In early childhood education, digital technologies must be used to purposefully developmentally appropriate, and ethically to support children’s learning and communication as well as exploration. While traditional play-based learning remains foundational, digital tools can help to enhance. Children’s opportunities for engagement and multimodal expression when integrated with intentional teaching practices.

The early years learning framework outline the importance of children becoming confident and involved learners. Who use a range of technologies to express themselves and investigate their world (AGDE,2022) The digital statement from early childhood Australia (ECA,2018) Further supports and expresses the intention that children should be active participants in digital play, that educators must balance digital inclusions with awareness of technology’s impact on wellbeing, equity and developmental needs.

From an academic view Edwards et al. (2018) expresses the concept of digital play which includes learning experiences where children explore the digital media through guided engagement and not passive consumption. This also slings with Vygotskian sociocultural theory, which supports the idea that children learn best through interaction with tools, peers and educators within their primal development (ZPD) When scaffolded approximately digital tools can serve as a powerful resource for this learning.

However, Donohue and Schomburg (2007) argue that an educator’s role in supporting digital literacy is a crucial part of their role. Educators must intentionally design learning environments that use technology to help build language, problem solving and collaboration skills and abilities. Digital tools are not being subitised for play there are being an extension of it.

There are several key considerations that must be kept in mind, in the early years context their screen time must be limited and interactive tools, it must be used in an inclusive and culturally relevant and educators must be critical about the commercial digital content, accesses to devices should not outweigh the values of building relationships, sensory play and physical experiences.

In practice as an early childhood educator, technology should be used as a document and be able to communicate learning through apps like story part to support creativity through digital storytelling and introduce early coding and logic through tablet apps or bee bots. The educator’s digital competence and reflective practice directly influences the quality of these experiences.

In conclusion digital technologies in early childhood must align with pedagogical principles of intentionality, equity, agency and play. When technology is being used mindfully, it can support children’s multi-task and gives them tools to thrive in this digitally connected world.