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Child-friendly streets are an important component in creating cities that promote children’s well-being, health and development. By redesigning streets and roads to take children’s needs into account, cities can create caring and playful environments where children can freely move and explore. How can you create child-friendly streets?
Start directly by involving children. Together, map children’s movement flows to identify which streets are most valuable to prioritise to promote their freedom of movement. Also include children to ensure that their voices and needs are taken seriously. Involving children in decision-making provides insights that can lead to more effective and child-friendly solutions.
Child-friendly streets should prioritise safe walking and cycling routes to encourage physical activity and independence. Children can find it difficult to navigate the subtle and fast signals of cycling traffic. Help them through clarity. Clear pedestrian crossings, pavements and separate cycle paths create safe conditions for children to get to school or playgrounds.
Integrate playful elements along low-traffic or car-free streets to create a fun and stimulating environment for children, but also to signal to parents/guardians/carers that the street is designed for children and suitable to let them out. This can include public climbing-friendly art installations, colourful markings on the street, or small play areas along the road. This allows children to play and challenge themselves while moving through the city. Read more about playful street environments here.
Reduce speed limits on streets where there are homes, schools and play areas. Where possible, introduce traffic-free zones where children can move around safely and parents/guardians/carers can feel confident about their children playing outdoors.
Create green spaces along streets that provide opportunities for both play and recreation. Parks and green spaces provide a place for children to meet friends and parents to socialise while children play in a safe environment.
Design streets with accessible public transport options in mind. Invest in buses and trams that are accessible for prams and small children. Create special stops or zones for families with children.
There are many examples of child-friendly streets, and each city can adapt the principles to its own circumstances and culture. By creating streets that are safe and playful, cities can promote children’s physical and mental health while building a more inclusive and sustainable community environment. Putting children’s needs at the centre of urban planning is an investment in a future where all citizens can thrive and develop.
NACTA & Global Designing Cities Initiative (2020) Designing Streets for Kids. Island Press.
Apolitical, Wim Seghers (2021). How to create a child-friendly city. Link in references
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