Toddler techie touch generation

This paper reports on a study of the interaction skills of forty-two children, between the ages of eighteen months to forty-two months, in using touch devices. A majority of the children had used a touch device previously and had prior experience with touch devices. Continuous swiping, discrete touching and directional swiping were found to be the easiest actions to complete. The drag interaction was more difficult but most children could complete the interaction. The pinch, stretch and rotate interactions were most difficult for the children to make successfully. Common errors included unintended movement during interactions, pressing too hard, and lack of precision due in part to the target size. This study expands the domain knowledge about a toddler’s ability to interact with touch devices, allowing better creation and selection of interfaces for them to use.