Creating universal public space for families

Are our cities good places to grow up? The familiar complaint that children today spend their time sitting in front of a screen, instead of playing outside like previous generations, has some truth to it. Kids spend half the time playing outdoors that their parents’ generation did. Many argue it’s one of the main causes of childhood obesity, and can lead to mental health problems.

But there’s debate about where exactly children should play in cities. Should planners concentrate on building more play areas specifically for children, or on making existing public space more child friendly? Policymakers and residents themselves are often deeply divided on which approach to take.

Now new research suggests that more dedicated play spaces alone will not make cities better places for children. Rather, there are a range of interventions that could increase and improve outdoor play across the city, ranging from changes at street level, to city wide strategies. Policymakers just need help to understand what works.

Understanding play

The report, published this May and funded by the non-profit Bernard Van Leer Foundation — Apolitical’s partner on our cities coverage — compares the use of public space in two cities, Eindhoven, in the Netherlands, and Jerusalem.

Through interviewing residents in a variety of different communities across both places, the authors found that there was “no direct correlation between how many playgrounds a city had, and how likely children are to play out of doors.”

Through observational research, surveys of residents, workshops and interviews, the authors found that factors such as the safety of streets and proximity to the home were often more important than whether an area was designed for play in influencing how many children played in the space.

Planners, architects and policymakers who believe cities need to improve children’s access to urban space, for instance through making roads safer, are beginning to win the ears of decision makers in city governments.

“The aim is that they’re friendly to all ages, irrespective of whether you are a two-year-old, a 60-year-old, or a 70-year-old”

But for Sukanya Krishnamurthy, one of the report’s authors, though more cities are starting to concentrate on creating child friendly spaces, they risk making them exclusive to children of a certain age.

“You don’t want to create only child friendly spaces in one part of the city, playgrounds for example, and then create another space for the teenagers to hang out, and another space for old people to hang out,” she said. The risk is that such age specific spaces and playgrounds can quickly fail to serve the people they are intended for.

For example, the researchers found children are highly sensitive to “interlopers”. If teenagers used playgrounds, younger kids were often put off from using them, while the number of adults — parents, childminders or grandparents — can even end up outnumbering children in playgrounds.

A toolbox for a healthier city

Instead, it’s better to create inclusive space, where each age group finds a realm to behave naturally.

Interventions could be something as small as introducing “playful street furniture” to pavements, or planting small community gardens. At the “macro” end of the scale, city governments can introduce reforms to allow child-participation in policymaking, something that has been done successfully in Tirana, Albania.

“Whether you’re creating a child-friendly space or an age-friendly space, the aim is that they’re friendly to all ages, irrespective of whether you are a two-year-old, a 60-year-old, or a 70-year-old sitting in a particular public space,” said Krishnamurthy.

For Krishnamurthy, these improvements are a chance to help make city life suitable for young families. People contemplating having children shouldn’t automatically think that they need to move to the suburbs — even small interventions can make the inner-city child-friendly.

“How do you create these kind of spaces and mechanisms that support a kind of universal public space for families?” she said. “Anybody who has a voice, or who wants a voice in how public space is, should be aware that it’s possible to do.”

Looking ahead

For Krishnamurthy, the research holds lessons for every city. It’s accompanied by a toolkit, designed to guide planners and policymakers through the types of innovations they can make to urban space, from micro, i.e. within play-spaces themselves, to macro, on a city scale.

“I think some things are easier to do,” she said. “In some places you know there are definite child friendly policies in place that support the creation of these spatial innovations, but in others you don’t have the base policy to support it.”

It’s generally a good time for advocates of child-friendly cities: arguments are being heard, and cities are beginning to experiment. But many planners and policymakers are still unsure just what they can do to help get kids outside. Understanding the way children think and play, and knowing what tools are available, can only help. — Anoush Darabi

(Picture credit: Flickr/ Hans Porochelt)

https://apolitical.co/solution_article/want-kids-in-cities-to-play-outside-just-building-playgrounds-isnt-enough/

Does a 'peaceful' playground work? It reduces free play

The Peaceful Playgrounds program reduces discipline problems and promotes development of social and motor skills

by Emily Graham, PTO Today

https://www.ptotoday.com/pto-today-articles/article/22-a-plan-for-playground-games

Recess is meant to be a break from the classroom, a time for making friends and make-believe. But in reality, recess often involves intense competition, playground bullying, and conflicts that carry over into the classroom. As enrollments have risen at elementary schools across the country, playgrounds have become crowded, increasing the risk of accidents and hot tempers sending children to the principal’s office.

