The development of interactive, participatory, multisensory environments that combine the physical with the
virtual comes as a natural continuation to the computer game industry’s constant race for more exciting user
experiences. Specialized theme parks and various other leisure and entertainment centers worldwide are
embracing the “interactive” promise that games have made users expect. This is not a trend limited to the
entertainment domain; non-formal learning environments for children are also following this path, backed up by
a theoretical notion of play as a core activity in a child’s development. In this article we explore a central thread
in learning, play, as well as an essential characteristic of virtual reality environments: interactivity. A critical
review of examples of immersive virtual reality worlds created for children, with particular attention given to
the role and nature of interactivity, is attempted. Interactivity is examined in relation to learning, play, narrative,
and to characteristics inherent in virtual reality, such as immersion, presence, and the creation of illusion