Australian city invites youngsters to help shape its future
The Australian city of Ballarat is putting children at the heart of its future planning by launching a consultation on their views and ideas.Read more
Children’s views should be taken into account when designing urban space
Children see the world in a different way to adults, but urban planning policies rarely take this into account. By focusing on adult needs and views, children are often planned out of our public spaces...Read more
Children’s feedback helps create ‘Pocket Park’ in Brazilian city
The Brazilian city of Recife has inaugurated its Arari Ferreira ‘pocket park’ thanks to the work of the Bernard van Leer FoundationRead more
India launches family-friendly cities initiative
The Nurturing Neighbourhoods Challenge, designed to focus on shaping cities for young children and their families, has been launched in India.Read more
Hackney asks: how can we become a ‘child-friendly borough’?
One of London’s most densely-populated boroughs is asking residents how it can best incorporate a set of child-friendly principles into its future development.Read more
How ‘school streets’ could create safer, healthier cities
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, communities living in cities need cleaner air to breathe and outdoor public space to be social yet physically distanced.Read more
Forest-based children’s play yards can quickly boost their immune systems
Replacing gravel and stones in children’s outdoor play areas with ‘a mini forest’ can significantly help to boost youngsters’ immune systems.Read more
How Oslo achieved zero pedestrian and bicycle fatalities, and how others can apply what worked
In 2015, the City of Oslo, Norway, made a commitment after years of rising transportation injuries to reduce car traffic and prioritize the safety of pedestrians, cyclists and the environment.Read more
New Malmo school shows cities the way forward architecturally
A new high school in Malmo, Sweden, has shown how space-saving architecture can deliver the very best educational facilities in busy cities. Read more
How can our cities be better prepared for epidemics?
The coronavirus pandemic has forced us to rethink economies, delivery of social benefits, business models, and even the way we work and live. It is time to think about how cities can prepare for such...Read more
Can COVID-19 inspire a new way of planning African cities?
Health crises are not new in Africa. The continent has grappled with infectious diseases on all levels, from local (such as malaria) to regional (Ebola) to global (COVID-19). The region has often carried a disproportionately...Read more
What makes a child-friendly city? Redesigning safer and healthier urban spaces for young people
Children are often under-prioritized or even disregarded in urban planning and design. It’s estimated that up to 500 children die daily in road crashes around the world; thousands more incur injuries and psychological trauma from collisions...Read more
Reclaiming the streets of Barcelona
Every morning, Norma Nebot used to rush her children into the car for the stressful school run on roads clogged with traffic and pollution. Although it was only a short journey, the cars speeding along...Read more
Streets of Lima become a meeting place for early childhood
Ambitious plans are being drawn up for the introduction of more child-friendly public spaces in Peru’s capital, Lima.Read more