ITERES-3 was applied. This observational method in preschool environments serves to analyze the quality of the space. By investigating the children’s interaction with spaces and materials organized to stimulate free motor activity, the research aimed to contribute to the creation of educational environments that respect the specific needs of this age group, promoting autonomy and physical, cognitive, and emotional development. The research results provide valuable insights for architects, designers, and educators in creating spaces that not only meet functional and aesthetic needs but also act as true facilitators of child development. The goal is to encourage the creation of environments that, in addition to being safe, provide conditions for children to fully experience their environments with freedom, security, and continuous stimulation of exploration and creativity.