Introducing the winners of the Real Play City Challenge 2022
A host of diverse child-friendly projects have been unveiled as this year’s winners of a global competition dedicated to ‘reclaiming places to play in cities’. The Real Play City Challenge was launched in 2020 by the...Read moreGlobal cities ‘accelerator’ scheme to create child-friendly municipalities
Twenty cities will come together for the first-ever Streets for Kids Leadership programme, aimed at delivering real change for children in urban areas.Read more
Expertise of town planners ‘essential’ to children’s recovery from effects of pandemic
Town planning has a vital role to play in helping children bounce back from the pandemic, says the UK’s leading organisation for town planning.Read more
Cities: how urban design can make people less likely to use public spaces
Urban beautification campaigns are usually sold to local residents as a way to improve their daily lives. Design elements – from lighting systems to signs, benches, bollards, fountains and planters, and sometimes even surveillance equipment...Read more
Lessons from Brazil: Youngsters can benefit from ‘naturalised parks’ in cities
Brazilian cities’ experiences of creating naturalised parks – which bring major benefits for children – are the inspiration behind a new book. The Alana Institute, in partnership with the Bernard van Leer Foundation’s Urban95 Brazil project,...Read more
‘Green spaces for children in developing countries’ – get involved
Children’s charity UNICEF needs your experiences and case studies on the effect of green space on children in developing countries for a workshop later this year.Read more
Spanish version of Designing Streets for Kids guide now available
An acclaimed urban design resource which focuses on children and caregivers is now available in Spanish, making it accessible to millions more child rights champions worldwide.Read more
COVID funding pries open a door to improving air quality in US schools
Many U.S. schools were in dire need of upgrades – burdened by leaking pipes, mold, and antiquated heating systems – long before the COVID-19 pandemic drew attention to the importance of indoor ventilation in reducing...Read more
Six ways to design safer school zones: lessons from Mumbai
As education is the right of every child, so is safe access to schools. As schools in India reopen after nearly two years of online education, it is important to reexamine how children access schools....Read more
Indian city opens the country’s first ‘sensory park’ for children
The Indian city of Bhubaneswar is now home to what is thought to be the country’s first sensory park for children with special needs.Read more
Growing up in a city can harm your spatial skills – new research
The science fiction film Tron Legacy opens with voice of main character, Kevin Flynn, musing of a digital world of his creating: The Grid.Read more
How toddlers in Japanese cities are encouraged to roam independently
Young Japanese children portrayed in a TV show walking the city alone as they do chores shines a light on how the country’s young children are encouraged to be more independent than many of their...Read more
Urban95 ‘phase two’ up and running in Pune
The Indian city of Pune is rolling out the next part of the acclaimed Urban95 programme that looks at cities’ infrastructures through the eyes of a young child.Read more