Riela Provi Drianda & Isami Kinoshita
APA
Drianda, R. P. & Kinoshita, I. (1). The Safe and Fun Children's Play Spaces: Evidence from Tokyo, Japan, and Bandung, Indonesia. Journal of Urban Design, 20(4), 437–460. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13574809.2015.1044507
Abstract
This paper presents findings from a research project aimed at understanding children’s perceptions of play spaces, with an emphasis on safety and fun. Six places that were considered by the respondents of the first-stage research as having both attributes of safety and fun were observed. The findings show that these spaces are generally separated from motor vehicles and the child and adult users of these spaces show socially acceptable behaviours and a positive response toward children’s outdoor play. Nevertheless, the findings also point out the significant differences in the characteristics of the safe and fun play spaces in Tokyo, Japan, and Bandung, Indonesia, in terms of their user behaviour, space availability, play affordances and availability of natural elements.
Main finding
The findings highlight similarities and significant differences in terms of user behaviour, space availability, play affordances and availability of natural elements. The case sudies recognized the contribution of traffic-calming devices in making the play space safer from the threat of cars and motorcycles, the benefit of allowing children to see the surrounding environment and to be seen by people in the surrounding areas and the value of socially acceptable behaviours and a positive response toward children's outdoor play by child and adult users of the observed play spaces. The case study in Bandung were not places designed for children's play activity, may put children at risk of being sexually harassed and/or victims of crime, and limit their opportunity to explore environments other than their homes.
Description of method used in the article
First-stage research identified five parks and one resident's house yard as the safest and yet the most fun play space in the respondents' neighbourhood. The data used derived from the second stage of research conducted in Tokyo, Japan, and Bandung, Indonesia, during 2011–12. The observation checklist included the following safety and fun aspects of children's play environments - surveillance, traffic safety, user behaviour, infrastructure and maintenance.
Verdict
Of practical use