What problem am I solving?
Most playgrounds are designed by adults, based on safety standards, budgets, and assumptions about children. As a result, they often become predictable, restrictive, and sometimes even boring.
From a child’s perspective, the challenges are different:
- Not enough freedom or space
- Too many rules
- Feeling excluded or not heard
- Limited opportunities to explore or discover
Playgrounds are supposed to be spaces of joy, but they often fail to reflect what children actually want: freedom, creativity, and a sense of ownership.
Why should we care?
This matters because playgrounds are not just physical spaces—they are environments where children develop socially, emotionally, and creatively.
When children are not included:
- They spend less time in these spaces
- They feel less connected to them
- Their needs and ideas are overlooked
But when they are included, something shifts. Playgrounds become more engaging, more meaningful, and more used. They stop being just “installed structures” and start becoming lived experiences.
What is the solution and how does it work?
My approach is to introduce participatory design methods, especially through workshops with children.
Instead of asking children to adapt to a finished design, the process invites them to:
- Express ideas through drawing, storytelling, and play
- Share feelings about existing playgrounds
- Imagine new possibilities
These workshops act as tools that translate children’s thoughts into design input. At the same time, the process still considers real-world constraints like safety regulations and feasibility.
So the solution is not a single playground design—but rather a design process:
→ one that creates space for children to be heard
→ one that balances creativity with structure
Who is the target audience?
The primary “users” are children, but the system involves multiple stakeholders:
- Designers and urban planners
- Schools (as collaborators)
- Parents and caregivers
- Municipalities
In this sense, children are both participants and beneficiaries, while institutions act as enablers of the process.
What is going to happen? (Change & Impact)
If children are included in the design process:
Before:
- Playgrounds are standardized and repetitive
- Children feel disconnected
- Design decisions are top-down
After:
- Playgrounds become more diverse and engaging
- Children feel ownership and belonging
- Spaces are used more actively
Bonus: How could this create value?
This approach could evolve into a service or framework:
- Workshops organized with schools and municipalities
- Participatory design toolkits for designers
- Consulting for inclusive playground design
