The Application of En Vivo Play Awareness © to Advance Opportunities for the Development of Children’s Agency ​when Decision Making Online

Sociological antecedents for welcome imagined, solitary or shared play (Bruce, 2023) are arguably replicated through digitally connected play. Virtual play contexts may elicit permissions prematurely or inadvertently due to steps already trodden by children in their previously experienced unplugged play worlds. Thereby socialised advantages can be extended to unwelcome play fakes with mal intent seeking access to children & young people (Murray & Murray, 2024)​.

A case is made for noticing a child’s primal inquisitive driver (Wright & Pankseep, 2012) in free play activity to establish their etched social & emotional pathways and outlined emergent patterns. From that position,like-for-like behavioural versions captured in virtual context of plugged-in play are captured to reveal replications of, and deviations from the child's habits & ritualised norms. In this way, incipient indicators show themselves. When an online predatorial lure makes its presence known, en vivo play awareness is designed to equip children (& their caretakers) in-situ with enhanced skills with which to meet the negative influences. The chronological schematic accesses explicit opportunities to develop agency, the capacity to act purposefully and make apt choices (Priestley, et al, 2015).

Attention is given to children’s situational critical thinking for its purposeful enrichment of core assistance when under adversity. Furthering familiarity with help protocols, resources and contacts for the recovery of safety and restoration of well being is also facilitated.