Supporting Resources
For The Children’s Design Guide
On this page you will find a collection of resources that help understand and work with the Children’s Design Guide.
General on Designing for Kids
Child-Computer Interaction (pdf, 2022)
Designing for Kids (book, 2018)
Design for Kids: Digital Products for Playing and Learning (book, 2014)
Design of Service by 5 rights foundation (book)
Child-centred Design by Save the Children (pdf)
The BBC: 7 principles to help create great digital experiences for children (website)
Nielsen & Norman: UX Design for Children (pdf)
LEGO & Unicef – Responsible Innovation in Technology for Children: Digital technology, play and child well-being (pdf)
General on Children’s Rights
The Convention on the Rights of the Child (web)
UN General comment No. 25 on children’s rights in relation to the digital environment (web)
Global Child Forum: A Workbook for Businesses (pdf)
Design for Inclusion
Involving Children in the Design Process
Playtest with Kids (website)
Kids Included: Enabling meaningful child and youth participation within
companies in the digital era (website & pdf)
User Research with Kids (book, 2021)
Co-design with kids – a toolkit for designers (website)
The CCI UX Playbook (pdf)
Exploring Child-Centered Design Approach PHD book (pdf)
Children’s User Behaviours
Development Stages cards (pdf)
Usability Issues in Designing for Young People (website)
Designing for Teens (website)
Accessibility & Diversity
Diverse Families and Media: Using Research to Inspire Design (pdf)
Kidmap: Kids Inclusive and Diverse Media Action Project (website)
Game accessibility guide (website)
TUET – a tool to develop and select inclusive toys and games (website + pdf)
The LUDI Network: Play for Children with Disabilities (pdf)
Evaluation of children’s play (pdf)
The 7 Principles of Universal Design (website)
Universal Design Principles (video)
Design for Play & Learning
Evolutionary Playwork (book, 2011)
Playful by Design (pdf)
Children, Technology and Play (pdf)
Exploring Play and Creativity in Pre-Schoolers’ Use of Apps: Media Industry Guide (pdf)
Young Children Playing and Learning in a Digital Age (book, 2018)
Framing Play Design (book, 2020)
ToP – Test of Playfulness (pdf)
Design for Safety & Sustainability
The Children’s Code Design Guidance (pdf)
Children’s Code: Additional Resources (website)
Risky by Design (website)
How Digital Design Puts Children at Risk (pdf) or Summary (pdf)
The Role of Digital Technologies in Relation to Children’s Well-being (website & video)
The Good Childhood Report (website)
Academic Journals
Childhood
Journal of Children and Media
International Journal of Child-Computer Interaction
Learning, Media and Technology
Children’s Geographies
International Journal of Play
Early Years
Global Studies of Childhood
Core – A knowledge base on children & youth in the digital age
Resources that were created by D4CR community collaboration
Below are methods & infomration about child development that were collaboratively created by the D4CR community in our gloabal hands-on events.
Methods – Discovery Phase
Materialising
METHODS & PRACTICES Physically or visually represent thoughts on the topic. This can be carried on both by the designer...
Role playing
METHODS & PRACTICES This method has the emphasis in encouraging the child to imagine or mimic different situations and...
Write user stories in the tone of voice as a child
METHODS & PRACTICES Write user stories in the tone of voice as a child Try to write stories in this format: I want xxx because I like xxx...
Co-creating/ Participatory design with Children
METHODS & PRACTICES Co-creating/ Participatory design with Children Define the roles. Adults should become more playful...
The self-documentation practices
METHODS & PRACTICES The main aim in self-documentation practices is to collect data about children's understanding of a...
Co-research
METHODS & PRACTICES Co-research Involving children as researchers at multiple stages of the design process. Co-research can support agency and...
Children as Designers
METHODS & PRACTICES Design phase: research and ideation Goal: Learn about the child’s values through play, engagement, interaction, creation...
Considerations When Testing With Children
METHODS & PRACTICES Time Children have short attention spans. 30 minutes to an hour is the recommended testing time. Test in short bursts and...
Consider the whole family and parental context
METHODS & PRACTICES CONSIDER THE WHOLE FAMILY Think broadly: consider the child as a member of a family Consider context for the whole family...
Appropriate Content
METHODS & PRACTICES In DISCOVER phase: Co-creative research: kids, parents and experts Observation of children in context In DEFINE phase: ...
Methods – Define Phase
Materialising
METHODS & PRACTICES Physically or visually represent thoughts on the topic. This can be carried on both by the designer...
Write user stories in the tone of voice as a child
METHODS & PRACTICES Write user stories in the tone of voice as a child Try to write stories in this format: I want xxx because I like xxx...
Appropriate Content
METHODS & PRACTICES In DISCOVER phase: Co-creative research: kids, parents and experts Observation of children in context In DEFINE phase: ...
Methods – Develop Phase
Prototype test sessions with children
METHODS & PRACTICES We should test to see and learn from real life use, so think about the environment/context what you are testing in and how...
5 age groups, Physical, Cognitive, Social development
METHODS & PRACTICES User age: 0-3y Physical: gross and fine motor, eye development, posture ergonomics Cognitive: no use of screen without adult...
Appropriate screen time
METHODS & PRACTICES 0-3y (no need for digital devices without an adult, brain or psychosocial development is not ready for passive use, they...
Play Testing
METHODS & PRACTICES Goal Create the best possible digital product. Activity Involving user at relevant stages of production to improve the...
Co-Designing with Children
METHODS & PRACTICES Goal: To create a solution that reflects children’s – not adults – world, needs and preferences Involve children throughout...
Children as Designers
METHODS & PRACTICES Design phase: research and ideation Goal: Learn about the child’s values through play, engagement, interaction, creation...
Appropriate Content
METHODS & PRACTICES In DISCOVER phase: Co-creative research: kids, parents and experts Observation of children in context In DEFINE phase: ...
Methods – Deliver Phase
Prototype test sessions with children
METHODS & PRACTICES We should test to see and learn from real life use, so think about the environment/context what you are testing in and how...
Worst Case Scenario Exploration
METHODS & PRACTICES Goal: Make problems visible and encourage to design solutions for found issues Result: Scenario with a matrix of possible...
Appropriate Content
METHODS & PRACTICES In DISCOVER phase: Co-creative research: kids, parents and experts Observation of children in context In DEFINE phase: ...