Designing stepping-stones landscapes: a 2D perspective does not lead to more standardization than an in-situ perspective.

Previous research found that when participants across the lifespan could be the architect of their own stepping-stones landscapes, they create nonstandardized configurations with gap-width variation. Yet, architects often use standardized dimensions in their designs for playgrounds and outdoor fitness areas. To scrutinize why architects tend to seek for more standardized designs than the examined target users, we tested the hypothesis that the difference is caused by a different perspective during the making process. After all, landscape architects generally design on 2D maps, while the participants designed in situ. We asked 67 participants to design a stepping-stones landscape on a 2D map and 67 other participants to create the landscape in situ. Contrary to our expectations, we found no indications that designing on a 2D map leads to more standardized configurations. We end with discussing other characteristics of the design processes that could potentially explain the omnipresent standardization in design.

Where Are Czech Adolescents Active? The Patterns of Movement and Transport Behavior in Different Active Living Domains.

To understand the environmental determinants of physical activity (PA), precise spatial localization is crucial. This cross-sectional study focuses on the spatiotemporal distribution of PA among Czech adolescents (n = 171) using Global Positioning System loggers and accelerometers. The results showed that adolescents spent most of their time in sedentary behavior, with 57.2% and 58.5% of monitored time at home and school, respectively. The park and playground had the lowest proportion of sedentary behavior but also the lowest amount of moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA). However, when considering the time spent in each domain, the highest proportion of MVPA was seen in publicly accessible playgrounds (13.3% of the time). Chi-square analysis showed that the relative distribution of different PA intensities did not differ across spatial domains. Based on these results, the authors propose 2 key strategies for increasing MVPA in adolescents: Increase the time spent in activity-supportive environments, such as parks and playgrounds, and design techniques to increase MVPA at home and school settings.

A gap in perceived accessibility to play spaces for physical activity in Arizona elementary schools.

BACKGROUND: The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans states all children should be provided with various physical activity opportunities; however, school play spaces are often unaccommodating to students with disabilities and this limitation may be exacerbated in lower-income schools. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study was to compare elementary school play space accessibility among children with and without disabilities at lower- and higher-income schools. METHODS: This cross-sectional study utilized an online survey assessing the perceived accessibility of play spaces for students with and without disabilities in low- and high-income schools administered to 178 physical education teachers across Arizona. Chi-square analyses were conducted to assess reported play space adequacy among students with and without disabilities, and associations by school-level income. RESULTS: There was a significant association between disability status and reported playground and play field inadequacy (p < 0.05). Without considering school income, reported inadequacy was 3x greater for students with disabilities compared to those without for both playgrounds and play fields. Among low-income schools, reported inadequacy was 3x greater for playgrounds and 7x greater for play fields for students with disabilities compared to those without. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest a gap in access to school play spaces for students with disabilities and highlight the lack of inclusive play areas specifically among schools serving low-income populations. Our findings underscore the need for students with disabilities to be considered in the development of play spaces to ensure this at-risk population receives maximum opportunities for accessible movement and social engagement during the school day.

Playground Location and Patterns of Use.

Playgrounds have features that benefit visitors, including opportunities to engage in outdoor physical activity. We surveyed 1350 adults visiting 60 playgrounds across the USA in Summer 2021 to determine if distance to the playground from their residence was associated with weekly visit frequency, length of stay, and transportation mode to the site. About 2/3 of respondents living within ½ mile from the playground reported visiting it at least once per week compared with 14.1% of respondents living more than a mile away. Of respondents living within » mile of playgrounds, 75.6% reported walking or biking there. After controlling for socio-demographics, respondents living within ½ mile of the playground had 5.1 times the odds (95% CI: 3.68, 7.04) of visiting the playground at least once per week compared with those living further away. Respondents walking or biking to the playground had 6.1 times the odds (95% CI: 4.23, 8.82) of visiting the playground at least once per week compared with respondents arriving via motorized transport. For public health purposes, city planners and designers should consider locating playgrounds ½ mile from all residences. Distance is likely the most important factor associated with playground use.

