Playful Cities Toolkit: resources for reclaiming play in cities
2021
Link to the resource: https://www.arup.com/perspectives/publications/research/section/playful-cities-toolkit-resources-for-reclaiming-play-in-cities
- Format:
- Guide
- Target population:
- Children and adolescents
- Objetive:
-
Understand the complexity of play in cities, guide the design of play-based interventions and measure their impact.
- Methodology:
-
It provides guidance on how to initiate a design process with a holistic approach, and evaluate, prioritize and propose play-based interventions in urban spaces.
It includes tools and practical templates that will be used as guides to help in the design process and maximize the chances of children participating in playful activities in their daily lives.
In the fieldwork phase, it proposes techniques such as interviews, workshops or photography contests with children.
It includes a selection of case studies as examples of good practice.
- Opportunities and limitations:
-
It is a complete guide in which the steps to follow during the process of diagnosis, implementation and evaluation of urban interventions are explained in detail.
It is easy to read and provides numerous examples of real cases in various countries and regions.
It is a novel, unusual approach to the need for play in urban environments beyond playgrounds.
- Indicators:
-
Amount of time children spend playing outdoors. Ability to move independently. Diversity of uses in urban space. Perception of security. Level of contact with nature. Noise levels and air pollution.
- Thematic:
- Public space Green infrastructure Equipment and services Cohesion and social capital
- Link to health:
- Physical Mental Social
- Scale of the field of study:
- Housing / street / building / bounded public space Block - set of buildings or spaces Neighbourhood (or higher)
- Implementation phase:
- Diagnosis / pre-project Implementation Monitoring and evaluation
- Methodological approach:
- Observation Qualitative / Participatory Questionnaire
