Gamification and Play Elements for Children: A Bibliometric and Content Analysis (2020-2025)

Gamification and playful design are increasingly used to support learning, behavior, and health in children, yet the literature is scattered across psychology, education, computer science, and medicine. This study combines a bibliometric analysis with a content analysis to map how the field developed between 2020 and 2025 and what it reports. Records were retrieved with a three-concept search strategy covering gamification, play elements, and children, and were narrowed from 17,756 initial records to 4,329 open access journal articles with abstracts. Output grew from about 405 records in 2020 to about 1,480 in 2025. The author base is fragmented, with no author exceeding six documents, and Indonesian and Brazilian institutions are prominent alongside contributors from Malaysia, the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, and the United States. The keyword network resolves into three clusters centered on school-based experimental research, emotion and mental health in schools, and the implementation of social and emotional learning. A content analysis of 18 recent publications shows that points, badges, levels, and leaderboards are the most common mechanics, whereas narrative, avatars, social play, and scaffolded feedback are more closely tied to immersion, emotional connection, and reduced anxiety. Reported outcomes include improved engagement, motivation, physical activity, oral health routines, and emotional skills. The main gaps concern developmental calibration, overreliance on extrinsic rewards, cognitive overload, and the shortage of non-digital materials for low-resource settings.