The child in the age of digital toys. Review of foreign studies

Abstract

The article provides an overview of contemporary foreign research on the problem of digital toys and their role in children’s everyday life. Key research directions are indicated: the influence of digital toys on play, communication, analysis of the opportunities of using digital media in education as well as risks of interaction with technologies. Particular attention is paid to contemporary concepts of play (Kawai et al., March, Mizuko It, Giddings) which focus on the intersection of online and offline spaces in play. This requires new research methods for the assessment of opportunities and risks in the process of child-toy interaction. The results show that teaching children using modern technologies provides great opportunities, but when it comes to young children, the number of risks increases significantly. The same applies to the development of communication. The issue of the role of the adult in the organization of children’s interaction with digital toys requires special attention in order to maximize the use of opportunities and minimize the risks for the development of the child. Classification of digital toys based on their specifics is regarded as one of important research directions.