Former teacher and elementary school principal Melinda Bossenmeyer launched Peaceful Playgrounds 15 years ago to address discipline problems and advance social and motor skills development. The Peaceful Playgrounds concept takes a resource most playgrounds already have—open space—and transforms blacktops and fields into play areas for different age groups with activities such as tetherball, wall ball, and Frisbee golf.

About 7,000 schools in the United States and Canada have implemented the program to some degree, according to Bossenmeyer. Starting up the program, from training and planning to painting game outlines, takes about six weeks. Many schools choose to teach children the new games during physical education periods.

With more choices during recess, children are more likely to engage in physical activity. But the program is about more than playing hopscotch. Peaceful Playgrounds includes a component to teach children conflict resolution skills to reduce discipline problems. School staff members receive training and then teach students the new schoolwide rules.

Using a consistent set of rules, equipping children with conflict resolution skills, and providing them with more playground activities caused the number of children sent to the principal’s office to fall dramatically at E. Hale Curran Elementary School in Murrieta, Calif.

In the school’s first year of implementing Peaceful Playgrounds, injuries on the playground requiring medical attention fell by 66 percent, and discipline referrals to the principal from the playground and the classroom decreased 64 percent, according to a study conducted by Bossenmeyer. “Teachers reported they spent less time dealing with issues that spilled over into the classroom from recess, and more children were physically active,” she says.

School Rules

In addition to heading up Peaceful Playgrounds in Canyon Lake, Calif., Bossenmeyer, who has a doctorate in educational leadership, is director of the North County Professional Development Federation for the San Diego County Office of Education. From her years as a physical education teacher and school administrator, Bossenmeyer knows plenty about what goes wrong on playgrounds. As she developed the Peaceful Playgrounds concept, she observed playgrounds to see what was not working.

“Children were arguing about rules, and it was really through no fault of their own,” Bossenmeyer says. “One class was playing by Mrs. Smith’s rules, and another class was playing by Mr. Jones’ rules. The first thing we did was set up one set of rules for games for the whole school.”

Too often, children were sent from the playground to the principal’s office or the school nurse. Bossenmeyer developed a method to teach simple conflict resolution skills. Through the program, children in a dispute are taught to walk away, talk it out, or resolve the disagreement by playing the game “rock, paper, scissors.” If children continue to argue, a teacher will remove them from the game. When faced with the choice of resolving disagreements or sitting out from recess, most students choose to settle disputes by playing “rock, paper, scissors.”

MORE ON PLAYGROUNDS

The Ultimate School Playground Planning Guide (free download)
Protect Your Best Investment With Affordable Insurance for Parent Groups

At Casillas Elementary School in Chula Vista, Calif., students learn the playground and game rules at the beginning of each school year. This saves time and reduces disputes over the rules later on, says Principal John Nelson. The school implemented the program in 2001. 

“We spend a lot of time going over the rules of these games to ensure understanding by all,” Nelson says. And students take the problem-solving strategy of “rock, paper, scissors” from the playground into the classroom, he adds.

“What you realize is children can handle their own problems if only we give them a few skills,” Bossenmeyer says. “In a rapid fashion we see a difference in the way children interact with each other. It really affects the school climate.”

A New Way to Play

During most school recess periods, students congregate in a few areas on the playground, such as sports fields or playground equipment. Only 15 to 20 percent of students take part in game play such as four-square or basketball, while most others engage in free play, where injuries and fights occur more often. Still other children hang around the edges of the playground, and large areas of the playground go unused.

Peaceful Playgrounds sells templates for painting outlines for galloping tracks and jumping grids on the playground, giving children a choice of competitive and cooperative games.

