ABSTRACT
This chapter presents several of the main theories about learning, how perceptual skills change as children grow, and how learning theories relate to and affect the design of interactive media. Thinking about how kids learn is fundamental when designing a game for children. In the adult world, it is part of the draw of slot machines and many games that are designed to reward players just often enough to keep them interested. Nintendo’s Mario games are designed to teach a different interface skill at each new level, continually pushing players out of their comfort zone. Behaviorist ideas constantly pop up in software and other media designed for kids. Exposure to almost anything new can create a sense of disequilibration, but encountering new information in smaller pieces makes it easier for kids to integrate the new material and bounce back to equilibrium.
