In Toy Story 5, Woody, Buzz, Jessie and the gang are up against a new challenge: Bonnie’s tablet. Even Rex the toy dinosaur is worried about going extinct again.

The storyline reflects a broader shift in childhood. Traditional toys increasingly share space with digital devices as part of children’s everyday play experiences.

There is substantial evidence showing a decline in traditional free play and an increase in digital play among children around Bonnie’s age (eight to ten years). Research has suggested that children in this age group spend an average of four hours per day on screens. This has approximately doubled compared to previous studies from 2009 to 2010, which mainly focused on traditional TV and video viewing for children of similar ages.

Play is essential in early childhood. It promotes cognitive, emotional and physical growth. Through play, children have opportunities to develop language and self-regulation skills.

It is important to recognise that digital play is still a form of play. While defining play can be challenging, it is often described in terms of how and why someone engages in an activity to have fun rather than solely by the activity itself.

Some experts argue that play is defined more by a child’s motivation and mental attitude than by the specific activity taking place. This means that using a tablet or smartphone can still be considered play, depending on how children interact with it.

Different – but still play

In 2002, play theorist........

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