Comprehensive assessment of soil and dust heavy metal(loid)s exposure scenarios at residential playgrounds in Beijing, China.

Small playgrounds situated within residential communities are popular recreational areas. However, heavy metal(loid)s (HMs) in soil or equipment dust may pose a public health risk. This study provides a comprehensive assessment of the health risk associated with HMs exposure at residential playgrounds in cities, a field that has not been thoroughly investigated previously. 70 soil and 70 equipment dust samples were collected from 30 urban and 40 suburban playgrounds in Beijing. Results indicated significant enrichment of Cu, As, and Ni in the soil with Enrichment Factors (EFs) >5 from both anthropogenic and lithogenic sources. Correlation analyses showed that the levels of Be, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni in soil and Be, Mn, As, Cd in dust were positively correlated with the distance to the nearest highway, with p-values < 0.01. Enrichment and correlation analyses contributed to a better understanding of the sources and transport pathways of HMs in urban environment. Based on a site-specific Conceptual Site Model (CSM), the carcinogenic risks (CRs) and Hazard Quotients (HQs) were quantified for residents as the ratio of HMs exposure to reference doses. Risk assessment indicated the mean predicted CR for children and adults exposed to soil was 3.75 × 10-6 and 5.29 × 10-6, respectively, while that at dust exposure scenarios was lower, at 2.47 × 10-6 and 3.49 × 10-6, respectively, all of which were at the upper end of U.S. EPA's acceptable criteria of 1 × 10-6 to 1 × 10-4. Among the HMs, As and Ni were identified as the priority control contaminants due to significant contribution to CRs. Furthermore, the spatial distribution revealed an increasing trend in health risk from the urban center to the suburbs. This study emphasizes the need for effective measures to mitigate potential health risk and enhance the safety of recreational areas, particularly for susceptible individuals.

The Representation of Children's Participation in Guidelines for Planning and Designing Public Playspaces: A Scoping Review with "Best Fit" Framework Synthesis.

For children, meaningful participation in community life includes being able to access places for play. Such community playspaces are potentially important for all children, including those with disabilities. Yet, children are rarely asked for their views on the design of playspaces, which can further contribute to exclusionary practices and undermine children's rights to share their views on matters that affect them. In this scoping review, we aim to analyze guidelines and identify strategies for supporting children's participation rights when planning public playspaces. Guidelines are practical tools used by local policymakers when creating community playspaces, which are important sites for children's outdoor play. In total, forty-two guidelines were identified that addressed children's participation rights, along with community involvement. Qualitative evidence synthesis with a "best fit" framework approach was used, informed by Lundy's model of children's participation. The findings revealed the importance of initial community involvement as a critical prerequisite. Strategies for children's participation mostly concerned "space and voice" (for children of diverse abilities), with little attention paid to giving their views due weight. This evidence shows that there is a significant gap in knowledge surrounding policy development and implementation to support adults and children to cooperate equally in designing playspaces. Future directions for research in children's participation require a focus on combined community-children participation approaches in public playspace design. Such work could strengthen and facilitate the role of adults as bearers of the duty to implement the rights of children. This review generated inclusive strategies in planning public playspaces, which could support local policymakers in this complex multi-layered process.

Playgrounds Location and Patterns of Use.

Playgrounds have features that benefit visitors, including opportunities to engage in outdoor physical activity. We surveyed 1350 adults visiting 60 playgrounds across the U.S. in Summer 2021 to determine if distance to the playground from their residence was associated with weekly visit frequency, length of stay, and transportation mode to the site. About 2/3 of respondents living within ½ mile from the playground reported visiting it at least once per week compared with 14.1% of respondents living more than a mile away. Of respondents living within » mile of playgrounds, 75.6% reported walking or biking there. After controlling for socio-demographics, respondents living within ½ mile of the playground had 5.1 times the odds (95% CI: 3.68, 7.04) of visiting the playground at least once per week compared with those living further away. Respondents walking or biking to the playground had 6.1 times the odds (95% CI: 4.23, 8.82) of visiting the playground at least once per week compared with respondents arriving via motorized transport. For public health purposes, city planners and designers should consider locating playgrounds ½ mile from all residences. Distance is likely the most important factor associated with playground use.

