Browsing by Author "Ripatti, Meri"

Tiivistelmä - Referat - Abstract The aim of this bachelor’s thesis was to examine the digital gaming of pre-schoolers from their parents’ point of view. The research question has three parts: what digital games do the pre-schoolers play, what are parents experiences on children’s gaming and how do parents participate in and control the gaming? The research material consists of 82 questionnaire answers. The data was gathered on Facebook in January 2017. The data was analysed using the qualitative research method of content analysis. 98 percent of the participating parents’ children play digital games. Pre-schoolers play mostly educational and recreational games. The most played game in this research was an educational game Ekapeli, which was created to help children learn to read. It was played by 40 percent of the children. All the games mentioned are suitable for pre-school aged children. The games and their content are chosen by both the parents and the children. Children play mostly on mobile devices, especially on tablet computers. Parents have noticed that gaming has several effects on their children. Most of the effects mentioned were positive; positive effects were mentioned in 84 percent of the answers, whereas negative effects were mentioned only in 45 percent of the answers. The main positive effects of gaming were learning and feelings of joy. The main negative effects were addiction to games and restlessness or anxiety. Parents take part in their children’s gaming mostly by controlling the time used for playing games. 98 percent of the parents find controlling of children’s gaming important. Parents control their kid’s gaming to avoid negative effects, exposure to unsuitable content like violence and because the children can’t control their gaming themselves. Parents see gaming of pre-schoolers mainly as a positive thing.