Digital Outdoor Play

Wood

Proceedings of the 2020 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems

et al. 2020

We describe a Research-through-Design (RtD) project that explores the Internet of Things (IoT) as a resource for children's free-play outdoors. Based on initial insights from a design ethnography, we developed four RtD prototypes for social play in different scenarios of use outdoors, including congregating on a street or in a park to play physical games with IoT. We observed these prototypes in use by children in their free play in two community settings, and report on the qualitative analysis of our fieldwork. Findings highlight material qualities that encouraged social and physical play under certain conditions, suggesting social affordances that are central to the success of IoT designs for free-play outdoors. We provide directions for future research that addresses the challenges we faced when deploying IoT with children, contributing new considerations for interaction design with children in outdoor settings and free play contexts.

Section: Background Workmentioning

confidence: 85%

Designing IoT Resources to Support Outdoor Play for Children

Wood

Proceedings of the 2020 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems

et al. 2020

“…Several studies in HCI and related Interaction Design for Children (IDC) literature have explored the design of digitally augmented artefacts for open-ended play [15,[23][24][25]29,48,50,58]. There is commonly a focus on digitally enhancing outdoor play and therefore augmenting existing kinds of play resources that are commonly used outdoors [23,39,44,50]. Research has also looked directly at enabling game and rule creation by coding a bespoke device for outdoor play [44].…”

Section: Supporting Open-ended Playmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Research has also looked directly at enabling game and rule creation by coding a bespoke device for outdoor play [44]. Subsequently, researchers have been concerned about directly comparing analogue play, and whether digital augmentation supports or hinders social interaction, physical activity, and the creation of rules and games by children [23,24]. In this study, we did not set out to compare analogue and digital play, but, rather, to propose that both kinds of resources can provide distinct opportunities for free play by children outdoors, and to build a case for further exploring these resources in empirical research.…”

Section: Supporting Open-ended Playmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Even when novel open-ended designs are introduced into free play, the tendency is to observe and principally consider rule-based play in subsequent evaluations [15,36]. Research investigating open-ended designs in free play outdoors looks principally at older children, aged seven and up [2,4,15,[23][24][25]36,39,44,48,50,51,58], where we may expect to see children playing games, discussing and negotiating relatively complex rules [37], as a component of their play with open-ended designs. By exception, Pathway [41] was designed for children aged 3-5 years, and the authors report increased physical activity through running, skipping, and jumping on the prototype.…”

Section: Supporting Open-ended Playmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Lanterns

Proceedings of the 2021 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems

Çerçi

et al. 2021

Previous HCI research has highlighted opportunities for digital technologies to support outdoor play amongst children. However, the tendency has been to focus on older children and forms of play that are structured and rule-based. We report on a Research-through-Design (RtD) inquiry, grounded in an Embodied Interactional approach, that investigated configurations of off-the-shelf Internet of Things (IoT) tool-kits to inspire new forms of free play outdoors for preschool children.We designed the Lanterns, a tangible interactive resource that is made using household materials and guided by a template, and which explores new possibilities to inspire social play and embodied interaction outdoors. Based on observations of the Lanterns being used by preschool children and Early Years Practitioners outdoors, we identify qualities of free play promoted by the Lanterns outdoors, such as enchantment, improvisation, anticipation and choice. We discuss our findings by defining three sensitising concepts to support future design research in this space: Choosing the Way; Improvising through Movement; Anticipating a Response.

“…Researchers have also critically examined the design of digital technologies to enhance outdoor play, identifying benefits but also potential risks, where digital interventions for outdoor play may compromise benefits [20]. HCI studies in this space have evaluated virtual versus tangible design artifacts for enriching outdoor play [52], highlighting how designing for outdoor play can engender new experiences distinct from play resulting from mobile phone games or game consoles, defining the value of 'Heads-Up-Games (HUGS)' for enhancing social interaction [53].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Designing for Digital Playing Out

Wood

Proceedings of the 2019 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems

et al. 2019

We report on a design-led study in the UK that aimed to understand barriers to children (aged 5 to 14 years) 'playing out' in their neighbourhood and explore the potential of the Internet of Things (IoT) for supporting children's free play that extends outdoors. The study forms a design ethnography, combining observational fieldwork with design prototyping and co-creative activities across four linked workshops, where we used BBC micro:bit devices to co-create new IoT designs with the participating children. Our collective account contributes new insights about the physical and interactive features of micro:bits that shaped play, gameplay, and social interaction in the workshops, illuminating an emerging design space for supporting 'digital playing out' that is grounded in empirical instances. We highlight opportunities for designing for digital playing out in ways that promote social negotiation, supports varying participation, allows for integrating cultural influences, and accounts for the weaving together of placemaking and play.