Mobile technology in young children's everyday life is inevitable. Studies show risk for this sensitive age. How to design devices for kids that are not only unobtrusive, but also support natural development and learning?

1. Value Sensitive
Design for Early
Childhood
Justyna Zubrycka,
Connected play designer
Toymaker, Co-founder of Vai Kai
vaikai.com

2. of children under the age of 4
use mobile devices.
None of these devices are made
for children.
97%

3. A study found that too much
time spent with screen media
could have damaging impacts
on early childhood development.
Source: Official Journal of The American Academy of Pediatrics

4. Parents from IT
elite raise their
children low-tech
"Actually we don't
allow the iPad in
the home. We
think it's too
dangerous for
them in effect."
Steve Jobs,
2 years after releasing iPad

5. Screen Media Use, by Income, 2011-2017
Source: Official Journal of The American Academy of Pediatrics
Average time 0- to 8-years-olds spent daily (hours:minutes)

6. How technology should be
harvest in order to serve young
children?

7. Early Childhood Development approach
• Child respected as an autonomous learner
• Attention to physical, personal, social,
emotional and spiritual wellbeing
• Importance of child-directed play in the
cognitive aspects of learning

8. Design principles for young children
Sensory - rich
Personalised
Open - ended Child-
centered

9. Outcome?

10. Digital heart in a
wooden body
VaiKais are digital
wooden dolls
responding with
adorable murmuring
sounds and
a hearbeat that can
be felt.

11. VaiKai Time
Companion with
Playful Timer and
Alarm Clock
guides a child to
develop sense of
time through play.

12. Safety, security, privacy and societal insights:
Kaleidoscope of the Internet of toys
https://docplayer.net/50284228-Kaleidoscope-on-the-
internet-of-toys.html

13. #HellNoBarbie
There is no level of legal or
‘technological’ protection that you
can apply to Hello Barbie’s
recordings to keep them safe.”
- Dr. Jeremy Hansen, CISSP,
Assistant Professor of Computer
Science, Norwich University

14. Dr Dylan Yamada-Risa has studied the
effects of Vai Kai digital companions on
five-to eight-year-old's.
Key finding: children’s emotional
interactions with the dolls were triggering
unique caretaking play patterns — an
essential aspect of developing emotional
intelligence and imagination.

15. Enhancing digital literacy and creativity
Key findings: digital mastery is not aquired
by digital exposure. As long as children
cannot get inventive, digital media will not
teach them anything.

16. One interesting fact is that companies
are looking at ways to incorporate
technological features to the most
common traditional toys and games.
Vai Kai is a great example presented at
the Spielwarenmesse® 2016. It’s a line of
intuitive connected wooden toys that
combine tech and tradition.
- Maria Costa,
Child Consumer Expert
Recognised by industry

17. Trust from parents
I felt in love with Vai Kai the moment
I saw them. As a mom I struggle with
buying the classic toys I love that
evoke imaginative play and the
hyper stimulative tech toys that
bombard us at every corner. I think
Vai Kai is a perfect blend of the two.
- Elizabeth C.

18. It’s the child who,
making use of all that
she finds around her,
shapes herself for the
future.
Maria Montessori

19. Thank you
Dziękuję
Danke
Gracias
Takk
@JustynaZubrycka
@vai_kai vaikai.com