Outdoor play for Dutch children declines
‘Dull play areas’ are the reason why two-thirds of Dutch children never play outside or only once a week, according to research. This alarming trend equates to a 10 per cent rise in the last...Read more
New book will “stimulate new research into children’s play”
Critics have given a positive verdict on Policy Press’s new publication, ‘Practice-based research in children’s play’. Published last month, it utilises new methodologies in researching children’s play. The book is edited by Doctors Wendy Russell and...Read more
Street Child World Cup – more than just a game
In just a few weeks an international football tournament in Russia will represent a cry of help for children living on the streets. But it’s probably not the World Cup that you are thinking of. While...Read more
Childhood exposure to green space ‘may help’ brain development
A new study by Barcelona Institute for Global Health, Hospital del Mar and UCLA’s Fielding School of Public Health, says being raised in a greener neighbourhood can benefit a child’s developing brain. Around 250 children participated in...Read more
Playscapes: pop up playground for children in cities
A pair of urban specialist architects has been inspired to use portable wooden crates to turn empty public spaces in the Jordanian capital Amman into playgrounds. Sarah Abdul Majid and Sandra Hiari, the brains behind...Read more
Building inclusive play spaces
Anne-Marie Spencer argues building inclusive play spaces is possible when we consider the whole child, whole environment, and whole community. Inclusive play. Ask 10 people what it means and it’s quite possible you’ll get 10 different...Read more
Transforming everyday urban spaces into playgrounds
Urban Thinkscape provides children from low-income families with mental stimulation by embedding play and learning opportunities in public spaces. A group of psychologists, architects and educators are behind the project. Based in Philadelphia, Urban Thinkspace creatively...Read more
What are kids getting out of playing Minecraft?
Parents are made to worry that their children are spending too much time on their screens playing games, but maybe they’re just… playing. A 2015 poll found that Australian adults rated “excessive screen time” as their...Read more
A tactile garden at a school for the blind in Worli, India
Designed by architect Rahul Kadri’s firm, the garden at Worli’s Happy Home and School for the Blind will serve both as a play area and an open-air classroom. About 50 children gathered at a newly refurbished...Read more
Playgrounds: danger or risk? Do you know the difference?
A top priority for those of us who create industry-leading playground safety surfacing is minimizing the risk of injury. However, that doesn’t mean we don’t understand the importance of active, adventurous playtime that allows kids...Read more
Children and play based learning
Children learn best when they’re having fun, and they are more likely to be having fun when they are playing. Children’s learning is optimal when they’re free to learn at their own pace and in their...Read more
Inactive kids at risk of falls and fractures in old age
Sedentary children are more likely to suffer musculoskeletal disorders like osteoporosis in later life making them more prone to debilitating falls and fractures in old age. Brittle bones, fractures and loss of muscle mass and strength...Read more
Pixelating our playgrounds
As parents, consumers, and citizens, how should we respond to the rise of digital technology in our parks? Children’s playgrounds are becoming increasingly digitised through the ubiquity of mobile devices and interactive games. Anyone with a...Read more
Children malfunction without access to nature
Where I grew up on the newly built edge of Campbell River, there was a 100-kilometre swath of forest, rivers and lakes between my doorstep and the Pacific Ocean. Within an hour’s hike I could find beaver dams,...Read more