Neighborhood play environments design principles for latchkey children

Moore, G.T., 1986, Neighborhood play environments design principles for latchkey children, in: Childrens Environments Quarterly, ,

  • Author : Moore, G.T.
  • Year : 1986
  • Journal/Series : Childrens Environments Quarterly
  • Pages : 13-23
  • Abstract in English : Neighbourhood factors have been described as the missing link in research on the latchkey experience of millions of children in the United States and other developed and developing countries. This article offers nine (11) principles for planning and design dealing with the needs of latchkey children. One of the conclusions is: Self-help latchkey children are not unique in their needs. All children need to be able to move freely through their neighbourhood, encountering a variety of children, adults, and settings, regardless of their parents’ responsibilities in the work place or the home. The entire neighbourhood needs to be conceived as a network of save, supervised, developmentally enriching play opportunities for all children.
  • Comments/Notes : KEYWORDS: children, latchkey children, play, neighbourhood, play environments, design principles. UTILITY: lecturers/teachers, academic research, students of universities of professional education. [Latchkey: a child whose parents are often not at home and who therefore often returns, especially from school, to an empty house. The word is used especially by people who think that women who have young children should not go out to work] (Longman Dictionary, 2002)