Recreation, Participation, and Autonomy in Community Playrooms: Analysis of an Experience in the Argentine Republic

Abstract

This article aims to share some aspects of an experience carried out in 2017 through an intervention project implemented at the Playroom of a Community Educational Center located in Villa Soldati, in the southern part of Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Using a qualitative approach, an analysis of the context was conducted, including the neighborhood, the institution, the target participants, and particularly the Playroom and the resources used, which allowed the project to be initiated. Subsequently, by detailing and studying data obtained from surveys and interviews with the institution’s management team, teachers, families, and participating children, various analyses were developed, yielding results that were further explored considering their complexity and associated challenges.

For the theoretical framework, several concepts were incorporated, including Non-Formal Education, educational design, needs, youth, leisure time, recreation, and play. General and specific objectives were defined, guiding the direction of the proposed project. Finally, action plans were developed to achieve each objective, describing, analyzing, and evaluating the activities carried out.

Upon completing this process, some final reflections and future proposals were suggested regarding the importance of participant involvement and decision-making in recreational processes that promote the development of autonomy.