Thinking outside the box: a systematic review of gamification trends in children’s dance education

Since the 21st century, gamification technology has been widely applied across various research domains. In the field of children’s dance, it has exerted significant influences on learning, software development, and therapy. However, a comprehensive review of its application in children’s dance is lacking. This study conducted a systematic literature review selecting 31 relevant articles, aiming to reveal the trends and directions of gamification technology in the domain of children’s dance. The findings indicate: 1) The United States is the most active in children’s dance gaming, followed closely by the United Kingdom and Canada. Academic contributions are primarily published in academic journals in the fields of medicine, sports science, and education. 2) The research mainly revolves around interactive dance games, physical dance games, therapeutic interventions, software development, and teaching methods. 3) Utilizing grounded theory, it explores its core strengths and research limitations. 4) Through in-depth analysis of existing literature, future research focuses and directions are proposed. This aids in promoting the development of more comprehensive, effective, and professional teaching practices and tools.