Playing outdoors in Dutch cities
how children perceive and value the public space as a place to play
Gerben Helleman (De Haagse Hogeschool)
Sanne I. de Vries (De Haagse Hogeschool, Leiden University Medical Center)
Machiel van Dorst (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
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Abstract
Outdoor play can positively affect children’s personal development and health. But how do children perceive and value public space as a place to play, and which factors influence their perceptions and valuations? A total of 89 Dutch children, aged 5 to 11 years, participated in the study. Using photovoice and walk-along methodologies, children told and showed us their favorite and least favorite play spaces. Results showed that children perceive their environment in diverse ways. On the one hand, they engage with the play opportunities offered to them in public space, and on the other hand, they employ creativity to reinterpret the public space to their liking by transforming ordinary objects into play attributes. Physical environmental factors (variety of play spaces, challenging play elements, materials, hygiene) and social environmental factors (the presence of other children, bullying, social safety) influence how children perceive and value public space. Improving these factors might contribute to more child-friendly, play-friendly and therefore healthy cities.
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