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Play is essential for physical, cognitive, emotional, and social development. More than just fun, it is recognised as a fundamental human right in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Once we understand its value, we have a responsibility to design spaces that truly support it.
Tract’s Play Space Design Strategist, Clare Della Bosca, recently presented at the Parks and Leisure Australia VIC/TAS Conference, on the importance of user-centred design and play network strategies to enhance child development and community connections.
Today, Australian children’s participation in outdoor and unstructured play is rapidly diminishing, with only 1 in 3 engaging in free play outdoors every day[1]. With increasing urbanisation and less private open space in our homes, open spaces have to work harder, and serve larger populations, than ever before.
Play spaces provide benefits for the whole community. With rates of loneliness reaching epidemic proportions[2], research shows that neighbours are five times more likely to connect when visiting quality green spaces[3]. These spaces are social hubs that support wellbeing, help build identity in new communities, offer opportunities for cultural expression, and space to gather, celebrate and connect with each other.
Play is not just for children. As we grow, our behaviours change, but the human need for playfulness and creativity grow with us. The new communities we plan for now need to support families and communities at each stage of their life – from young children, to teens, young people, and beyond. Play network strategies allow us to consciously design for play and recreational opportunity within our communities from the outset.
Tract’s holistic approach to play space design
Every community is different. Tract’s ‘User-Centred’ approach embeds empathy and insight, beginning with understanding ‘who’ we are designing for. Whether young families, first home buyers, retirees, multi-generational households…design should foster evolving and diverse needs. Communities are not static: who will they be in 5, 10 or 15 years?
Clare explains, “communities are constantly evolving, designing spaces that adapt to these changes is the key to creating a lasting legacy.”
With a clear idea of user needs, we then focus on what is driving the design: is it to support childhood development, facilitate community cohesion, create a sense of place, build social connection, or a combination?
Using evidence-based tools, specially developed checklists and strategies, we use the latest research to inform play space design, focusing on best practice and long-term wellbeing. The result? A network of playgrounds, green spaces and social areas that encourage play, interaction and a vibrant community atmosphere.
How do we measure play value?
A tree is more than a tree. It offers oxygen exchange, its canopy coverage helps to reduce urban heat, and it provides habitat for animals. But through a child’s eyes, a tree is infinite possibility. How do we embed this imaginative potential in our design thinking?
A play network strategy provides the framework to strategically plan and evaluate the potential value of a play space from conception, and help understand whether this aspiration has been achieved after construction.
Playability, connectivity and diversity are three hallmarks of a high value play network that will support a range of opportunities for users, across age groups. Planning for play is no accident – it is a methodical and iterative process that constantly adapts to be responsive to user needs, and support learning for future projects.
Play networks enable a range of diverse play integrations, including:
- Nature play
- Impactful playgrounds
- Unprogrammed spaces
- Intergenerational play
- Playful encounters
- Multi-functional green spaces
- Youth zones
- Green corridors – allowing play along the way
How do we access play?
For children and adults, play can be difficult or daunting to approach. How do we start? Design must consider ways to offer play as an ‘invitation’ – to ignite curiosity, possibility, creativity, and fun. There is no right or wrong way to play. Opportunities to play together – across age groups and backgrounds – provide a unifying experience with powerful lessons for our ability to share, communicate, problem-solve, empathise, compromise and work together.
“When we view play as an invitation, it becomes a platform for children to explore, grow, and connect. Planning for play should be viewed as an opportunity to support diverse development — an open door to exploration, creativity, and connection.”
Play network strategies in action
Over decades, Tract has been developing new communities that embed opportunities for play and recreation as part of their master planning. We continue to apply new learning and research to our projects based on a holistic evaluation framework that considers physical, social, emotional and cognitive development.
Mambourin is an example of a community hub offering opportunities for multi-generational play.
With green corridors integrating a network of open recreational and play spaces for all ages, Saltwater Coast is an example of how feature play spaces can work in partnership with small interstitial play and recreation nodes, and the natural environment, to provide diversity of experiences and invitations to explore in different ways.
Inspired by its industrial roots, Patchwork Park’s bespoke design, materials and colours reflect the site’s history while creating a sense of fun and unique identity.
Clare believes “play is the thread that weaves communities together, creating spaces where connections are made, relationships grow, and a sense of belonging thrives.”
What does success look like?
A design creates impact when it takes on a life of its own.
“The success of a play space goes beyond usage rates or equipment condition,” Clare reflects, “it’s about leaving a lasting legacy that enhances people’s lives.”
When paint wears thin on a monkey bar, or painted walls become canvases for artistic expression, or small nooks become shrines of flowers lovingly arranged as offerings to imaginary friends…
…this is when we know we have unlocked imaginative potential – designing just enough to create the platform for others to see the possibility.
To find out more and have a conversation about designing for playful communities, reach out to Clare Della Bosca, Play Space Design Strategist.
Click the link below to receive a copy of our brochure: Play Network Strategies – Enhancing Community Connections.
