Play is children’s language, and it’s normal for current events to show up in it

As a parent and a design researcher, I am always fascinated watching my children learn and express themselves through play. This article in the Atlantic about how the coronavirus is affecting child’s play sparked my interest.

Recently I watched on as my 4-year-old pulled down all the blinds in the nursery, telling his 2-year-old sister it was to keep the germs out and the children safe. We never have the news on when our children are at home, so it is interesting that they are still picking up these messages and not only adapting their play but problem-solving solutions through play.

This phenomenon is a reminder of the importance of play in making sense of the world. In design we use tools such as roleplay to help understand the impacts of certain decisions. It is amazing that we can witness play and understand how our children are interpreting the world.

As consultants we are always thinking about how we can better understand our clients and participants to be effective partners during this time. Without such obvious signals and physical body language, how can we build this understanding and trust?