„Play and Learn“, Video Games and Digital Play in Early Childhood Education

Miljan Stevanović1 [0009-0007-8912-5625], Petar Pejić2[0000-0003-4155-8038], and Miloš Nikolić2 [0009-0009-9023-9050]
1 Faculty of Digital Arts, Belgrade Metropolitan University, Tadeuša Košćuška 63, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
2 Faculty of Information Technology, Belgrade Metropolitan University, Tadeuša Košćuška 63, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
2 Faculty of Information Technology, Belgrade Metropolitan University, Tadeuša Košćuška 63, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
miljan.stevanovic@metropolitan.ac.rs,
petar.pejic@metropolitan.ac.rs,
milos.nikolic@metropolitan.ac.rs
DOI: 10.46793/eLearning2025.338S

 

Abstract.  “Play and Learn”, Digital Video Game in Early Childhood Education, explores the possibilities of video game localization, digital game-based learning (DGBL) and software design, i.e., video games for early childhood education, for children aged 2 to 6. When designing a video game, a special focus is on the cultural and linguistic adaptation of the game. The game design is intended to use multiple models – to be based on story (narrative), audio and visual information in order to engage children whose native language is Serbian. The use of the native, local, language is important for a more accessible and understandable transfer of tasks and the interaction between the child and the video game itself. The adoption of DGBL technologies has transformed early childhood education by introducing interactive tasks adapted to the learning and age of children on mobile devices and mobile devices. The first part of this paper shows that educational video games improve children’s motivation and creativity, and also encourage mutual cooperation in solving given problems. The second part of the paper presents the pedagogical framework adopted when designing the game. The third part answers the question of why cultural and linguistic localization is important. And the fourth part presents the preschool educational game “Play and Learn” (in Serbian “Igraj i uči”) that integrates the presented pedagogical principles and the importance of linguistic localization. integration of pedagogical principles, user friendly interfaces and developmental appropriateness. Moreover, cultural and linguistic localization plays a key role in maximizing educational impact, because children learn best in their native language and therefore localized educational games can strengthen the child’s personality, increase his understanding of the given problem and provide more interesting learning experiences.

Keywords: Educational video game, Early childhood education, Serbian Language localization.

Acknowledgments. Acknowledgments. We would like to thank a group of fourth-year students from the Faculty of Information Technologies (study program: Video Game Development) and the Faculty of Digital Arts (study program: Graphic Design) who participated in the realization of the video game “Play and Learn”.

 

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Izvor: Proceedings of the 16th International Conference on e-Learning (ELEARNING2025)