“More than a playground, this is an urban thinkscape” — Quartz, 2018, 5:03 — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkqV20wqAeg

Research suggests that play is important for children’s intellectual and social development. In this video we examine a Harvard project aiming to incorporate play into the architecture of public space. Four installations in Philadelphia are profiled which researchers hope will stimulate guided play, or play where interactive learning occurs (as compared to unstructured free play).

How else can our society renovate public space to be more conducive to play? What differences might exist in the play terrain of urban and rural spaces? Which seems the most fun and educative to you?

From the video’s description: Urban Thinkscape is more than just a playground. It was designed by a team of psychologists and architects to encourage families to play while waiting for the bus. The researchers behind the project argue that play is crucial for early childhood development and that there needs to be more of it built into public spaces — more than a playground for kids. In 2050, 70% of the world’s children will live in cities. If the team can prove Urban Thinkscape’s success, it’s a concept that can be replicated almost anywhere.