✨ This week’s must-reads from our researchers ✨ Swipe 👉 to explore the latest insights shaping children’s digital worlds. Here are the picks ⬇️

👋 Hey everyone, we’re still looking for families in Australia with children in primary school or Year 7 to take part in a Deakin University study. 👉 Register your interest here: researchsurveys.deakin.edu.au/jfe/form/SV_...

Our researchers are being featured in podcasts and media exploring children’s digital lives Govt Social Media Crackdown Won’t Work shorturl.at/doBot Persuasive App Design shorturl.at/N47XA Play in a Digital World shorturl.at/etfBL

A big thank you to our pre-service teachers who joined us for a STEM Stay and Play session as part of the Early Childhood Science Education unit 🌱🔬✨ It was wonderful to see hands-on exploration and playful learning in action!

👧👦🤖 AI for Kids: Friend or Foe? Children are growing up surrounded by AI — from smart toys to online learning. But what does this mean for their future? Tuesday, 28 Oct — be part of the conversation at the State Library of Queensland or online 💻 Free Tickets: events.humanitix.com/ai-for-kids-...

✨ Stay & Play! ✨ Children aged 3–10 (and their carers) are invited to our free Blocks and Bots Stay & Play 📅 Thursday 25 September - Brisbane, QLD. ⏰ 10:00 – 11:30 am 📍 Register for Free Tickets: events.humanitix.com/stay-and-pla... Rachel Minns, CTC Coordinator 📧 [email protected]

🎉 Congratulations to Professor Kerryann Walsh! 👏 She has been awarded the title of Professor Emeritus by QUT Council in recognition of her remarkable 23 years of teaching, research, and service at QUT. Professor Walsh has dedicated more than 25 years to advancing this vital field.

From feeding trackers to sleep apps, baby apps are changing the way parents navigate early parenthood. But are they always helpful? Let’s talk about it! ✨ Baby apps: (Mis)understandings of data-driven care ACMI + Online Mon 29 Sept, 5:30–7:30pm AEST Free event events.humanitix.com/dc-x-acmi-se...

🌍 From Cambridge, UK! Our Digital Child team had the pleasure of meeting with Professor Paul Ramchandani, Director of the PEDAL Research Centre and with Emily Goodacre, RA at PEDAL. PEDAL’s mission: discovering how play can spark change in families, schools, and communities.

✨ A Decade of Play and Discovery ✨ Early Start Discovery Space is more than a play zone— 🌏 it’s the world’s first children’s museum on a university campus, where creativity meets evidence-informed design. 📖 Read more about the Festival here: www.nationaltribune.com.au/festival-of-...

👧📱 Navigating & Negotiating Children’s Use of Digital Technologies Digital citizenship in early childhood is about more than just screen time—it’s about screen quality. 🎥 Watch the full video here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDej...

Join us Tuesday, 28 October at the State Library of Queensland (or online 💻) for a FREE panel discussion with leading voices in AI and childhood. 📅 Mark your calendars and register today – free event: events.humanitix.com/ai-for-kids-...

What did 2024 look like for us? 🚀 Think global research, local impact, new collaborations and conversations that matter for children in the digital age. 💡 📖 Take a look at our Annual Report or download it here: issuu.com/digitalchild...

✨ Our team had the privilege of joining the 33rd Annual EECERA Conference in Bratislava, Slovakia (25–28 August 2025). EECERA brings together scholars, practitioners, and policymakers from around the world. This year’s theme, “Early Education for All: Celebrating Diversity and Seeking Inclusion”

Event: Can ChatGPT be trusted with our kids? Tuesday 9 September 2025 RSVP by 2 September 2025: form.jotform.com/251842332403...

Calls for articles for 2 issues of the Australasian Journal of Early Childhood: 1. "Young Children's Insights into the Digital World". 2. "Providing Quality Professional Experience Programs in Early Childhood Initial Teacher Education". Links & deadlines - in the comments below.

