The article presents a review of research that has sought to capture the perspectives of poor children on their experience in Brazilian public childhood education institutions, emphasising two themes: interactions and play. The voices of the children heard in these studies indicate the predominance of the transmissive teaching model, centred on values and objectives defined only by adults, marked by discipline, authoritarian relations, and not particularly sensitive to the children' interests and needs. In this scenario, boys and girls develop a hostile relationship with school, especially with the preschool teacher. This panorama indicates an urgent need for participatory professional development that will allow educators to reconstruct the child' image, their own role and the educational environment so that they embrace and respond to the needs and rights of children and their competence.