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When we were young, play was how we explored the world.
We created games, chased curiosities, and discovered joy in
the unexpected. Play wasn’t just for entertainment, but how
we figured things out, made connections, and indulged in new
possibilities. Everything felt open-ended, ready to be shaped
by our imagination. As we grow older, this sense of wonder
fades, replaced by routines and practicality. By embracing
playfulness in design, we can rekindle this innate curiosity.
Through small playful and interactive experiences, Push,
Pull, Slide, Surprise! invites people to revisit the joy of childhood
ex- ploration. Small moments of curiosity, like pressing buttons
just to see what happens, stumbling upon hidden surprises, or
following an unexpected winding path can transform how we
engage with our surroundings. By evoking familiar feelings of play,
this thesis examines how playfulness and interactivity in design
can awaken curiosity, tap into nostalgia, and reignite a sense of
discovery. MMMInstead of following set paths or fixed expectations,
I aim to encourage people to embrace play as a way of interacting
with, thinking about, and experiencing things. My thesis aims to
both remind people of and reconnect them with their childlike
instincts to unabashedly play with and explore what’s in front of
them. By stepping outside of conventional ways of interacting
with design, we can rediscover an excitement in not knowing what
comes next, finding joy in small surprises and accidental discoveries.
Boston University College of Fine Arts
School of Visual Arts