EDC048-1: Childhood Narratives - A Virtual Exhibition and Reflection

This project presents a virtual exhibition exploring childhood narratives, contrasting toys from the 1990s with modern digital games. It includes a reflection and comparison of the impact of different types of toys on children's development, mental well-being, and social skills. The exhibition highlights the shift from traditional, imagination-based play to technology-driven entertainment and discusses the potential consequences of this transition. The accompanying commentary delves into the literature, personal experiences, and societal implications, providing a comprehensive analysis of how toys shape children's perceptions, behaviors, and overall development. The project concludes by emphasizing the importance of balancing digital engagement with traditional play to foster well-rounded growth.

ASSESSMENT 1: VIRTUAL EXHIBIT
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Introduction
 Toys are the best friend of human being to give company in leisure.
 Nothing can bit the amusement of toys and its indoor playing perspectives.
 Mode of toys is changed from that of 90’s to modern days due to technological
improvements.
 Aim of this study is to assure a transparent view about changing consequence of toys.
90’s toys
 A number of toys are offered for 90’s generation such as stone game, LEGO and Barbie
doll.
 Barbie doll was my favourite due to its amazing appearance and vibrant dresses (Anad
and Gong, 2018).
 Set of Barbie doll was just fantastic and a world of imagination has just caught me to
think about something good.
 Most of the girls were fond of this indoor game and it might be the common pastime of
all of us.
Toy of modern generation
 Categories of toys change after 2000, the period of digitalisation.
 Mobile gaming and social media are preferred by modern generation.
 Video game attracts them more than any other (Consalvo and Paul, 2018).
 Audio visual centric media prefers by them.
Comparison
 Generation of 90’s are free minded from childhood.
 Generation after 2000 are complex in mind (Gallagher, 2019).
 Digital media has affected on mental condition of modern generation.
 Toys are somehow responsible for affected on physical and mental state of children.
Conclusion
 Toys have capacity to moderate relationship and view of thinking.
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 90’s toys were just excellent to give pleasure for children.
 Mode of action of modern toys are quite complex.
 Barbie is popular amongst all of them for girls in that generation.
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ASSESSMENT 2: REFLECTION AND COMPARISON
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Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................6
Literature Review............................................................................................................................6
Reflection.........................................................................................................................................7
Comparison......................................................................................................................................8
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................9
References......................................................................................................................................11
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Introduction
Toys are the items that teach a child how to communicate with society and deal with different
life problems. This is a media that delivers a number of enjoyments to train children for the near
future. As the era passes, variation has been seen for toys design and playing capacity of the
children have also moderated. As I have born in late 90’s, virtual options of toys were not
available then but modern generations are fond of digital games. However, this generation has
faced difficulties due to excessive digitalisation of toy gaming procedure. The aim of this study
is to deliver clear view about the toy that I have preferred in my childhood and compare it with
modern generation.
Literature Review
Childhood is the golden period for a person and toys have played positive roles at that time to
educate them for social and educational development. As per the view of Driessen (2016),
evolutions of toys are responsible to moderate socio cultural aspects in a better way. Generally,
playing mechanism of toys has helped a child to increase his or her imaginary power and
internalisation of new ideas are really potential. Along with this, toys are essential companions
for children as it helps to evoke mental and physical capacity by correlating with environment.
On the other hand, doctors have claimed that genetic development of a child has been moderated
in a positive way with the help of toys. Apart from this, respect and responsibilities of children
are reshaped with the help of different traditional and non-traditional toys. On the contrary, Anad
and Gong (2018) pointed out that family structure and nature surroundings are understood by a
child that in turn help them to improve basic concept of education. Apart from this, maintenance
of healthy lifestyle is highly facilitated both by indoor and outdoor toys under ethical
consequences.
High grade technological gadgets are used by most of the children of modern generation that
reduces thinking power of children. As per the opinion of Consalvo and Paul (2018), digital
games are affected on sensory organ of a child. Therefore, mental stress and anxiety level of
children have also been increased for lifetime. On the other hand, basic alphabet puzzles are
helpful for children to grow up as an educated one. Apart from this, approaching of toys in
preschool days has delivered opportunity to the children for understanding developmental
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perspectives. However, electronic gadgets reduce communication skill of children and addictions
for gadgets are really chronic for them. As a result, retention power among child has also been
diminished through modern day’s toys. On the other hand, Gallagher (2019) mentioned that
creativity and cognitive capacity among children has been evoked through traditional toys. Apart
from this, basic instructions and extra-curricular activities among children have been increased
through toys.
