# What Children with Neuromotor Disabilities Need to Play with Technological Games
## 4 Discussion  
Play has a fundamental role in children's development, and, when considering children with neurological impairments, technology-based games are an important tool both in ludic and rehabilitative activities. However, traditional technology-based games do not take into account the special needs of children with impairments, and on the other hand, games designed for disabled people are often boring for other children, thus eliminating the social component of the game. Hence, there is the necessity to develop technology-based games designed for the specific needs and characteristics of children with neurological limitations, accessible in terms of understanding and execution but also enjoyable by their peers. In order to investigate how disabled children deal with the ludic activities, in particular with technology-based games, a survey was proposed to families who have a child with neuromotor limitations. The answers showed their preferences and suggestions regarding the most suitable game design according to their child's needs. From the survey emerged the importance of the technologies in supporting children with neuromotor problems and improving their quality of life in terms of acquiring motor skills, being entertained, being included in a group, and strengthening cognitive aspects. The answers revealed that children with neurological impairments generally manifest positive feelings when playing both with and without technology, and their favorite ludic activity consists of playing with technology-based games, highlighting the importance of developing new technologies that better meet their needs. Moreover, most of the children usually play with parents and siblings, even if there are still many that play alone and that would prefer to play with friends and family. Therefore, implementing a game able to entertain as the traditional commercial ones but, at the same time, playable by children with neuromotor limitations could improve their participation, including more players, and promote socialization. The survey revealed that most of the children use mobile devices for playing (i.e., smartphones and tablets), followed by the Nintendo Wii, computer, Xbox 360, and PlayStation. Since both computers and consoles are widely used, the option of developing different game versions should be considered, which could be played with both of them. Despite the high appreciation of mobile games, the mobile version does not allow the integration with \"smart objects\" as controllers and the promotion of physical activity; therefore, it should be excluded if the ambition is to develop a videogame that encourages physical activity in addition to allowing inclusive play. From the preferences reported by the parents, it has emerged that cooperative games are preferred over competitive ones, while the favorite game categories were sports and action/adventure, especially if organized in mini-games. In addition, the game should have a goal to reach and a character/her to identify with to increase the engagement of the child; at the same time, the game session should not be too difficult and long to complete (20/30 min as maximum) in order to avoid the dejection in the child. The price that parents would afford for buying the inclusive videogame and console should be also taken into account. According to parents' answers, they would be willing to spend 100-250 EUR for the console and 40-60 EUR for the videogame. The questionnaire also revealed that 35% of the children play with console controllers (i.e., Microsoft Kinect, Wii Nunchuck, Wii Balance Board, Wii Wheel, and Wii Motion), a percentage that could be increased by developing accessories customized for children with neuromotor limitations. Indeed, the controllers that present small buttons or sticks, such as the standard one of the PlayStation, are less inclusive for disabled children. Parents suggested developing accessories similar to daily life objects (e.g., a steering wheel of a car, handlebar of a scooter, etc.)