Playground Design: Contribution to Duration of Stay and Implications for Physical Activity.

BACKGROUND: The study goal was to identify playground features associated with visitor length of stay and physical activity. METHODS: We observed playground visitors over 4 days during summer 2021 in 60 playgrounds in 10 US cities, selected based on design, population density, and poverty levels. We observed 4278 visitors and documented their length of stay. We observed an additional 3713 visitors for 8 min, recording their playground location, activity level, and use of electronic media. RESULTS: People stayed an average of 32 min (range 5 min-4 h). Stay time varied by group size, with larger groups staying longer. The presence of restrooms increased the likelihood of staying longer by 48%. Playground size, mature trees, swings, climbers, and spinners were associated with longer stays. When a teen was a part of the group observed, the group was 64% less likely to stay longer. The use of electronic media was associated with lower amounts of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity compared to non-media users. CONCLUSIONS: To increase population-level physical activity and time spent outdoors, playground features associated with a longer stay should be considered when renovating or building new playgrounds.

Culturas infantis nas fotografias do parque Violeta Dória Lins (décadas de 1940 a 1960) / Children's culture in photographs of Violeta Dória Lins playground (from 1940's to 1960's) / La cultura infantil en las fotografías del parque Violeta Dória Lins (décadas 1940 a 1960)

O Parque Infantil Violeta Dória Lins foi inaugurado em 1940, em Campinas, como parte de um projeto mais amplo que tinha como finalidade educar e cuidar de crianças. Nesses parques, as intenções educativas evidenciavam o papel da arquitetura e da natureza. O objetivo deste trabalho é compreender as culturas infantis nas produções materiais e simbólicas produzidas para as crianças que frequentaram parques infantis entre as décadas de 1940 e 1960 na cidade de Campinas. Para essa investigação, foram selecionadas fotografias do acervo da instituição, bem como do Museu da Imagem e do Som de Campinas. A análise evidenciou que havia dois padrões de fotografias armazenados. Um empenhado na exibição das estruturas edificadas; outro, das práticas educativas que envolviam as crianças. Concluímos que as particularidades do projeto educacional dos Parques Infantis representavam possibilidades profícuas para a produção de culturas infantis, a partir da valorização do contato com a natureza e de um programa pedagógico voltado para atividades artísticas, trabalhos manuais, jogos e brincadeiras. (AU)

The Violeta Dória Lins Playground was inaugurated in 1940, in Campinas, as part of a larger project to educate and care for children. In these parks, the educational intentions highlighted the role of architecture and nature. This paper aims to understand children's cultures in the material and symbolic productions produced for the children who frequented playgrounds between the 1940s and 1960s in Campinas. For this investigation, photographs were selected from the institution's collection and the Museum of Image and Sound of Campinas. The analysis showed that there were two patterns of stored photographs, one committed to the display of the built structures, the other to the educational practices involving children. We conclude that the particularities of the educational project of the Playgrounds represented fruitful possibilities for the production of children's cultures, from the appreciation of the contact with nature and a pedagogical program focused on artistic activities, crafts, games, and play. (AU)

El Parque Infantil Violeta Dória Lins fue inaugurado en 1940, en Campinas, como parte de un proyecto más amplio destinado a la educación y el cuidado de los niños. En estos parques, las intenciones educativas estaban vinculadas a la arquitectura y la naturaleza. El objetivo de este trabajo es comprender las culturas infantiles en las producciones materiales y simbólicas producidas para los niños que asistían a los parques infantiles entre las décadas de 1940 y 1960 en la ciudad de Campinas. Las fotografías fueron seleccionadas de la colección de la institución, así como del Museu da Imagem e do Som. El análisis mostró que había dos corrientes de fotografías, una comprometida con la exhibición de las estructuras construidas y la otra, con las prácticas educativas. Concluimos que las particularidades del proyecto educativo de los Parques Infantiles representaron posibilidades fructíferas para la producción de culturas infantiles, a partir de la valoración del contacto con la naturaleza y en un programa pedagógico centrado en actividades artísticas, trabajos manuales, juegos y actividades lúdicas. (AU)

A scoping review of the playground experiences of children with AAC needs.

