Digital Pretend Play

Digital Pretend Play is an interactive system designed to explore how augmented toys with audiovisual feedback and abstract forms influence the social pretend play behaviors of preschoolers. By integrating digitally enhanced toys into a tabletop environment, the project facilitates symbolic transformation where neutral physical objects serve as "pivots" for various imaginative roles, tools, and spaces. The system features a representational mechanism that provides coherent visual projections and auditory stimuli corresponding to five play modes, such as kitchen or hospital play. A user study with thirty-four preschoolers revealed that digital augmentation significantly increases simple social pretend play, object substitution, and the divergence of play contexts. However, the research also identified social challenges in shared spaces, where conflicting play mode preferences can hinder cooperative interaction. These findings offer a comprehensive design space for future interactive play, balancing the benefits of sensory reinforcement with the preservation of children's natural imaginative processes.