Category Archives: Commentary

For the fourth part of this series, we asked experts to focus their predictions on digital play by answering the question, “How will the way children play with digital media change in the coming months and/or years as a result of the coronavirus pandemic?” A call for intergenerational and inclusive digital play J. Alison Bryant, PhD, is Senior Vice President of AARP Research. The COVID-19 world has impacted family relationships in myriad ways, and the grandparent-grandchild bond is no exception.…

For the fourth part of this series, we asked experts to focus their predictions on digital play by answering the question, “How will the way children play with digital media change in the coming months and/or years as a result of the coronavirus pandemic?” Virtual library spaces to connect children Juan Rubio is the Digital Media and Learning Program Manager at The Seattle Public Library. Before COVID-19, informal learning spaces such as libraries provided children with afterschool programs that gave…

For the fourth part of this series, we asked experts to focus their predictions on digital play by answering the question, “How will the way children play with digital media change in the coming months and/or years as a result of the coronavirus pandemic?” Kids will demand authenticity through digital play Jordan Shapiro, PhD, is author of The New Childhood: Raising Kids to Thrive in a Connected World and a Senior Fellow at the Joan Ganz Cooney Center. Across all…

For the fourth part of this series, we asked experts to focus their predictions on digital play by answering the question, “How will the way children play with digital media change in the coming months and/or years as a result of the coronavirus pandemic?” A call for caring and care-full play communities Katie Salen Tekinbaş, MFA, LHD, is a Professor in the Department of Informatics at the University of California at Irvine, as well as Chief Designer and co-founder of…

For the fourth part of this series, we asked experts to focus their predictions on digital play by answering the question, “How will the way children play with digital media change in the coming months and/or years as a result of the coronavirus pandemic?” The future of play is…bringing the world together As VP of Digital Civility for Roblox, Tami Bhaumik leads Roblox’s groundbreaking digital civility initiative focused on providing kids, teens, parents, and caregivers with the skills needed to…

For the fourth part of this series, we asked experts to focus their predictions on digital play by answering the question, “How will the way children play with digital media change in the coming months and/or years as a result of the coronavirus pandemic?” Parents and kids will learn to play together Jesse Schell is CEO of Schell Games and Distinguished Professor of Entertainment Technology at Carnegie Mellon University. Videogames represent a significant divide between parents and kids. Kids are…

For the fourth part of this series, we asked experts to focus their predictions on digital play by answering the question, “How will the way children play with digital media change in the coming months and/or years as a result of the coronavirus pandemic?” Creativity, community, and kindness Mitchel Resnick, PhD, Professor of Learning Research at the MIT Media Lab, is author of the book Lifelong Kindergarten: Cultivating Creativity through Projects, Passion, Peers, and Play. On March 18, 2020, a…

In this third installment of the series, we asked experts, “How will childhood play change in the coming months and/or years as a result of the coronavirus pandemic?”  Play makes children more equipped for the future Bo Stjerne Thomsen, PhD, is the Vice-President and Chair of Learning through Play in the LEGO Foundation. The uncertainty and rapid societal change affecting all domains of children’s lives will bring greater attention to the fundamental role of play for children to learn across…

For Part 3 of the Voices on the Future of Childhood series, we asked experts to offer their insights and predictions on what play will—or better yet, should—look like when families are released from isolation.  From pandemic disruption to social reconstruction Makeda Mays Green is Vice President of Digital Consumer Insights at Nickelodeon. Arguably, communal play has faced no greater adversary than COVID-19. This pandemic has aggressively disrupted kids’ daily routines and recklessly challenged face-to-face interaction. From canceled playdates to…

For Part 3 of the Voices on the Future of Childhood series, we asked experts to offer their insights and predictions on what play will—or better yet, should—look like when families are released from isolation.  Every kid should have access to a playground Ronda Jackson is Senior Advisor of Government Affairs at KABOOM!, a national nonprofit that works to achieve playspace equity. The COVID-19 crisis is temporarily redrawing the map of childhood, and playgrounds are out. Mulch crunching underfoot, laughter…