Play in Early Childhood: A Tool for the Construction of the Psychic System and the Sociological Subject

This paper aims to explore how play in early childhood is a fundamental tool for the construction of the psychic system, allowing children to be considered as sociological subjects with agency, rather than merely categories of study. Play is analyzed as a voluntary, symbolic action essential for children's cognitive, emotional, and social development, while also contributing to neurodevelopment by stimulating key areas of the brain involved in integrating the internal (emotions, thoughts) with the external (social norms, rules). This process facilitates neuroplasticity and the consolidation of neural networks that are essential for emotional regulation and decision-making.

Based on the theories of Piaget, Luhmann, Mead, as well as other theorists of child development and sociology, the analysis examines how play facilitates the internalization of social norms, emotional regulation, and the formation of mental schemas, while simultaneously allowing children to develop an autonomous identity and create a sense of agency. Play is a symbolic space where children experiment, learn, adopt roles, rehearse social situations, and develop cognitive and emotional skills, enabling them not only to internalize social expectations but also to actively participate in shaping their social reality.

Furthermore, it is argued that play in early childhood serves as a means of self-regulation and adjustment to social expectations, allowing children to acquire socially determined emotional and social skills expected for adulthood. Finally, this paper highlights the importance of understanding play as a manifestation of children's agency, suggesting a shift in how we conceive early childhood—not just as a phase of development, but as a stage where children actively influence and are influenced by the social structures around them, which has significant implications for child-centered educational and social policies.