Our researchers are looking to chat with Australian-based families who have children in primary school or Year 7. Participants will be compensated with a gift card of choice ($40 for adults, $25 for children) 👉Register here: researchsurveys.deakin.edu.au/jfe/form/SV_...

Big Study. Little humans. Together with @digitalchildau.bsky.social we’re exploring how Aussie families and children are growing up in a tech-filled world; from screen time to family time. See more at wallis.social and acoda.org.au

👶🛡️ Should we age‑gate the internet for kids? Australia is considering laws to restrict social media access for under‑16s, but effective would they be? Listen to the conversation on Life Matters by ABC Radio National. 🔗 Listen here: www.abc.net.au/.../debate-o...

Did you know some apps use persuasive design to keep kids hooked? Does your child need support to disengage from screens? 👉 Read the full article here: digitalchild.org.au/struggle-to-... 👉 Read the LinkedIn post here: www.linkedin.com/feed/update/...

📱 When parenting becomes policy. In China, the Mum Jury trains volunteer mothers to identify harmful online content, support child protection efforts, and shape digital life at home—all in partnership with state regulators. 🔗 Read the full article here: doi.org/10.1080/1748...

🖤💛❤️ Today is National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day A moment to celebrate the strength, wisdom and voices of First Nations children — and to recognise the vital role that culture, community, and connection play in their everyday lives.

Our researchers at Deakin University are looking to chat with families who have children in primary school or Year 7. 💬 If you’re interested in sharing your experiences, we’d love to hear from you! 👉Register your interest using the following link researchsurveys.deakin.edu.au/jfe/form/SV_...

🔍 In this research spotlight, Dr Victoria Andelsman Alvarez explores how apps like Aula introduce new pressures, responsibilities, and blurred lines between care and surveillance. Full article here: shorturl.at/oDvfC

👧📺 Do you have a child aged 6 to 10? Do they love watching Netflix, YouTube, or ABC iView? We're looking for children to participate in an exciting study on how kids perceive and understand recommendation algorithms when using platforms Scan the QR code to find out more. [email protected]

The final day of hashtag#DCAM2025 explored how we design digital experiences with children in mind — from engaging play to ethical tech. 🎮✨ A big thank you to everyone who shared insights, questions, and energy over the past three days — See you next time in Queensland at DCAM 2026!

Another big day at hashtag#DCAM2025! 💡 Day 2. We started with a powerful keynote from Gregory Metcalfe 🗣️ (Children’s Parliament), setting the stage for a deep dive into how AI is reshaping childhood — from creativity to agency to everyday learning 🤖🎨

✨ Day 1 of the Digital Child Annual Meeting brought together researchers, educators, and partners to explore how children live, play, and learn in a connected world 🌏👶💡 Looking forward to more connection, conversation, and collaboration in the days ahead 🤝🗣️💭

“Is this good screen time?” If you’ve ever asked yourself that — this event is for you 👇 🔗 Register now: lnkd.in/gttexq34 Join us for a free public lecture with international expert Professor Kristiina Kumpulainen. 📍 Wollongong, NSW + Online 🗓️ Tuesday 22 July, 2025 🕓 4.30pm – 5.45pm

🚨 TWO RESEARCH POSITIONS AVAILABLE! We’re hiring Research Fellows to join the Healthy Digital Child team at Curtin University 📱 Technology for children’s movement and play 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Healthy screen-time 🔬 Innovation in digital childhood studies 📅 Closing date: 27 July 2025 👉 Apply Now: shorturl.at/47IBh

Join us in Wollongong and online on July 22 for a panel discussion with Professor Kristiina Kumpulainen This session will highlight how technology can support creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking in the early years—when used with intention and care virtualevent.uow.edu.au/DigitalChild

Educators around Australia can access the official educational resources for this year’s NAIDOC Week theme: The Next Generation: Strength, Vision and Legacy on the ABC Education website. The resources aim to inspire teachers, students, and younger generations. www.abc.net.au/education/na...

