Children’s “dream” playspaces are outdoor environments with opportunities for risky play and access to natural materialsThis study employed young children as key consultants in the re-design of a playspace intended for their use. Involving children in the process recognizes their right to participate in decisions affecting them. This process also recognizes their ability to make valuable contributions to the planning of playspaces that meet their developmental needs.
Researchers engaged 110 children in making drawings of an ideal playground in a local shopping center in Sydney, Australia. The children were from the local community and were familiar with the shopping center and the playspace designated for renovation. This playspace was in a building with one side open to the outdoors. Before making their drawings, the children were provided images of the playspace and reminded of the layout and existing features. They were also invited to engage in a discussion about what they considered a “good” playspace. The children were then invited to make a drawing of whatever they dreamed of in a playspace. There was no indication that the children’s drawings should focus on the outside setting. Children with written literacy skills added annotations to their drawings; children without such skills dictated annotations to be added. Forty-four of the drawings were completed by preschool-aged children (age 3-5); sixty-six by primary-age children (age 5-9).
All of the drawings depicted the outdoor playspace and featured natural and other-than-human elements. Eight categories of elements were identified: speed and risk, active play, animals, natural elements/flowers, water, games, buildings, and place with people or where you feel good. The two most frequent features in all the drawings were (1) play equipment where the children could engage in risky play and (2) active playspaces and structures. The “active play” category included items used as props for symbolic or imaginary play. Preschool children included these kinds of elements more than the primary-age children, who tended to include more active play apparatus and equipment than preschool-aged children. Only a small number of children included buildings, and the type of building they included were generally small (child-sized) cubby house-style buildings set in large outdoor spaces. Some of the buildings were open to the sky.
This research calls attention to the value children place on being outdoors and having access to natural elements, including such loose parts as stones, leaves, sand, and sticks. Unfortunately, many playspaces available to children in schools and early childhood settings do not reflect what children really want. The way many playspaces are designed reflect more of a concern for safety and supervision rather than children’s need for activity in, and interaction with, the natural world. This study, along with other research and theory, highlight the importance of looking to children as “co-constructors” of spaces designed for their use.
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