Editorial introduction to Designing for Play as Cultural Production in Childhood. Seeking new grounds

Abstract

WHY BRIDGING? The two areas of research share a common interest – play – but they also differ in their approaches and emphasize different aspects of their research. Childhood studies examines childhood, children and children’s production of meaning related to their lives with interests and friends. Research in childhood studies leads to an understanding of various concepts and theories related to childhood, such as play and peers. However, the impact of this understanding is sometimes limited, especially because the effects of decisions outside academia are not always incorporated. This field could benefit from design research as it can offer a bridge towards impact through the development of concrete solutions. Design research emphasizes the impact on the outside world in the form of prototypes and design knowledge. However, this field could benefit from the more nuanced view of the role of play for children as provided by childhood studies. In the following paragraphs, we will explore the two research areas in terms of purpose, knowledge and theory, methods and impact in order to come to a nuanced view of barriers and potentials for bridging between the two areas.