To Recall to Play in the Street: A Critical Review of the Transformation of the Game Concept, Importance and Place of Game in Children’s World

This argumentative study focused on the relationship between children’s traditional play cultures and their technology-based play. When the literature examined, it was seen that traditional games contribute children character development, as well as linguistic and communicative development. When children allowed to play outdoor and/or traditional games, they explore the nature, learn democratic behaviors, acquire creative and critical thinking skills, learn how to communicate politely with others, develop muscle strength and coordination, learn sharing and caring, and obtain problems solving skills and self-confidence. In other words, playing traditional games supports the overall development of mind and body of a children. However, nowadays, many children spend too much time indoors, by playing online games, and/or sitting in front of a screen (e.g. television, tablet pc, or smart phone). In contrast to traditional games, online games do not include social interaction. In this study, the significance of game was clarified, and both positive and negative effects of gamification was demonstrated. Consequently, the aim of this study to generate a theoretical framework that display an understanding of theories and concepts that are relevant to the place and importance of games on children’s world and disclose a critical perspective about playing games in digital world. Therefore, relevant research studies for theories and analytic models were reviewed and interpreted in order to present two sides of gamification and highlight the importance of games.