Child-Friendly Urban Environment and Playgrounds in Warsaw

Abstract

In recent years worldwide interest has arisen in developing “child-friendly cities”, but research into this issue has so far not being carried out in Poland. Over the past decades one can observe a visible change which has taken place in the relationship between children and their living environment. In the many Polish cities (like in all industrialized countries) increased road traffic, pollution and crime, fragmentation of urban fabric, reduction of green public areas – resulted in rather ‘non child friendly’ environment. Although a child can play anywhere, carefully planned playgrounds are widely considered as an essential part of children's leisure and education. Today in Warsaw playgrounds could be found in a variety of settings as housing estates, recreation public areas, urban parks, schools, churches, community centres and commercial establishments as restaurants and hotels. But one can notice that demand for outdoor recreation shows signs of stopping, despite the efforts to supply much more sophisticated equipment. The aim of our research was to seek an answer for question how could we create an environment that meets a child's needs? Which factors determine child-friendly environment? In the course of our research project selected children's playgrounds in Warsaw were surveyed, undertaken on specific themes, such as: facilities, safety, pressures for change, popularity of sites, proposed strategy of renewal (with playground users interviewed). We were interested both in the children and their caregivers diversifying preferences, their expectations of outdoor recreation infrastructure and management improvements. As at present in Warsaw live as much as 5 528 disabled children therefore emphasis has been also placed on disabled children, their everyday access possibilities to public play space.

Citation

Pawlikowska-Piechotka, A. (2011), "Child-Friendly Urban Environment and Playgrounds in Warsaw", Open House International, Vol. 36 No. 4, pp. 98-110. https://doi.org/10.1108/OHI-04-2011-B0009