This paper attempts to show the way in which childhood was constructed in a particular historical paradigm, depending on the circumstances in the social context. The image we have of the child and childhood has changed depending on the socio-cultural context over time. In order to understand the changing notions of the child and childhood, it is necessary to start from the spirit of the time of certain historical periods. Ancient times bring the first reflections on education, the first theoretical forms of the practice of educational activities. Depending on the social class, children were educated, Roman upbringing developed on Greek foundations, but corporal punishment of children was common. In the feudal age, the child was perceived as an adult in small or miniature adults. After the end of infancy, children, together with adults, bore the burden of life, they did not stand out from uneducated adults in any way. Only the invention of the printing press in the 15th century began to distinguish between adults and children. The Renaissance is a time when organized care for orphans occurs and generally raises awareness of the importance of caring for weak and unprotected children. The 18th century as an enlightenment or pedagogical century brings the ideas of freedom, brotherhood and equality, books on education are printed as well as books intended for young readers. Industrialization is a time of great misery for the proletariat, children are exploited by hard work in factories, mines and similar places for 18 hours a day. With the United Nations Universal Declaration of 1948, education is given the status of a fundamental human right, and in the modern paradigm the child is a subject who constructs his own knowledge, and a childhood that is not just a transitional phase for "future life".