RECREATION FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH IN THE DIGITAL ERA: TRANSITIONING FROM PHYSICAL TO VIRTUAL SPACES
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Abstract
In the digital era, where the real and virtual worlds no longer exist as separate entities but dynamically overlap, reinforce, and merge, Thai children and youth are experiencing a recreational transition that profoundly influences all dimensions of their holistic development. This article aims to 1) analyze the dynamic transition of recreational activities among Thai children and youth, 2) synthesize the impacts of this transition on holistic development, 3) explain and develop a Hybrid Recreation Framework that integrates the advantages of both the physical and digital worlds, and 4) propose policy and practical recommendations for developing recreation for Thai children and youth in the digital age. Drawing upon a synthesis of academic literature and emerging empirical evidence, the analysis reveals that digital-age recreation functions as a double-edged phenomenon, producing a distinct duality of impacts. On one hand, recreation promotes physical and mental well-being, strengthens life skills, digital literacy, and strategic thinking, opens new economic opportunities, preserves cultural capital, and fosters sustainable values. On the other hand, it presents potential risks stemming from sedentary lifestyles, technology addiction, erosion of deep social skills, digital inequality, and environmental pressures caused by carbon footprints and electronic waste. These findings highlight the necessity of establishing a policy-driven recreation system that harmonizes technology with human values, transforming recreation from a leisure activity into a strategic instrument for achieving balance across well-being, society, culture, and the environment, while empowering Thai youth to thrive amid the complex challenges of the twenty-first century.
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