ABSTRACT

This book offers a fresh look at recent developments in policy, curricula and pedagogical discourse around children’s play with Internet of Toys (IoToys). By expanding the notion of digital and smart play perspectives in early childhood education, the authors critique and develop the broader subject area of IoToys play to better serve its end users.

The book brings together research from across three different countries: Australia, Norway and England. It offers tangible examples of how one can use IoToys to build children’s social skills, emotional intelligence, sense of achievement, collaboration and aspects of STEM and design play thinking processes. The learning stories of children’s IoToys play will deliver a comprehensive review of how practitioners and parents can come together to build communities of practice for (re)enhancing children’s learning and growth using evolving technology-based play and engage in paradigmatic debates. Readers as a result will better appreciate the growth in pragmatic applications of technologies together with theoretical perspectives.

The book will be a valuable resource for any academic or practitioner just beginning to understand the complexities and success stories of integrating IoToys for children’s playful learning.

chapter 1|21 pages

Introduction

Setting the scene: “New” toys – “new” learningscapes?

chapter 3|14 pages

Technological landscapes at home, but do they really play?

A case study from English homes

chapter 4|27 pages

Is there a space for “A” and “R” in early childhood STEM education?

Building a case for AI robotic technologies integration in Australia

chapter 6|27 pages

IoToys and social-emotional literacies

chapter 7|22 pages

Children's agency

Mentally linked and digitally connected, but are they heard?

chapter 8|5 pages

Conclusions

The changing playscapes of early childhood education