Virtual Playgrounds: Children's Multi‐User Virtual Environments for Playing and Learning with Science

For the last two decades, digital media have played an increasingly central role in children’s play. Videogames, digital books, and robotic toys are just a few examples that have found their place along board games, story books, and dolls (Cross, 1997). More recently, multiuser virtual environments (MUVEs) have become a new genre of popular games among young players (Dede, 2004). Rather than standalone play devices, MUVEs present complex online worlds in which players create their online representation, assume new identities, and socialize with other players by chatting or playing online games. Th ere are many examples, such as Neopets, Whyville, Habbo Hotel, and Puzzle Pirates that now have over millions of registered users. Th e number of hours spent in these worlds creating avatars, trading items, chatting, and designing homes are a sure indicator that these environments have something of interest to children that might be repurposed for educational venues.