Beyond WOW! Designing Quality VR Experiences for Kids

What is the key to finding success with younger users? Designing responsibly for children requires more than simplifying content. It demands thoughtful alignment with young people's developmental capacities, emotional needs, and family expectations.

VR platforms are increasingly full of young people, even though the experiences were not created with young people's unique developmental needs in mind. Many developers lack opportunities to hear directly from young users and their families and may not have reliable information about what kids need to thrive in digital spaces.

In this lightning talk, Dr. Elizabeth Rood will share practical takeaways from a recently published set of guides for developers, platform teams, and funders interested in engaging younger audiences in virtual reality experiences. Based on research with pre-teens and their parents, the guides offer actionable insights for creating VR experiences that center emotions, relationships, and autonomy as three north stars of design for young people.

The talk will include strategies for developing content that meets kids’ desires while also earning parents' mark of approval as beneficial for development. Walk away inspired with actionable design guidance for creating quality immersive experiences and content for kids, ten and older.