Are children's lives all fun and games? No. So, we call for Playful by Design

This year’s Safer Internet Day theme on 8 February is “All fun and games? Exploring respect and relationships online,” headlining new research showing that the pandemic has led to 77% of young people spending longer playing games and apps online than ever before. However, before we jump to conclusions about what this increase in time spent online means, let’s reflect on the research we did for Playful by Design, comparing the qualities of play children enjoy online and offline. This comparison shows that children enjoy both but also encounter problems with both. That said, offline play is still greatly preferred by children, and for good reason!