Tag Archives: urban design

Last child in the street?

Posted on May 10, 2012 | 17 comments

How can we build the movement to make neighbourhoods, towns and cities more child-friendly? I hereby propose that we steal a page from the playbook of Richard Louv. Continue reading →

17 Comments

Posted in Outdoor play, Urban planning, Urbanism

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Is street play coming back into fashion?

Posted on March 28, 2012 | 15 comments

PLAYINGOUT LOGO colour

Last week I was tipped off about an intriguing job opportunity: a street play research officer. Which global city, you may wonder, is showing such a strong interest in this topic? Mumbai, perhaps? Nope. Rio de Janeiro? Wrong again. The answer is New York City. It’s just one sign that street play, often consigned to the black-and-white memories of baby-boomers, is enjoying something of a renaissance.

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15 Comments

Posted in Outdoor play, Public policy, Urbanism

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A brief history of the popsicle test

Posted on December 13, 2011 | 11 comments

Children and adults in a popsicle storeHow do you measure the child-friendliness of a neighbourhood? Here’s one test. Would you, as a parent of an 8-year-old child living in that neighbourhood, let your child make their own way to a shop and buy a popsicle (or any variety of ice-cream) – and could your child get the frozen treat back home before it melted?

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Posted in Mobility, Outdoor play, Public policy, Risk, Urbanism

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Check out the Stratford Mall skate scene

Posted on November 16, 2011 | 27 comments

Coming through Stratford City shopping centre around 9 pm last night, I saw a small group of skaters – boards, roller and in-line – exploiting the smooth floors for their tricks and weaves.

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27 Comments

Posted in Public space, Urbanism

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Can you help with my Oz trip?

Posted on October 9, 2011 | 39 comments

kangarooI’m en route to Australia, where I’ll be giving talks to childcare agencies and children’s rights bodies, working with public health officials, and networking with child-friendly city projects. And I’m looking to you, my readers, for  your ideas about how to make the trip more worthwhile. Continue reading →

39 Comments

Posted in Mobility, Outdoor play, Public policy, Risk, Urbanism

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Exploring some of London’s most playful spaces and places

Posted on September 22, 2011 | 3 comments

Four girls in Spa FieldsWe only had ten or twelve people take part over the two days, but I’m still buzzing after last weekend’s Open House play space tours. Why?

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3 Comments

Posted in Outdoor play, Public space, Urbanism

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