The domestication of smart toys: perceptions and practices of young children and their parents

Rita Brito, Patrícia Dias*, Gabriela Oliveira

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

4 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

This chapter discusses how smart toys are being adopted in homes with young children (under 10), using domestication theory (Silverstone and Hirsch in Consuming Technologies: Media and information in domestic spaces. Routledge, London, 1992) as the framework. We report on a qualitative exploratory study aiming to understand the different domestication stages—appropriation, objectification, incorporation and conversion. Our method consisted of visits to a purposive sample of 21 families, combining interviews, activities and non-participant observation. Our findings reveal that parents have mixed perceptions about smart toys—they value their educational potential but fear an excess of technological play and consider them expensive. We found smart toys in a few homes, observing early stages of domestication, with smart toys becoming part of an “ecosystem” of other toys and activities, but still with a “novelty” status.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationThe internet of toys
Subtitle of host publicationpractices, affordances and the political economy of children’s smart play
EditorsGiovanna Mascheroni, Donell Holloway
Place of PublicationCham
PublisherPalgrave Macmillan
Pages111-133
Number of pages23
ISBN (Electronic)9783030108984
ISBN (Print)9783030108977
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2019

Publication series

NameStudies in Childhood and Youth
ISSN (Print)2731-6467
ISSN (Electronic)2731-6475

Keywords

  • Domestication
  • IoToys (Internet of Toys)
  • Perceptions
  • Smart toys
  • Young children

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