Today’s Way of Play
Examining How Technology and Media are Becoming “Child’s Play”
During the second ideation activity, Today’s Way of Play, Moderators instructed participants to fast forward their thinking to the present and consider how today’s children experience play, the role technology plays in that experience, and how to better integrate play and technology.
A Changing Landscape
When talking about how play has changed since their childhood, many participants noted that for today’s children play is a much more solitary, structured, and focused activity than it was even ten or fifteen years ago. Between video games, children’s programming on television and the Internet, and the rise of electronic smart toys, children today have fewer opportunities for unstructured social play. Many participants, including early childhood researchers and specialists, thought this represented a loss in the value of play as a vehicle for early learning and development.
After identifying these challenges, discussions moved on to how technology could be used to support creative discovery, social development, and physical activity. Recognizing that children are curious and fearless about both the physical world and new technologies, participants were optimistic that technological interventions could enrich children’s play experience without sacrificing those special qualities that make play so valuable.
A Balancing Act
By the end of Today’s Way of Play, participants generally agreed that creating a balance between technological and tactile experiences, new technological and media tools could be used to enhance, rather than replace, first-hand physical and social play activities. Now it was time to start thinking about how to bring these two worlds together to create an even richer play experience.
