Written by: Simon P. Hammond, Laura Jennings-Tallant, Ellice Parkinson, Phoebe Hill, Elizabeth Scholefield, Rebecca Lloyd & Harry T. Dyer

Abstract: An increasing number of young children are accessing the Internet daily, with this practice often debated and uncomfortable for parents/carers and early years practitioners. Often absent from such debates is how the digital literacies of young children may be supported in the face of the increasing ubiquity of Video-Sharing Platforms such as YouTube and TikTok. To provide an overview of evidence concerning the digital literacies of children below 6 years old as experienced through interactions with Video-Sharing Platforms a scoping review was undertaken. Searches identified 234 potentially relevant publications, with four meeting inclusion criteria. Current understandings of the digital literacies of children below 6 years old in the context of Video-Sharing Platforms were analysed, as were how these digital literacies were experienced by supporting adults. This review contributes to the ongoing discourse on early childhood education and technology. By offering insights into the evolving landscape of digital literacies for young children, it highlights knowledge gaps and sets an important research agenda.

Keywords: Digital Literacies, Early Years Education, Scoping Review, Young Children, YouTube Kids; Video-Sharing Platforms