From screen to interaction: adult–child engagement with play school, 60 years on

Abstract

Abstract In 2026, Play School marks 60 years as a foundational Australian children’s program, offering a timely moment to reconsider its role in supporting early literacy and adult–child interaction. This paper investigates how co‑viewing Play School episodes creates opportunities for meaningful engagement between young children aged under five years and their accompanying adults. By identifying specific segments within episodes and analysing the interactional possibilities embedded in them, the paper explores how children respond to the program and how adults mediate these responses to foster participation, meaning-making, and early literacy practices. Observations highlight the significance of decision‑making, agency, shared enjoyment, and embodied engagement—including movement and play—as central features of the co‑viewing experience. These findings demonstrate that Play School’s distinctive interactive design continues to invite conversational turn‑taking, joint attention, and language-rich exchanges that align with contemporary understandings of early literacy development. As debates about screen use for young children persist, this research underscores the importance of recognising media programs like Play School as potential catalysts for high‑quality adult–child interaction. The program’s enduring format and intentional scaffolding of participation offer valuable insights into how screen media can support - not replace - early literacy learning.