Learning through toys helps a child to grab intellectual, social and emotional success in life
under any circumstances. Therefore, it becomes quite easy for him or her to be prepared for good
academic performance and improvement of knowledge development skill (Giesinger, 2017). On
the other hand, active involvement with question-answer section has also been increased through
toys. Apart from this, toys have delivered different view for a child and character moderation
helps to be an individual one in competitive world.
Reflection
I recall my childhood till date where there were a numerous things such as fake kitchen, doctors’
tool, LEGO, clay pots and more to pass our leisure. Noises of those colourful machines were just
really amazing and the things that have brought us in the world of imagination. Barbie was my
favourite pastime in the days of childhood and I had a lot of collection of Barbie kit. The days
were so simple and no though of worry was caught me for accomplishing anything. I had Barbie
Malibu dream house in my room and I and my little sister had passed our time by playing with
this toy. It was nearly 4 years old of mine when my father has bought a little sweet princess like
Barbie doll to me and my entire childhood were totally furnished by this entity. This doll was
something close to my heart that opened a world of fantasy to me. In addition, this toy helps me
to understand about the need of family, friends and neighbours in regular human life.
Responsibility is a basic thing that children have to wear from his or her early days; toys are
capable to increase this basic sense among human being. As per the opinion of Giesinger (2017),
it is important for a child to grow imagination power and interact with others. Initially, this
formula is fulfilled by the toys as they help to enhance object performance of an infant. In case
of my childhood, Barbie doll game helped me to understand social continuum and coordination
skills of mine have also developed. A self zone has been created by this toy that helps me to
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release extra energy and I have gained surrounding knowledge with the help of this indoor game.
Along with this, Gubanov et al. (2019) pointed out that toys are vital for a child to reduce their
life problems by evoking sharing capacity of them. I was highly facilitated by Barbie doll games
because it has helped me to moderate my gross motor skills and creativity of mine has also
modified.
I am attached with the simple and unique toys from the very early childhood and all of the
entities have guided me to promote any kind of new movements. As per the view of Ilodigwe
(2019), basic education of a child has been fulfilled by the toys in a better way. In case of my
childhood, Barbie doll game was a perfect piece for a girl to understand everyday problems in a
crucial manner. It also helps me to shape my language development and spending time with a
thing other than family can also help to find out basic error of life. On the other hand, Myers
(2018) argued that physical play is important for a child to improve his or her recognition skills.
It has also been suggested by the authors that exposure of a child in natural environment can help
him or her about cognitive writing skills. I have also been facilitated by Barbie doll games as it
develops my educational capacity and reading skill of mine has also been modified by passing
time with innovative games.
Comparison
Generation of toys have been changes as the times have been passed in a potential manner.
Today’s generation that may be called generation Y are fond of digital game rather than any
fantasy. However, virtual games have a number of disadvantages for a child but addictions for
those are high in case of modern generation. As pointed out by Rajagopalan (2019), digital toys
prevent a child to think about simple and ordinary things. Therefore, it becomes too difficult for
them for signifying a thing both it is good or bad and sensory overload is really chronic to them.
In contrast, Salomon (2018) mentioned that addiction of digital toys is affected on physical and
mental state of children and they become away from society in a potential manner. On the other
hand, 90’s toys were better to make a person responsible about own things and those play entities
have also helped to structure the character of an infant. However, modern day toys have just
spoiled children in an unethical manner by reducing the sense of responsibility among them.
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Traditional toys are generally non-electronic that delivers high potency of mind at any
circumstances. On the other hand, modern generations is gadget freak and has spent most of their
times with video games. As a result, it has been monitored that anxiety level of modern
generation is far greater than that of previous generation. As per the opinion of Williams (2019),
basic education has not been delivered by modern toys to small children. In addition,
psychiatrists have also claimed that thirst of rat running have abolished the purity of gaming for
modern generation. Along with this, use of much technology has delivered negative effect on
children’s mind for reducing thinking power of them. On the other hand, Wohlwend and Medina
(2017) commented that digitalisation of toys world ensures a number of complexities among
children and advanced technology diminishes gross motor power of an infant. Apart from this,
communication power with families, friends and society have also reduced after digitalisation of
toys world. This factor is really chronic for a child as he or she becomes detached from a huge
community mainly because of constant gaming phenomenon.
