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Lack of Child-friendliness Around the Globe

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These resources highlight the issue of having diminished play spaces due to lack of considerations given to children. The YouTube video is an ad by Persil called "What’s It Like To Be A Child?” and draws attention to the need for play in childhood.

The other resources stress the problems that arise from the absence of children’s voice in planning for communities and neighbourhoods within Canada, USA, and Australia. What's It Like To Be A Child? - from the Persil Kids Today Project. Is your neighbourhood making your child fat? | Cumming School of Medicine | University of Calgary. By Don McSwiney Posted Oct. 3, 2007 BHSc student Meghan Nolan (right) inventoried playgrounds and parks with help from Tish Doyle-Baker (left) and Bev Sandalack.Imagine a city designed by kids. Instead of freeways and gas stations, there would be a playground on every corner, and a hockey rink behind every house. A new study by Facultyof Medicine student Meaghan Nolan suggests that city planners have a much different agenda when they plan neighbourhoods and it could be contributing to the growing childhood obesity epidemic.

"Someone once said that planners don't design cities for kids," says Nolan, "and I think any objective observation of our Calgary neighbourhoods would definitely draw the same conclusion. " Why some communities could be "obesogenic" Nolan is a recent graduate from the first class of students in the Bachelor of Health Sciences program at the U of C's Faculty of Medicine. The study examined four eras of Calgary neighbourhoods: Why Hillhurst? Planning for our health. Planning Institute of Australia. The planning profession is committed to representing and meeting the diverse needs of the community.

Children are vulnerable to environmental stress and their physical, emotional and mental needs should be a planning priority. Planners have the ability to help create child friendly cities and communities that can contribute positively to the development of a child's, happiness and wellbeing. Creating child friendly environments generates broad economic, social and cultural benefits. It is an action and a policy end that serves the general community and is a long term investment in the life of that community. As Australia’s urban population continues to grow, cities need to be designed with children’s needs in mind to ensure that all urban environments provide positive advantages for their development. Cities provide a diverse range of services, experiences and opportunities and enhance the possibilities for a child’s mobility and independence. PIA policy principles Back to top PIA Action. The sorry state of neighbourhood design in America: a mother writes.

After my last blog post about German children having more everyday freedom than their English peers, Andrea – a German-born woman who now lives in the USA – got in touch to leave a comment. She had some revealing things to say about the differences between her home and adopted countries, and has agreed to let me share them more prominently. She paints a depressing picture of car-dependence and isolation: a stark comparison with her experiences in Germany. Here is her story. Woodbury, MN. Source: Strongtowns.org I am German, have lived in the US for 18 years and have raised three children here. Andrea subsequently emailed me, and added these closing thoughts: I am very deeply concerned and also convinced about these issues. It is intriguing that Andrea does not even mention the apparent American fixation with personal safety and security. Intriguingly, the climate in America may be improving. If you want to follow these debates, here are a few ideas.

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