Unstructured play on playgrounds is beneficial to children's development, but children with disabilities are often unable to use playgrounds in the same ways as their peers without disabilities. No research to date has focused exclusively on the playground experiences of children who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). Therefore, in this scoping review, information from 10 studies published between 1990 and 2020 that investigated the playground experiences of children with disabilities, including those with limited speech, is synthesized. Included studies used experimental or non-experimental designs and involved the collection of either quantitative or qualitative data. The findings indicate that children with limited speech have diverse playground experiences and can benefit in some of the same ways as children with typical development from playground play but that they encounter barriers to participation that go beyond a lack of physical access. Additional research focusing specifically on understanding the communication experiences of children who use AAC on playgrounds is essential to address the complex issues associated with playground participation, including access to aided AAC systems on the playground. To foster more inclusive playgrounds, accessibility standards must address the unique needs of children with limited speech to support participation and access to communication on the playground.

Neighborhood and Family Characteristics Associated with Adiposity and Physical Activity Engagement among Preschoolers in a Small Rural Community.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate family and home/neighborhood characteristics associated with physical activity (PA) and adiposity among young children living in a small rural community. METHODS: Participants were 30 parents and their youngest child aged 2-5 years. Children wore accelerometers for 7 days. Parents completed questionnaires about family lifestyle behaviors, parenting practices, and home/neighborhood characteristics. RESULTS: None of the family lifestyle behaviors were associated with child BMI percentile. Backyard size was inversely associated with moderate to vigorous physical activity on weekday afternoons (rho = -0.488, p = 0.006), as was perception of neighborhood dangers (rho = -0.388, p = 0.034). Perceived neighborhood safety (rho = 0.453, p = 0.012), the presence of sidewalks (rho = 0.499, p = 0.012), and public playground use (rho = 0.406, p = 0.026) were each associated with higher weekday afternoon MVPA. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest neighborhood safety, sidewalks, and use of public playgrounds are positively associated with MVPA among preschoolers, while backyard size and access to play equipment at home are not. These findings have implications for rural communities where space is plentiful but access to community space and sidewalks may be limited.

The affordances of art for making technologies.

With this inaugural lecture as Socrates Professor on the topic of Making Humane Technologies, I aim to show that artistic practices afford embedding technologies better in society. Analyzing artworks made at RAAAF, an art collective that makes visual art and experimental architecture, I will describe three aspects of making practices that may contribute to improving the embedding of technology in society: (1) the skill of working with layers of meaning; (2) the skill of creating material playgrounds that afford free exploration of the potential of new technologies and artistic experiments; and (3) the skill of openness to the possibility of having radically different socio-material practices. I will use images of several RAAAF projects to make these skills involved in making more tangible. It is artistic skills like these that can contribute to a better societal embedding of technologies.

A direct observation tool to measure interactions between shade, nature, and children's physical activity: SOPLAY-SN.

BACKGROUND: Most physical activity (PA) during school occurs at recess; however, recess PA may be influenced by children's thermal comfort and interaction with nature, neither of which have concurrently been measured reliably in previous studies. This study tests the reliability of SOPLAY-SN, an adaption of the validated System for Observing Play and Leisure Activity in Youth (SOPLAY) to measure Shade and Nature (SN) alongside PA, and associations between children's PA and interaction with shade and nature during recess to highlight the utility of the tool. METHODS: Interactions with shade and nature were measured using systematic direct observation at two playgrounds (primary-grade = ages 5-8, upper-grade = ages 9-12) during recess at an elementary school in Phoenix, Arizona (USA). Pairs conducted observations over four warm days (primary = 29-34 °C, upper-grade = 32-36 °C) in May 2021 (N = 179 scans). Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were used to calculate inter-rater reliability. Mean counts, frequencies, and Kendall rank correlation coefficient tests were used to assess relations between PA level and interactions with shade and nature. RESULTS: Reliability was good for sedentary behavior (ICC = 0.98); light PA (LPA; ICC = 0.80) and moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA; ICC = 0.94); shade interaction (ICC = 0.95); and nature interaction (ICC = 0.80) and average agreement was good (86% overall PA, 88% shade, 90% nature). Most (60%) primary-grade children were observed in the shade, with 64% under a covered play structure where children were mainly (47%) sedentary. Of the 11% of primary-grade students observed interacting with nature, 90% occurred in a grass field with trees. Among upper-grade children, 23% were observed in the shade with 53% in grass fields where 48% of play was light. Few (7%) upper-grade children were observed interacting with nature, with most instances (76%) in a grass field with trees. Among primary-grade children, shade was correlated with sedentary behavior (τb = 0.63, p < .05); LPA (τb = 0.39, p < .05); MVPA (τb = 0.56, p < .05); and nature interactions with sedentary behavior (τb = 0.16, p < .05). Among upper-grade children, shade was correlated with sedentary behavior (τb = 0.27, p < .05) and LPA (τb = 0.21, p < .05). CONCLUSIONS: SOPLAY-SN is a reliable tool for measuring children's interaction with shade and nature and participation in PA. Understanding how shade and nature impact movement during recess can inform playground design for children's health and well-being.