Traditional toys such as spinning tops, wooden train sets and skipping ropes are helped a child to
be a fast learner. On the other hand, modern digital games have made a child introvert and
simplicity of them have also hampered. As per the opinion of Wohlwend (2019), it is important
to enhance stimulation power from the very early childhood. In case of modern toys, this power
has somehow reduced and the children have lost to be stimulated on a daily basis. Apart from
this, traditional 90’s toys were safe for children as majority of them were non-electronic. In
addition, those toys help to maintain durability and simple regular things are just amazing to
flourish whole childhood. However, Tang and Winoto (2018) pointed out that modern toys are
helpful to track behavioural aspects of the children at any consequences. Henceforth, more than
90% moderation of children behaviour can be possible by using modern toys in a regular
manner. On the other hand, irrespective nature of children can also be controlled by toys both
from 90’s generation and modern generation as well.
Conclusion
It can be interpreted from this study that there is a huge difference between 90’s toys and toy of
modern generation due to technical up gradation. From this study, it is clear that mental
complexions of 90’s children were lesser than modern generation may be because of their simple
toy collection. On the other hand, modern generation has been suffered both in physically and
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mentally with the digital playing games. However, they are much aware about the status of
society and social consequences have affected them brutally. Apart from this, world of fantasy is
totally closed to them for everlasting period of time by reducing the connection with imaginary
world. In addition, toys have capacity to make a child responsible about his or her things and a
child can able to know his or her world. Therefore, it can be can be concluded that generation
changes as toys are but childhood remains same to make fun, giggle and live happy moments.
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References
Anad, D. and Gong, H., 2018. Situated Gaming: The story of the past, present and future in
women's digital game world.
Consalvo, M. and Paul, C.A., 2018. 'If you are feeling bold, ask for $3': Value Crafting and Indie
Game Developers. Transactions of the Digital Games Research Association, 4(2).
Gallagher, R., 2019. ‘The game becomes the mediator of all your relationships’. European
Journal of Life Writing, 8, pp.DM33-DM55.
Giesinger, J., 2017. The special goods of childhood: lessons from social constructionism. Ethics
and Education, 12(2), pp.201-217.
Gubanov, N.N., Gubanov, N.I., Rokotyanskaya, L. and Cheremnyh, L., 2019, July. Motives for
Children's Mortality in Modern Dark Humour. In 4th International Conference on Contemporary
Education, Social Sciences and Humanities (ICCESSH 2019). Atlantis Press.
Ilodigwe, U.T., 2019. Digital game-based learning in STEM classroom: a case of Lithuania and
Finland elementary school.
Myers, D., 2018, July. What can't be a toy? What are the formal properties of toys?.
Rajagopalan, S., 2019. Remix videos and the mnemonic imagination: Emotional memories of
late Soviet childhood. International Journal of Cultural Studies, 22(1), pp.9-36.
Salomon, H., 2018. " A Paradise of Children": Western Perceptions of Childhood in Meiji Japan
(1868–1912). The Journal of the History of Childhood and Youth, 11(3), pp.341-362.
Williams, C., 2019. The ROI of Play: Girls' Immaterial Labor, Smart Toys, and the Digital
Economy. The Journal of the History of Childhood and Youth, 12(3), pp.471-489.
Wohlwend, K.E. and Medina, C.L., 2017. Monster High: Converging Imaginaries of Girlhood in
Tweens’ Digital Doll Play. In Literacy Lives in Transcultural Times (pp. 75-88). Routledge.
Wohlwend, K.E., 2019. Play as the literacy of children: Imagining.
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Tang, T.Y. and Winoto, P., 2018, March. Providing Adaptive and Personalized Visual Support
based on Behavioral Tracking of Children with Autism for Assessing Reciprocity and
Coordination Skills in a Joint Attention Training Application. In Proceedings of the 23rd
International Conference on Intelligent User Interfaces Companion (p. 40). ACM.
Driessen, R.O.B.I.N., 2016. The Evolution of an Icon: A Comparison of the Values and
Stereotypes Reflected in the Original 1959 Barbie Doll and the Curvy 2016 Barbie Doll.
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