Playing the Archive

An interdisciplinary exploration of childhood play, blending archival research, digital innovation, and children's voices to reveal the evolving nature of games and storytelling across generations. Playing the Archive: From the Opies to the Digital Playground revisits the trailblazing work of Iona and Peter Opie, who documented children's playground games, rhymes, and traditions in mid-20th century Britain, and brings their research into the digital age. Through a major new study, this book explores how children's play has evolved, drawing on fresh ethnographic research, digital storytelling, and interactive media to compare past and present-day playground cultures.

By making the Opie Archive publicly accessible and involving children through digital interfaces, the project opens up new ways of understanding play as a dynamic, ever-changing practice. The chapters offer novel theoretical insights into the shifting landscapes of play, considering the role of archives and digital media in shaping children's cultural expressions. Playing the Archive questions stereotypes about childhood in the digital era, positioning children as active creators of their own play cultures.