Occupational therapy, pluralities and childhoods: play as a significant activity of children from southern Mozambique

Abstract

Introduction: Recent studies on children and childhood on the world stage have pointed to an understanding of children as sociocultural beings and active agents in the productions of the world around them, allowing for the rereading of worlds and actions from sociocultural perspectives, especially with respect to play. This paper presents longitudinal research conducted in Mozambique with children from three to fifteen years of age, in which a discussion about playing and its relationship with occupational therapy is presented. Objective: The goal of this study was to understand playing as a significant activity of children, as well as understanding the role of occupational therapists as researchers. Material and Methods: We utilized ethnography with field research in Mozambique in the communities of Matola A, Mabotine and Nhandlovo between 2014 and 2018. Results: The data collected and analysed in this study involved children playing and building toys from disuse material (discard), playing and its relationship with nature and landscapes, images of play and the use of photography. The results point to a kaleidoscope of diversity and languages used by children in play, which is understood as a way of being both in the world and from their space-time relationships. Conclusion: This research contributes to studies of children and childhood in occupational therapy, covering children in their lifestyles and historical contexts, and expands the possibilities of actions and research in sociocultural contexts and perspectives.