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Beyond playgrounds_ how less structured city spaces can nurture children’s creativity and independence1.48 MB
Published VersionCC BY V4.0, Open Access
Magazine article
Beyond playgrounds: how less structured city spaces can nurture children’s creativity
The Conversation, Vol.27 June 2025
2025
Appears in The Conversation
Abstract
Children’s play is essential for their cognitive, physical and social development. But in cities, spaces to play are usually separated, often literally fenced off, from the rest of urban life.
In our new study, we compare children’s use of such spaces in Auckland, New Zealand, and Venice, Italy. Our findings present a paradox: playgrounds built for safety can stifle creativity and mobility, while self-organising open spaces offer rich opportunities to explore and belong.
Details
- Title
- Beyond playgrounds: how less structured city spaces can nurture children’s creativity
- Authors
- Jose Antonio Lara-Hernandez (Author) - Auckland University of TechnologyGreg Mews (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Bioclimatic and Sociotechnical Cities Lab
- Publication details
- The Conversation, Vol.27 June 2025
- Publisher
- Conversation Media Group
- Date published
- 2025
- DOI
- 10.64628/AA.6ncp4g4a9
- ISSN
- 2201-5639
- Copyright note
- © The Conversation Media Group. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
- Organisation Unit
- Bioclimatic and Sociotechnical Cities Lab; School of Law and Society
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 991136703402621
- Output Type
- Magazine article
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