Urban Playground (child-friendly planning for cities)
Urban Playground is an important and unique book, looking at how to plan cities (and towns) that are child-friendly. Councils and town planners should be looking at planning and transport policies that work for people of all ages, and the planet.
The author begins by showing a diagram, showing how far the typical child is allowed to walk, due to concerns over traffic, air/noise pollution and safety:
- In 2007, a child was allowed to walk around 300m alone
- His mother in 1979 would have walked up to half a mile
- Her father in 1950 would have walked up to a mile
- His father in 1919 would have walked up to 6 miles
By designing cities and towns that focus on car transport and lack of community (so-called ‘shirttail aunties and uncles’ that look out for vulnerable people in neighbourhoods), this has led to many children going everywhere by car.
This leads to obesity, mental health issues (due to lack of exercise and fresh air). And more air pollution. A lot of times simply because parents don’t feel their children are safe to walk alone.
In The Netherlands (which apparently has the world’s happiest children), it’s interesting. There children are are more independent. There is less road traffic due to so-called ‘woonerf’ communities where cars don’t have right of way in residental neighbourhoods. And children tend to walk to school alone and for the most part, are safe. And far healthier and more independent.
Author Tim Gill is an independent scholar and consultant based in London, who focuses on children’s urban spaces.
