Research in the field ‘Playing with Technology’ ought to contribute to the development of theory in the history of technology: both technology and play have crucial functions in human life. They have strongly influenced the development of societies. Thus research in this field might open new perspectives on the question how and why people deal with technology. The key fields for research are sports, attractions of annual fairs and amusement parks, and technical toys. The approach is based on a broad comprehensive understanding of play.

Following Johan Huizinga, cultural developments are based on play. Although this view may be somewhat exaggerated, it is quite true that since the beginning of industrialization technology-based play has become increasingly important. Especially during the last decades it has gained considerable influence in developed societies: (i) the so-called leisure society have begun to take shape. Supply of and demand for games has increased; the leisure industry is still growing. (ii) Elements of play can be found in fields of work and applications of play in working processes (as in programming computers) are growing as well. (iii) Simulations and virtual worlds - which are close to play in some way - are becoming more important. This development became a reason for research in this field about ten or fifteen years ago.

Research in the playful approach to technology was developed far enough to organise an ICOHTEC session in the second half of the 2000s: ‘Playing with Technology’ has been an ICOHTEC subject since 2007 and discussion on an international level was and is helpful to extend and intensify research. The aim of the paper is to discuss different approaches which were presented to ICOHTEC and thus to analyse ICOHTEC’s contribution to the young field of the history of technology.