RESCUING THE TOY IN ITS TRANSFORMATIONS AND INFLUENCES: study with middle aged people and senior people from the rural and urban area of the cities of Venâncio Aires and Mato Leitão – RS

Abstract

Traditional toys and games are part of the recreational culture, handed down from generation to generation. Facing the current transformations, it is possible to realize the necessity to rescue these games. This study aims to describe the toys used by middle aged and the senior citizens from the country and urban areas of the cities of Venâncio Aires e Mato Leitão – RS in their childhood and of those toys, which ones were experienced by their children and, or are experienced by their grandchildren. 70 individuals of both sexes (20 male and 50 female) between 50 and 80 years old constitute the subjects of this study. The methodology approach is characterized as an exploratory description study in which structured questionnaires on the topic and objectives of the study were applied, forming direct questions, adapted from Burgos. As a result of this study, it was observed that the toys which were most used by the subjects in their childhood are the rag doll, soapbox car and four wheel cart. The toys were handcrafted, parents taught their children mainly how to build the toys, although the majority of the seniors did not learn to build these toys and do not know the origin of the toys. Most games were played in the fields and in the yard and, mainly on weekends, and the games were play house, ride downhill or down the field on the soapbox car and hide and seek. The four wheel cart and the rag doll were the toys used in their childhood and experienced by the children. The grandchildren use as toys the video game, computers, remote control toy cars, balls and dolls. To the subjects in the study, the toys are modern and technological, and are purchased not handcrafted anymore. Therefore, it is noticed that toys are not handed down to the new generations, and facing the current transformations it is important to rescue the richness of different cultures, establishing social relations and group interaction which is important for the development of the children.