Internet of toys across home and early childhood education: understanding the ecology of the child’s social world

ABSTRACT

This article presents findings from an ongoing international study of children’s use of Internet-connected toys (IoToys) across Scotland, England, Northern Ireland and Greece. The authors sought to investigate practices with IoToys across homes and early childhood settings. Data from 12 case study families and approximately 200 children who interacted with case study children in early childhood settings were collected alongside interviews with parents and educators. Findings indicate that digital difference between home and education is recurring due to infrastructure and budgetary issues in early childhood settings, resulting in organic play-based IoToy use at home versus structured adult-directed teaching of IoToys in early childhood practice. Working from a social-ecological theoretical frame however demonstrated that children skilfully and fluidly transitioned between digital and non-digital play and across diverse socio ecological contexts of home and early childhood settings.

KEYWORDS:

• Digital childhood
• Internet of Things (IoT)
• Internet of Toys (IoToys)
• ecologies
• home/education divide
• play
• early childhood education

Acknowledgments

The authors extend their deepest appreciation to the families, educators and children involved in this project; not only for allowing the data to be used but also for providing the opportunity for the authors to engage in delightfully fun experiences of playing with children and technology.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. To unify the varied terminology and qualifications of staff across the data cohorts, we use the encompassing term of ‘educator’ to describe the staff.

2. As the names applied to ECE vary across the project, when we refer to ECE we will use the term ‘settings’.

3. The families for this study represent a relatively affluent demographic.

4. Scottish word for ‘small’.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Lorna Arnott

Lorna Arnott is a Lecturer in the University of Strathclyde, UK.

Ioanna Palaiologou

Ioanna Palaiologou is an Academic Associate of the UCL Institute of Education, UK and an educational psychologist.

Colette Gray

Colette Gray is a Principal Lecturer at Stranmillis University College, Queen’s University Belfast, UK.