Digital Playground Design Facilitates Intergenerational Family Relationships Through Nostalgic Storytelling and Interactive Media

Emotions, such as nostalgia, are complex. However, recent empirical studies have highlighted the benefits of nostalgia, particularly in enhancing emotional connections across generations. This study aimed to strengthen intergenerational familial relationships by designing a digital playground that rejuvenated the nostalgic features of old Hong Kong. The design strategically utilised physical exhibits and interactive media content to vividly narrate the historical narrative. The exhibition primarily focusses on the recollections of older generations from Hong Kong's 1960s in five digital interactive play areas: an interactive book, holographic augmented reality, immersive experience, eye-level experiences, and interactive texts, to portray the historical narrative through diverse perspectives and interactive media formats. A semi-structured questionnaire collected data from 187 intergenerational visitors who had participated in the reading experience. The findings indicated that physical exhibits played a crucial role in triggering memory recall among the elderly, while digital media content predominantly engaged younger visitors. It evoked a harmonious blend of tradition and modernity, appealing to both younger and older generations in the region.