Interactive Educational Play with Augmented Toy Environments

besides being a recreational amusement, it also serves as an important function for the psychological, physiological and social development of a child. Children learn about themselves and the world and people around them; they develop and improve manifold and important skills, such as social competence, problem-solving and creativity. In contrast to traditional games, computer and video games typically fall far short in providing physical and social challenges. Children sit isolated in front of a computer screen, completely absorbed by virtual worlds and detached from the real world for many hours. Due to the interactive nature of video games however, gameplay itself can offer immersive designs and mental challenges that constantly adapt to the players’ skills, something not possible with traditional games.