Studies of children's play spaces tend to focus on the design of the parks and the physical factors affecting children's experiences and development in those places. There are other factors, however, that impact children's physical activities and experiences in playgrounds and parks. These factors include parents' presence in the play space and their involvement in children's play. This study explored the experiences of both children and their parents in Guangzhou Children's Park in China.
Researchers used on-site observations, semi-structured interviews, and parents' online postings of their experiences with their children in Guangzhou Children's Park as sources of data for this study. The on-site observations were conducted from July to November 2016 with attention to how children interacted with their parents and other children. The researchers were especially interested in how parents acted in the play space. They used field notes and photographs to capture their observations. Ten interviews were conducted – six with the whole family; four with just the parents. Children of the interviewed families were from 4- to 7-years-old. Questions asked during the interviews focused on the children's and parents' perceptions and experiences of the park. Parents' postings about their experiences in the park were accessed from an online consumer review website in China. At the time of this study, the platform had more than 250 comments about Guangzhou Children's Park from parents who had been there with their children.
Findings related to the children indicated that their parents' presence gave them a sense of family and companionship. The parental presence also gave them a sense of being emotionally supported while playing. In addition to appreciating their parents' presence, the children also showed great enthusiasm for peer interaction. The park provided children with spaces where they could meet their peers, interact with them and establish friendships. For the parents, safety issues in the park were of paramount concern. These concerns included issues relating to overcrowded conditions and lack of shade in very hot conditions. For the parents, however, visiting the park also provided them with opportunities to “recall memories of their own childhood and obtain emotional recovery by visiting parks with their children.” These findings suggest that “play spaces are not only places where children play, but also where family life and childhood are 'built'.”
While this study contributes to an understanding of the role of play in urban parks in shaping parent–child relationships in China, more research focusing on parental experiences and needs in relation to child play and family leisure is warranted.
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