Designing Parks for Young People

Greenspaces used by the public such as parks, school yards, and private properties help protect biodiversity, fight climate change, and keep our cities cool. Public green spaces are important spaces to promote physical exercise and social and Nature-based interactions, which help improve mood and reduce stress amongst people from all walks of life. Recognizing the positive impacts of Nature on public health, the World Health Organization recommends that everyone live within a 5-minute walk or 300 metres of green space to experience the health benefits of green spaces. In addition to increasing accessibility to greenspaces through proximity, greenspaces should also offer safe and wheelchair-accessible entrance points in order to be welcoming and inclusive for all community groups, including those requiring accommodation and young people.

A study suggests most youth (ages 14-24) believe spending time in Nature supports their mental health, with the majority of the respondents wanting to spend more time in Nature. The majority of the youth within the study defined Nature broadly, as space outdoors. However, not all parks are equal. Parks vary in terms of their programming, amenities, and maintenance. In addition, there are significant barriers to accessing outdoor spaces, including parks among equity-deserving communities. This particular study suggests that youth experience in accessing Nature include school and work responsibilities, limited access to green spaces in urban areas, and COVID-19 restrictions during the study period.

To better understand young people's relationships with parks and Nature, this blog compares how children interact with parks compared to youth. This is because youth spend less time in Nature compared to children. It is important to differentiate these age groups because the interests and abilities of a toddler, school-age child, and high school aged youth vary tremendously. Despite this, park design primarily focuses on the needs of children and the elderly and often forgets youth.

In the early years of childhood, greenspaces are frequently visited by children and their caregivers. Parks are viewed as places for family bonding and for children to develop physical and social skills through play. Traditional amenities available at parks such as playgrounds, open fields, and paved pathways facilitate climbing, swinging, sliding, running, intergenerational play, and cycling, which are all crucial for child development. The amenities designed for children are primarily focused on developing physical skills such as balance and strength, whereas the social interactions between children are considered a positive consequence of the activities. Furthermore, daily access to Nature in greenspaces is known to positively impact children's social, psychological, academic, and physical health.

Youth are known to access parks for a multitude of reasons including physical activity, socializing with friends, educational trips, spending time with Nature, and enjoying solitude. Despite this finding, most research and policy interventions on adolescent park usage primarily focus on the sole promotion of physical activity. By designing parks with physical activity as the primary usage, the gap between male-identified and female-identifying parks users grows. Amenities like skateboard parks, pump tracks for cyclists, and sports fields are highly desired by male participants, whereas park amenities such as increased lighting, swings, and places to sit and chat are more desirable for female participants. While physical activity is important for the physical, mental, and emotional health of adolescents, parks are third spaces that are used as places for social connection and access to Nature, which can support mental wellness. To make parks more welcoming spaces for youth, park planners should work in partnership with youth to design parks that encourage social interaction, connection to Nature, and physical activity in accessible ways with low barriers to entry.

To advance inclusive engagement with youth, the engagement process should be co-designed and facilitated by diverse youth. By incorporating them into the engagement planning process, youth are empowering youth to take ownership, nurturing an interest in city building, developing a relationship with Nature, and nurturing community leadership development. In addition, ensuring youth co-organizers come from a variety of backgrounds will help lead to culturally inclusive spaces in parks. To reach both youth facilitators and youth participants across diverse communities, park planners should focus on building relationships with teachers and school boards, child and youth-serving organizations, and newcomer groups that offer youth programming. Planners can support youth participation in planning processes by offering transportation assistance, food, and honorariums when appropriate. As a result, youth will be more likely to visit parks and experience the benefits of accessing green spaces.

Overall, to increase park visitation and improve young people's relationships with parks, municipalities need to design spaces where they feel welcomed. Park planners can do this by centering youth in park planning and giving youth agency to lead programming in parks.