Children's play is essential for their cognitive, physical and social development. But in cities, spaces to play are usually separated, often literally fenced off, from the rest of urban life.

In our new study, we compare children’s use of such spaces in Auckland, New Zealand, and Venice, Italy. Our findings present a paradox: playgrounds built for safety can stifle creativity and mobility, while self-organizing open spaces offer rich opportunities to explore and belong.

  • MysteriousSophon21@lemmy.worldEnglish
    2·
    22 days ago

    That video is so good - i’ve noticed kids in my neighborhood actually prefer playing in the empty lot with random sticks and rocks over the fancy playground with all the safety features.