Motivating playgrounds: understanding how school playgrounds support autonomy, competence, and relatedness of tweens.

PURPOSE: Physical activity (PA) is an important factor contributing to general health. PA declines rapidly during tween years (9-12 years) when children's social world changes. School playgrounds can contribute substantially to children's PA, but little is known about how to motivate tweens to use school playgrounds. Using the three basic psychological needs (autonomy, competence, and relatedness) proposed by the Self-Determination Theory, this qualitative study aimed to investigate how school playgrounds can support tweens' needs. METHODS: Tweens (n = 56) participated in focus group go-along interviews in their school playground. RESULTS: We found that tweens needed a variety of play possibilities (autonomy) that challenged their skills (competence) as well as areas to retract and be with friends (relatedness). CONCLUSION: This research highlights the importance of incorporating tweens' perspectives in playground design to attract and retain them in play and PA in school playgrounds.

Quantification and Analysis of Micro-Level Activities Data from Children Aged 1-12 Years Old for Use in the Assessments of Exposure to Recycled Tire on Turf and Playgrounds.

BACKGROUND: There are growing health concerns about exposure to toxicants released from recycled tire rubber, which is commonly used in synthetic turf and playground mats. To better estimate children's exposure and risk from recycled tire rubber used in synthetic turf and playground mats, there is a need to collect detailed accurate information on mouthing activity and dermal contact behaviors. The objective of this study was to quantify and analyze micro-level activity time series (MLATS) data from children aged 1-12 years old while playing (non-sport-related games) at turf-like locations and playgrounds. Another objective was to estimate the incidental ingestion rate of rubber crumb among children. METHODS: Hand and mouth contact frequency, hourly duration, and median contact duration with different objects were calculated for children playing on turf (i.e., parks, lawns, and gardens) (n = 56) and for children playing on playground structures (n = 24). Statistically significant differences between males and females as well as children's age groups were evaluated. The daily incidental ingestion rate of rubber crumb was calculated. RESULTS: For children playing on turf, there were significant differences between younger (1-6 y) and older (7-12 y) children for the mouthing median duration with non-dietary objects and all objects. For children playing on playground structures, we found significant mouthing frequency differences between younger (1-6 y) and older children (7-12 y) with all objects, and for mouthing median duration with non-dietary objects. There were no significant differences between males and females playing on artificial turf-like surfaces or playground mats. Our estimated mean incidental ingestion rate was 0.08, 0.07, and 0.08 g rubber crumb/day for children <2, 2-6, and 6-11 years old, respectively. DISCUSSION: our results suggest that age and contact duration should be considered in risk assessment models to evaluate mouthing activities when children are playing on artificial turf surfaces or playground mats.

Reclaiming public spaces: The case for the built environment as a restorative tool in neighborhoods with high levels of community violence.

