Entre folhas e brincadeiras: experiências infantis com a natureza em contexto rural amazônico

Abstract

The relationship between children and natural environments has become an emerging topic in light of increasing urbanization and the resulting disconnection of new generations from nature. In the Amazonian context—where biodiversity and local culture offer unique opportunities for interaction with the natural world—there is still a lack of studies exploring, from the children’s perspective, how these bonds are formed and what meanings are attributed to nature in everyday life. This dissertation contributes to this field of inquiry by seeking to understand, through a qualitative and multimethod approach, the experiences and perceptions of children living in a rural Amazonian community. The research was conducted in the community of Cachoeira do Leão (AM-010) and involved semi-structured interviews with children and mothers, naturalistic observations, and guided walks (walkthroughs) with audiovisual recordings. The study is part of the research line Psychosocial Processes within the Graduate Program in Psychology at the Federal University of Amazonas (PPGPSI-UFAM), and is aligned with the advisor’s broader project focused on promoting human development in dialogue with Environmental Psychology. Data analysis revealed that children build affective, symbolic, and functional bonds with the natural environment, perceiving it as a space of freedom, creativity, and well-being. Mothers also recognize the benefits of nature contact, while highlighting structural limitations that affect childcare in rural areas. The findings underscore the role of natural environments as protective factors for child development and emphasize the need for public policies and professional practices that regard nature as a right of childhood. In a historical moment marked by screen overexposure, impoverished sensory experiences, and the standardization of childhoods, this study advocates for actively listening to Amazonian children and valuing spaces where childhood remains intertwined with the biotic and abiotic elements of nature. The evidence suggests that it is not merely the amount of nature that matters, but the culturally mediated opportunities for meaningful interaction it affords—shaped by regional values, practices, and ways of life. By shedding light on these relationships, this dissertation contributes to strengthening cross-sectoral efforts aimed at promoting child well-being and socio-environmental sustainability in the Amazonian context.