The role of neighborhood open spaces in children’s growth and creativity

Document Type : Research Article

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Abstract

Nowadays, with the development of towns and cities without responsive and healthy public urban spaces, adaptation of neighborhood spaces with the needs and desires of residents have been concerned as the solution.Neighborhood open spaces have a unique role in response to the children and adolescents’needs and desires. Theses spaces are of the main environments of children’s daily life and can improve their physical growth (health), social relationships and overall growth and creativity.
This research explores the role of neighborhood space characteristics such as children’s parks,playgrounds and residential streets in the growth, physical activity and environmental creativity of children. The main results of the study-with an anthropometrics and ergonomics approach show that, environmental design principles such as 1)accessibility 2)Scale 3)interest 4) Afford and response 5)comfort and safety and 7)participation have significant role in the overall growth (health) and creativity of children. Finally, the children’s participation in the process of space making such as playing areas has been proposed as a key principle that can improve the physical and mental health (growth), social relationships and environmental creativity of children.

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