Hi Sam: A Tangible Interactive Toolkit for Enhancing Gender Cognition in Children Through Multimodal Play

Gender stereotypes and biases today continue to limit children’s understanding of gender diversity, impacting their self-identity and social interactions. To address this, we developed Hi Sam, an interactive toolkit for children aged 8-12, combining digital storytelling with physical creative tools. It provides a safe space for exploring gender diversity through an adventure game and interactive dialogues. In a study with 16 children, "Hi Sam" demonstrated high engagement and significantly improved gender cognition. Our findings indicate that Hi Sam effectively enhances children’s understanding of gender diversity, making it a valuable resource for early education and promoting inclusivity in childhood development.