The Play in Urban Spaces for Health project aims to learn more about how play can be designed into urban spaces, moving away from traditional play equipment, and thinking about the design of the landscape and incorporating playable features. The project is exploring whether and how children and families can influence the design of two spaces in Bradford and two in Tower Hamlets, London.
The project is also exploring how early years centres and primary schools can activate the sites, taking children to them once a week for child-led free reign play and physical activity, so that playing in those type of spaces becomes familiar and habitual. Using an NIHR programme development grant, the research project is currently scoping the feasibility and acceptability of this concept and will develop a theory of change. Further funding to refine and test the intervention is being considered.
