What are the most common mistakes to avoid when testing prototypes with children?

The biggest common mistake is to have high expectations. First of all there should be no bias and the collection of feedback without attempting to correct. Secondly the test must be designed and be a good fit. Most important is to manage expectations and offer a reward. The rest is done by the kids. My honest question is whether any testing on kids should take place unless it is their desire to start with. Parents must be involved and waiver signed.

Children should feel comfortable and willing to participate in testing. I suggest conducting testing in a familiar environment like a home, school, or a known public location. It can be reassuring for a child to have an adult they know present, such as a parent or teacher. It's essential to keep testing sessions short and sweet for children due to their shorter attention spans. To avoid skewing the test results, you may want to ensure that the tasks are age-appropriate and straightforward enough, as overly complex tasks can frustrate or bore children.

To ensure a successful prototype it's crucial to speak the same language as children. This involves investing time and effort to build empathy and adopt a new perspective on the problem you're solving. By doing so, you can truly connect with your young users. When crafting a prototype for children, shift your focus exclusively to the core features you want to explore. These features should be intentionally simple, clear, and straight to the point, ensuring they resonate with the specific age group. If you're working on a physical prototype, don't forget to consider ergonomics, safety, and durability. To create a child-centric prototype, it's essential to understand and embody the language, energy, and special characteristics of children.

If you are not prepared for unexpected situation or reaction you cannot successfully have a session . Children can surprise you make sure you are ready to address their questions

Children often play together. You may want to organize a group testing session as a practical way to gain insights into how children interact with a product. During this session, children can use the product together while being observed. By observing their behavior and interactions, we can gain valuable insights, such as the product's effectiveness in promoting social interaction.

Control for researcher behaviour. Children can be easily influenced by kidness or get infected with excited attitude. Or similarly, a gloomy ambience will bring them down (same for adults but not as intensly). Make sure that the feedback and test results you're getting is about the PRODUCT and not just the EXPERIMENT.