Sociology of Childhood: Understanding the Social World of Children As adults, we often view Childhood as a time of innocence, playfulness, and carefree joy. However, from a sociological perspective, childhood is much more complex. It is a stage of life that is shaped by social, cultural, and historical influences. This is where sociology of childhood comes into play. Sociology of childhood is a branch of sociology that focuses on the study of children and childhood as social phenomena.