Toys, Learning, & Play Summit
TOUCH SCREENS
Michael Cohen Group LLC | February 17, 2014
TOUCHSCREEN
DEVICE OWNERSHIP
Percentage of U.S. 2- to 10-year-olds living in homes with:
iPad Touch or similar
Educational gaming device
Hand-held video games
Tablet Device
Smartphone
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
(Rideout, 2014)
•
From 2011 to 2013, the percentage of children with a “smart” mobile device at home increased
from 52% to 75% (Common Sense Media, 2013).
•
36.4% of children 2-8 in households with at least one touch screen device, own their own
device (MCG, 2013) .
•
Families at all income levels own touch screen devices, although higher-earning families tend to
own a greater number of devices (MCG, 2013).
Michael Cohen Group, LLC | Toys, Learning, & Play Summit | February 2014
WHAT CHILDREN ARE
PLAYING
Frequency of Play Type
Children 12-years-old and under
Board Games
Very Often
Puzzles
Often
Play Vehicles
Game Consoles
Construction and Blocks
Arts and Crafts
Dolls & Action Figures
Touch Screens
0%
20%
40%
(Michael Cohen Group, 2014)
Michael Cohen Group, LLC | Toys, Learning, & Play Summit | February 2014
60%
80%
100%
WHAT CHILDREN ARE
DOING ON
TOUCHSCREENS
Frequency of Use by Activity
Children 12-years-old and under
Very Often
Utility
Often
Communication
Viewing
Learning
Playing Games
0%
10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
(Michael Cohen Group, 2014)
Michael Cohen Group, LLC | Toys, Learning, & Play Summit | February 2014
WHAT CHILDREN ARE
PLAYING ON
TOUCHSCREENS
Role Playing
Frequency of Play by Type
Children 12-years-old and under
Board Games
Very Often
Sports
Often
Racing
Arcade
Action
Adventure
Puzzles
Free Play
Music
Educational
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
(Michael Cohen Group, 2014)
Michael Cohen Group, LLC | Toys, Learning, & Play Summit | February 2014
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
WHEN A TOUCHSCREEN
DEVICE IS A TOY
"Always"
10%
Parents say:
"Never"
32%
Sometimes
58%
(Michael Cohen Group, 2014)
Michael Cohen Group, LLC | Toys, Learning, & Play Summit | February 2014
TOUCHSCREENS &
LEARNING
Parent Ranking of Toy Purchasing Criteria
Age Appropriateness
1st Priority
Educational Value
2nd Priority
3rd Priority
Price
Child's Request
Play Value
Innovative Technology
0%
10%
20%
30%
(Michael Cohen Group, 2014)
Michael Cohen Group, LLC | Toys, Learning, & Play Summit | February 2014
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
PLAY & LEARNING
TOUCHSCREEN DEVICES
• Defined/rule-based play
• Play/game defined by app
• Ongoing feedback/leveling
• Single-player play
• Personal best
• Non-mediated
• Approximates physical reality
• Fine motor skill use/development
• Window to the world
• 3D and 4D simulation of
experience
TRADITIONAL TOYS
• Open-ended free play
• Toy integrated into child’s play
Creativity • Mastery is subjective
Social
Sensory
Experience
Michael Cohen Group, LLC | Toys, Learning, & Play Summit | February 2014
• Pair/group play
• Interpersonal competition
• Mediated
• Physical reality—touch, sight,
sound, smell and taste
• Fine and gross motor skill
use/development
• Direct experience
• Local experience/2D
representation
NEW TRENDS
Touschcreen
Toys
Michael Cohen Group, LLC | Toys, Learning, & Play Summit | February 2014
9
PERCEPTIONS
OF NEW TRENDS
TYCHE
APPTIVITY
CARBOTS
IBITZ
My child would ask for this
33%
33%
42%
28%
I would buy this for my child
29%
24%
28%
37%
My child would continually
play this
This is an exciting use of
technology
This combination is better
than a toy alone
24%
25%
25%
21%
27%
21%
21%
32%
18%
10%
17%
18%
(Michael Cohen Group, 2014)
Michael Cohen Group, LLC | Toys, Learning, & Play Summit | February 2014
E M E R G I N G
N E W
P L A Y
P A T T E R N S ?
Michael Cohen Group, LLC | Toys, Learning, & Play Summit | February 2014
R E F E R E N C E S
Common Sense Media (2013). ZERO TO EIGHT: CHILDREN’S MEDIA USE IN
AMERICA 2013. New York, NY.
Michael Cohen Group. (2013). Survey on Ownership and Usage of Touch Screen
Devices Among Parents of Young Children (Report of research conducted as
part of ELC initiative within the Ready to Learn program). New York, NY.
Michael Cohen Group. (2014). Patterns of play in Birth to 12-year-old children
(Unpublished survey). New York, NY: The Michael Cohen Group.
Rideout, V. (2014). Learning at home: Families’ education media use in America.
The Joan Ganz Cooney Center: The Families and Media Project. Retrieved
from http://www.joanganzcooneycenter.org/wpcontent/uploads/2014/01/jgcc_learningathome.pdf
Michael Cohen Group, LLC | Toys, Learning, & Play Summit | February 2014