After six months using the program, as many as 80 percent of children voluntarily participate in game play, according to Bossenmeyer.

The program can help growing schools make the most of their playgrounds. “Today, especially in urban schools, it’s not unusual to have 300 kids on the playground at once,” Bossenmeyer says.

Peaceful Playgrounds sells kits for $995 that include templates for marking the playground, activity guides, and staff training materials. Kits are available for age groups from preschool to the sixth grade. At many schools, parents have painted the play areas, spending about $150 on paint, Bossenmeyer says. The game patterns also can be painted onto canvas or a vinyl rug and used in the school gym during inclement weather.

For more information on the program, visit www.peacefulplaygrounds.com.

5 Components of a Peaceful Playground

1. Implement a consistent set of rules. Without consistent rules, children may play by different rules or make up new rules themselves. Children should be taught the rules at the beginning of the school year and be expected to follow them throughout the year. 

2. Teach children to resolve conflicts. When they are taught conflict resolution skills, children can resolve most confrontations without adult intervention. The Peaceful Playgrounds program teaches children to walk, talk, or rock—walk away from a dispute, talk it out, or settle it by playing “rock, paper, scissors.”

3. Add game markings to open space on the playground. By adding game markings to open space, schools can affordably add new activities to their playgrounds.

4. Make sure there is enough playground equipment. Peaceful Playgrounds creator Melinda Bossenmeyer recommends having at least one piece of equipment (balls, jump ropes, etc.) for every 10 children on the playground, or one piece of equipment per game. Playground equipment is as important to recess as pencils and paper are to the classroom.

5. Have consistent expectations. After teaching students the new games, make sure they follow the rules. Playground monitors, as well as teachers and principals, should know the rules.

meditative calming music for kids

Montessori for a New Millennnium

"The unknown energy that can help humanity is that which lies hidden in the child," Dr. Maria Montessori

Maria Montessori has been capturing hearts of parents and teachers around the world for such a long time. Her ideas and philosophy spark minds and inspire to raise generation of deeply motivated, successful and happy people.   “Montessori for the New Millennium – Practical Guidance on the Teaching and Education of Children of All Ages, Based on A Rediscovery of the True Principles and Vision of Maria Montessori”   by Roland A. Lubie Wentworth and Felix Wentworth.  

10 Commandments of Maria Montessori  

1)  Never touch a child unless invited by him (in some form or another).

2)  Never speak ill of a child, either in his presence or in his absence.

3)  Concentrate on strengthening and helping the development of what is good in a child so that its presence may leave less and less space for the bad.

4)  Be active in preparing the environment: take meticulous and constant care of it to help the children to establish constructive relationships with it. Show the children where everything belongs and demonstrate the use of the materials.

5)  Be ever ready to answer the call of a child who needs your assistance. Listen and respond to his appeals.

6)  Respect children when they make mistakes. As soon as they can, allow them to discover their error and correct it by themselves. Stop firmly any misuse of the environment and any action which endangers a child, his development, or others.  

7)  Respect the child who takes rest or watches others or ponders over what he himself has done or will do. Neither call him nor force him to other forms of activity.

8)  Help those who are in search of activity and cannot find it.

9)  Be untiring in repeating presentations to the child who has refused them earlier; in helping the child acquire what is not yet his own and overcome imperfections. Make your ready presence felt to the child who searches and hide from the child who has found it.  

10)  Ever treat the child with the best of good manners and offer him the best you have yourself at your disposal.

Make recess a priority

STUDENT WELLNESS

Longer Recess, Stronger Child Development

With an hour-long recess, elementary schools can help children develop through increased creative play, authentic SEL, and adequate physical regulation.

By Angela Hanscom

August 24, 2016 

"Here they come," the teacher tells me with a weary smile. The children are on their way back from recess. Excited voices echo from down the hallway. I've decided to volunteer at my daughter's elementary school for the afternoon. Eager to see her smiling face, I intently watch the door as the children enter. Their energy as they trickle into the classroom is almost palpable. Even though the children are told to quickly take a seat, it takes a solid ten minutes for them to settle in. There are reminders to put away jackets, trips to the bathroom, pencils being sharpened, children talking to other children, brief episodes of giggling, and a few rowdy demonstrations of affection between some boys.

