This study aimed to investigate how the feminine and the masculine in the process of taking care children in a preschool of Rio Grande - RS are created. The sense interpretation according to the old philosophy, and the conception of habitus of Bourdieu as methodological and theoretical-philosophical references, respectively were adopted. Data was collected through daily observation registered in field and semi-structured interviews with the caretakers, as they are those who most interact with the children. The ethical principles of Resolution 196/96 were respected. For the content analysis, it was learned that the caretakers are solicitous, kind and affectionate with every child. However, they take care in a natural way and thus culturally differentiated between boys and girls. Boys were allowed riskier, innovative, and spectacular games, while the girls were made to follow the rules of the games. In the first years, the children have already been internalizing a pattern of typical behavior of each sex finding difficulty in transgressing it, due to pressure from the group itself.
Child care; Gender identity; Child rearing