Quintal brincante e a infância: Oportunidade de descobertas e transformação

The study addresses the role of natural schoolyards in public Early Childhood Education as living educational spaces that promote meaningful and integrative learning experiences. This qualitative bibliographic research analyzes scientific literature discussing the relationship between childhood, nature and play, aiming to understand how daily contact with natural environments contributes to children's development. The results show that experiences in outdoor spaces enhance integral development across cognitive, affective, social and motor dimensions, while strengthening children's sense of belonging and connection with their surroundings. Nature emerges as a mediator of knowledge, stimulating sensitive interactions, curiosity, investigation and experimentation. The analysis also indicates the need for schools to rethink time and space in order to overcome overly classroom-centered practices and adopt proposals that value the schoolyard as a territory of listening and coexistence. It concludes that integrating childhood and nature requires pedagogical intentionality and ongoing teacher training so that natural environments are recognized as essential conditions for meaningful and holistic learning.