Early-life exposure to neighborhood violence can negatively affect children's socioemotional development and long-term health outcomes. Community-level interventions that modify the built environment to facilitate social encounters can have a positive impact on health. An example of such interventions is the building of green spaces and playgrounds. This case study describes collaboration among residents, local organizations, and a university that aimed to increase the utilization of a vacant lot by converting it into a green space with a playground. Informal conversations at volunteer gatherings and neighborhood association meetings indicated a positive impact of this project in the community. We propose a model for future program implementation and research to improve health in disinvested and disordered communities. We conclude that more research is needed on community partnerships that modify the built environment to decrease community violence. Community-based participatory research may be successful in evaluating future projects with this goal.

Playgrounds are for children: Investigating developmentally-specific "Green Space" and child mental health.

"Green space" effects on health have been amply demonstrated, but whether specific features of green space exert differential effects remains unknown. Driven by developmental psychology theory highlighting the importance of play for young children, we investigated the association between parks with playgrounds, as a subtype of "green space", and young child mental health. After adjusting for individual race, sex, income, and cumulative risk as well as neighborhood disadvantage, we find that children (N=95) living near parks with playgrounds have better mental health than those near parks without playgrounds (߈=-1.22 (95% CI: -3.82 - 1.38, p=0.36) Child Behavior Checklist scale). While not statistically significant, the observed difference, which is equivalent to 11% of the baseline mean score, is meaningful. Our results, while only suggestive, indicate that moving beyond "green space" to investigate developmentally-specific features may be worthwhile.

How Do the Children Play? The Influence of Playground Type on Children's Play Styles.

Using a mixed-method design, the aims of the current study were to develop an in-depth understanding of (1) children's social play behaviors on school and community playgrounds, (2) the duration with which children play within varying social play categories, and (3) assessing children's perspectives of playground activities, their peer relationships, and recommendations for new playgrounds. Six participants were observed for five 30-min observations on a school playground and for five 30-min observations on a community playground. Participants were also interviewed about their experiences and preferences on school and community playgrounds. The direct observation results support and extend previous work, indicating that children's play skill competence varies by setting. Children demonstrated higher levels of associative and cooperative play on the school playground, but higher levels of solitary and parallel play on the community playground. This difference in play styles by playground appears to be a function of available play partners and is explained by the interview data, which found that children are not comfortable playing with children they do not know.

Children's Play and Independent Mobility in 2020: Results from the British Children's Play Survey.

The British Children's Play Survey was conducted in April 2020 with a nationally representative sample of 1919 parents/caregivers with a child aged 5-11 years. Respondents completed a range of measures focused on children's play, independent mobility and adult tolerance of and attitudes towards risk in play. The results show that, averaged across the year, children play for around 3 h per day, with around half of children's play happening outdoors. Away from home, the most common places for children to play are playgrounds and green spaces. The most adventurous places for play were green spaces and indoor play centres. A significant difference was found between the age that children were reported to be allowed out alone (10.74 years; SD = 2.20 years) and the age that their parents/caregivers reported they had been allowed out alone (8.91 years; SD = 2.31 years). A range of socio-demographic factors were associated with children's play. There was little evidence that geographical location predicted children's play, but it was more important for independent mobility. Further, when parents/caregivers had more positive attitudes around children's risk-taking in play, children spent more time playing and were allowed to be out of the house independently at a younger age.

Presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA on playground surfaces and water fountains.

The possibility of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) transmission by fomites or environmental surfaces has been suggested. It is unclear if SARS-CoV-2 can be detected in outdoor public areas. The objective of the current study was to assess the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in environmental samples collected at public playgrounds and water fountains, in a country with high disease prevalence. Environmental samples were collected from six cities in central Israel. Samples were collected from drinking fountains and high-touch recreational equipment at playgrounds. Sterile pre-moistened swabs were used to collect the samples, put in viral transfer media and transferred to the laboratory. Viral detection was achieved by real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, targeting four genes. Forty-three samples were collected from playground equipment and 25 samples from water fountains. Two of the 43 (4.6%) samples from playground equipment and one (4%) sample from a drinking fountain tested positive. It is unclear whether the recovery of viral RNA on outdoor surfaces also indicates the possibility of acquiring the virus. Adherence to environmental and personal hygiene in urban settings seems prudent.