Technologies to engage young children in physical activity: an online study of parenting practices

Abstract

This paper explores how parents use interactive technologies to encourage young children (under the age of 5) to be physically active, as well as how technologies might undermine physical activity. Based on an analysis of 1528 posts made online on Reddit and Quora, we found that many parents regard time spent with technologies as time taken away from physical activity. However, we also identified how parents appropriated technology to promote physical activity, i.e., through rewarding, modelling, facilitating, participating, tracking and documenting. We hope these practices will inspire design work with families to create new exertion interfaces, games, and persuasive technologies. In framing our findings as practices, we hope to expand the focus of future design activities from narrow concerns with health, tracking, and competition, towards broader concerns with what families do in everyday life, how they socialize, and what resources and technologies they have available to flourish.