World Playground Research Institute

Playground design matters: Insights on quality, gender, and usage – World Playground Research Institute

In cities where space is tight and screens compete for attention, outdoor play is losing ground. But with thoughtful design, we can create environments that inspire children to play. 🤸

🔗 playgroundresearch.org/briefs/playg...

#childrenshealth #playgrounddesign #playgroundresearch

Paediatric OT Spotlight: Ellie Hosking – World Playground Research Institute As a Paediatric Occupational Therapist (OT) with over a decade of experience, Ellie Hosking has dedicated her career to supporting children (and their families)

What does a playground look like through the eyes of a Paediatric Occupational Therapist (OT)? 👀

🔗 playgroundresearch.org/paediatric-o...

#childrenshealth #playgrounddesign #accessibleplay #inclusiveplay #playgroundresearch

When Children Lead the Way: Empowering Young Co-Researchers to Shape Outdoor Play  – World Playground Research Institute Active outdoor play is essential to children’s physical health, emotional well-being, and social development. Yet, many children growing up in underserved neigh

What happens when children become co-researchers? 🧒🔍

👉 playgroundresearch.org/when-childre...

#childrenshealth #cocreation #playgroundresearch

Designing heat-resilient schoolyards to support active outdoor play – World Playground Research Institute

How can we keep children active, safe, and equitable during recess as temperatures climb? ☀️🌡️

🔗 playgroundresearch.org/briefs/desig...

#childrenshealth #playgrounddesign #schoolyards #playground #playgroundresearch

How do we create more child-friendly neighborhoods? – World Playground Research Institute

🏡 Parents’ perception of a neighborhood’s child-friendliness plays a crucial role in their housing choices and how much freedom they give their children to play or move around independently.

🔗 playgroundresearch.org/briefs/how-d...

#childrenshealth #accessibleplay #urbanspace #playgroundresearch

Keeping up with the latest in playground research just got a whole lot easier 🤓

Our database now features over 100 new articles, with fresh insights from 2024 and early 2025 📚

Explore what’s new and see what sparks your interest:
👉 playgroundresearch.org/article-data...

#playgroundresearch

Why we need playgrounds closer to home – World Playground Research Institute

How far do you live from a playground? 🚲‍️🏃

#childrenshealth #playgrounds #accessibleplay #urbanspace #playgroundresearch

🔗 playgroundresearch.org/briefs/why-w...

Research Spotlight: Amy Stringer Learn more about Amy Stringer, a playground researcher at Coventry University, who is working with different industry partners to enhance children's physical activity and development through innovativ...

How can we use research insights to build playgrounds that support children's physical activity and development?

🔗 playgroundresearch.org/research-spo...

#childrenshealth #playgrounddesign #playgrounds #accessibleplay #playgroundresearch

Supporting School Children with Disabilities: Addressing Gaps in Playground Accessibility and Inclusion Learn how U.S. playgrounds still fall short in providing inclusive play opportunities for children with disabilities. In their opinion piece, Allison Poulos and Marissa Schulke explore the difference ...

📣 Play is a fundamental right recognized by the UN, yet many children with disabilities still face significant barriers. With schoolyards being 3x less accessible for students with disabilities, the need for change is long overdue!

👉 shorturl.at/svX5M

#schoolyards #accessibleplay #inclusiveplay

Which park features are essential for promoting physical activity in children? - World Playground Research Institute Home / Briefs / Which park features are essential for promoting physical activity in children? Which park features are essential for promoting physical activity

Parks play a vital role in children’s active lives 🌳

Check out the key park features that can encourage children to be more active:

playgroundresearch.org/briefs/which...

#childrenshealth #playgrounddesign #parks #accessibleplay #playgroundresearch

The Power and Challenges of Co-Creating with Youth Through co-creation, the YoPA project supports vulnerable youth by developing and evaluating interventions that address their needs, from physical activity to lifestyle improvements.

Co-creating with vulnerable adolescents brings both unique rewards and challenges. Learn what works and what doesn't for designing interventions from the EU project ‘Youth-centred Participatory Action’ (YoPA).

👉 shorturl.at/K70dr

#childrenshealth #playgrounddesign #cocreation #playgroundresearch

The impact of school playgrounds on children's health Active outdoor play is crucial for children’s health and development, and school playgrounds provide an ideal space for it. However, the importance of these playgrounds’ use for health and well-being ...

How can we optimize school playgrounds to support children's health and well-being?

🔎 playgroundresearch.org/briefs/the-i...

#childrenshealth #playgrounddesign #schoolyards #playground #playgroundresearch

Architect Spotlight: Gweneth Leigh - World Playground Research Institute Discover Gweneth Leigh’s impactful work in landscape architecture, focusing on schoolyard design to foster child development and well-being. Discover how her PhD research and passion for meaningful pu...

Many schoolyards are not designed to support student well-being – a challenge landscape architect and researcher Gweneth Leigh tackled in her research 🔍

playgroundresearch.org/architect-sp...

#childrenshealth #playgrounddesign #schoolyards #playground #playgroundresearch

Gain key insights from research through short and accessible publications called 'Briefs' Our Briefs provide summaries of key research findings and their implications, serving as a valuable resource for people involved in playground planning- and design.

Finding it hard to apply research findings in your work? Our briefs are exactly what you need 👀

playgroundresearch.org/research-bri...

#childrenshealth #playgrounddesign #playground #playgroundresearch

Investing in Playgrounds: New Research Emphasizes the Need for More Safe and Accessible Play Spaces A recent study by researchers from the World Playground Research Institute highlights the critical role of playgrounds in supporting children's health and development, urging action to create more acc...

Did you know that children today spend significantly less time playing outdoors compared to previous generations?

playgroundresearch.org/investing-in...

#childrenshealth #play #accessibleplay

Children’s voices in playground design: creating fun and inclusive play spaces – World Playground Research Institute Home / Briefs / Children’s voices in playground design: creating fun and inclusive play spaces Children’s voices in playground design: creating fun and inclusiv

If you want to design inclusive and engaging playgrounds – this is for you! 🤸

playgroundresearch.org/briefs/child...

#childrenshealth #inclusiveplay #accesibleplay #play

Creating child-friendly neighborhoods – World Playground Research Institute Home / Briefs / Creating child-friendly neighborhoods Creating child-friendly neighborhoods Introduction and aim Over the past few decades, spatial conditions h

How do urban spaces shape children's development?

👉 shorturl.at/5gJYR

#urbanspace #childrenshealth #childfriendly #play

Two young boys are playing on a schoolyard during recess. The image has "Happy Global School Play" written on it and was created by the World Playground Research Institute.

It's #GlobalSchoolPlayDay! 🎉

Today we celebrate unstructured play and the schoolyards that encourage it. Well-designed spaces allow children to explore, create, and connect freely.

Curious about how you can design for different types of play?
Take a look at our recent brief:
👉 shorturl.at/LUa0J

Jasper Schipperjin at TEDxOdense 2025 We are excited to start 2025 off with great news: Jasper Schipperjin, Head of Centre, will be speaking at TEDxOdense on January 31 st 2025 in Odense, Denmark.

Big news to start our Bluesky adventure 🚀
Jasper Schipperijn takes the #TEDxOdense stage on Jan 31st. His talk, ‘Why Don’t Children Play Outside Anymore?’, explores the decline of outdoor play & how we can create better spaces for children to thrive.

Read more: shorturl.at/HyJt0
#TEDx #TheTimeIsNow