Would your 4 to 8 year old child like to share what they think about learning with technologies? Join us on July 7 or July 11 at QUT Kelvin Grove for opportunity to play with lots of fun things (i.e., iPads, robots, fun creating apps, blocks, making) and create an eBook.

Call for articles: "Children as rights holders in the digital world." For a special issue of the journal Global Studies of Childhood, co-edited by our member Helena Sandberg. Abstracts are due by 30 September. journals.sagepub.com/pb-assets/GS...

Join us in Wollongong and online on July 22 for a panel discussion with Professor Kristiina Kumpulainen This session will highlight how technology can support creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking in the early years—when used with intention and care virtualevent.uow.edu.au/DigitalChild

Would your 4 to 8 year old child like to share what they think about learning with technologies? Join us on July 7 or July 11 at QUT Kelvin Grove for opportunity to play with lots of fun things (i.e., iPads, robots, fun creating apps, blocks, making) and create an eBook.

t’s such a privilege to share media literacy education practice and research with teachers. You can watch past webinars: ⁉️Digital literacy and critical thinking in English 🛝Early years media literacy #medialiteracy #medialiteracyeducation

And sign up for the two remaining webinars at link shared in this post: 📱Media literacy Years 4-8 🤖Media literacy in the age of AI

In a free webinar series with ACMI, @dezuanni.bsky.social and @amandalevido.bsky.social guide teachers through the complex, challenging and ever-changing landscape of media and digital culture www.acmi.net.au/education/sc...

✨ How exciting! The Alannah & Madeline Foundation has made a lesson plan for Brick Needs A Break, one of the winning entries from Series 1 of our Stories by Digital Children competition ✨ Check out the lesson plan here: be.esmart.org.au/lesson-plans...

What do the children in your life think about artificial intelligence? Our researchers would love to know what children think about AI via this set of quick questions. Find out more: uow.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_... #AI #GenAI #artificialintelligence

We heard from Dr Kate Bower from the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner at the Digital Childhoods Summit. Kate spoke about the development of the Children's Online Privacy Code. #children #privacycode #privacyonline #childrensinternet

I've got a new piece in @aunz.theconversation.com, responding to the eSafety Commissioner's talk which outlined how her Office is progressing the Social Media Ban for Under16s, as well as the broader issues impacting on children & young people online: #socialmedia #youtube #generativeAI

What do the children in your life think about artificial intelligence? Our researchers would love to know what children think about AI via this set of quick questions. Find out more: uow.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_... #AI #GenAI #artificialintelligence

It's #PrivacyAwarenessWeek and we're highlighting a new report by Digital Child researchers who have identified nine big challenges on children and Generative AI #generativeAI #genai #artificialintelligence #childrensrights @tamaleaver.bsky.social

💡New report! Children and GenAI in Australia: Identifying the big challenges posed by Generative Artificial Intelligence digitalchild.org.au/artificialin... #genai #generativeai #artificialintelligence #digitalchild #digitaltechnologies

Netsafe and the Digital Child have announced a new partnership today during the Digital Childhoods Summit in Canberra. #onlinesafety #wellbeing #children digitalchild.org.au/netsafe-and-...

Seventy delegates have come together today and tomorrow to discuss how to support young Australian children’s wellbeing and safety online. We look forward to insightful presentations and discussions during the Digital Childhoods Summit! digitalchild.org.au/canberra-sum...

We're engaging with thousands of families across Australia to learn more about how digital technologies are used by young children through our ACODA study. Here's a sneak peek of what our ACODA families told us in the first year of data collection!

Australian schools are now bursting with digital technologies. We held an event last month with ACMI to explore the implications of #digitaltech in schools. Watch the recording of the seminar on our website: digitalchild.org.au/panel-discus...