Later, the teacher confides in me, "I don't understand it. I think the children have more energy after they've had recess! Sometimes I wonder if recess is even worth it."

Shortfalls of a Short Recess

Many teachers report that the period after recess is the absolute hardest transition time of the day. The children are often so wound up that it's hard bring their focus back to their lessons. Some teachers confess to using special techniques to calm and re-focus the children, such as dimming the lights or playing soothing music as they reenter the classroom. While these are great coping strategies to help manage the chaos, preventing episodes of amplified activity from occurring in the first place may prove to be the most beneficial. To do that, we need to allow for a longer recess session. May I boldly suggest at least an hour?

An adequate amount of recess time (or lack thereof) can directly affect children's ability to pay attention, self-regulate, socialize intelligently, and master complex learning skills. We can try to squeeze in short movement breaks here and there, but it won't have the same effects -- or, for that matter, even the same potential. Small movement breaks will always fall short of a good old-fashioned lengthy recess time. Here are three reasons why:

1. Creative Play: Recess sessions that last at least an hour have the potential to foster creative play. Many early childhood centers stress the importance of "large blocks of time (45-60 minutes)" for play throughout the day to help children develop "problem-solving skills that require persistence and engagement."  Observations through our summer camp program consistently demonstrate that it takes an average of 45 minutes of free play before children dive deep into more complex and evolved play schemes. It takes time for children to figure out who they're going to play with, what they're going to play, what everyone's role will be, and finally to execute their plan. If recess lasts only 15-20 minutes, the children are just figuring out who they'll play with and what they'll do before the bell rings and recess is over. Many times, this allows for few (if any) imaginative play opportunities.

2. Social-Emotional Development: In recent years, children have exhibited more trouble reading social cues, demonstrating empathy, and effectively socializing with their peers. Schools have created special "social skills groups" to help combat this problem. However, these adult-directed gatherings that emphasize role-playing are limited in their applicability. Children learn social skills best through real-life scenarios and play opportunities with their peers. They quickly learn that whining doesn't work with friends and that they don't always get what they want. To learn effective social skills, children need plenty of opportunities to freely engage with other children. Recess, if long enough, offers an ideal environment to practice these skills.

3. Physical Regulation: Children require longer than 20 minutes of active free play in order to regulate their bodies and prepare for learning (PDF). In fact, when you first let children outdoors, their initial movement experiences will actually increase their activity levels. According to Eric Jensen's book Teaching With the Brain in Mind, "A short recess arouses students and may leave them 'hyper' and less able to concentrate." Children benefit from an extended recess session (approximately an hour in length), because it gives their bodies time to regulate the movement and bring their activity level back down again.

A Call to Active Play

Let's face it: the current 20-minute recess sessions are not long enough. A mere 20 minutes won't allow children to dive deep into their imaginary worlds or create elaborate play schemes. This is not enough time for children to practice effective social skills -- something that's lacking in this age of technology. And a short recess won't let children regulate their bodies to prepare them for higher-level learning experiences.

If we just made our recess sessions a little longer, we would likely see significant changes in child behavior, attention, and even creativity. The Swanson Primary School in Auckland, New Zealand is a perfect example of giving children more time and freedom at recess, and of the many benefits they saw as a result. We can do the same. All we need to do is make recess a priority once again.

Terra Nova Play Experience in British Columbia

Building on the successes it has had with play environments, the City of Richmond, BC, chose HAPA Architectural firm to design a new play experience at Terra Nova Play Experience.


Located on a Middle Arm of the Fraser River, the Terra Nova landscape represents a myriad of landscape types: intertidal foreshore, dykes, remnant sloughs, and past and present agricultural use. 


The play experience borrows from the form and character of these existing types, integrating and embedding the play experience in the park setting. 


A public process that included the Big Kids Group, a team of advisors that guided through the preliminary fact-finding and site analysis process, and the Little Kids Group, made up of students from two local schools, who offered their ideas and design talents to the process. 


The end result: a park that responds to its setting, its constituents, and the ‘imperfect grid’ formal language of Terra Nova.