DR: Future programming calls for design at children’s level
At DR, the belief is that every generation has the right to its own classics. This requires content to be developed based on today’s children and their reality. It is not enough to rely on adults’ own childhood memories.
- Each generation deserves its own classics. We cannot simply assume that children will want to watch what we thought was fantastic when we were young. If we are to create content that truly resonates with children in Denmark today, we need to understand them deeply, says Rikke Warrer Poulsen, Producer at Children & Youth, DR.
Childhood as a value in itself
Today, competition is entirely different, with DR competing against global companies for Danish children’s time. This makes it even more important to highlight the distinct qualities of Danish children’s culture — an ambition shared by DR and Kolding School of Design, explains Rikke Warrer Poulsen.
- One of the defining features of Danish children’s culture is that children are allowed to be children. They are not simply on their way to becoming adults—they are in childhood, which is a destination in its own right. They should be free to be imperfect and not shaped by adult expectations, but to be exactly who they are.
Children at the centre of the design process
A key focus in DR’s work with children’s content is play. Play is not seen merely as entertainment, but as a crucial part of children’s wellbeing, development and quality of life. At the same time, many experts observe that the conditions for play have become more challenging, as both children and adults lead increasingly busy and structured lives.
For this reason, DR aims to use its platforms to inspire children to continue playing beyond the screen. One hour of content from Children & Youth should ideally inspire 100 hours of play. This requires new ways of working.
Graduates from Kolding School of Design have therefore been invited to develop ideas based on child-centred design, where children are actively involved in the development process. In this way, new ideas and universes are created in close dialogue with the children they are intended for:
- Children are the guiding star in everything the Play Design students at Kolding School of Design do. They engage with children as equals and quickly earn their trust and enthusiasm for the projects they develop together, says Rikke Warrer Poulsen.
Rikke Warrer Poulsen highlights the combination of knowledge, child-centred processes and design expertise as a unique strength:
- It is very clear that they are driven by children’s needs, and they show great courage in taking ideas to places others might hesitate to go. It is inspiring to see how they bring their diverse design backgrounds into play — from digital design to communication design and experience design. It results in a wide range of solutions that go far beyond what we could achieve on our own.
A new language for play leaves its mark
Rikke Warrer Poulsen emphasises that it is essential to design for play and to talk about play in ways that give it attention and priority. Here, research at Kolding School of Design has inspired a new way of talking about play:
- Kolding School of Design has truly strengthened the way we speak about play. They have been visionary in elevating play and recognising it as a vital component of human life. The impact of Play Design is that we now talk about play in a much more precise way.
