Children in urban environments: A case study from a dense neighbourhood in Izmir-Turkey

Abstract

The aim of this study is to understand children’s engagement with their urban outdoor environments in Izmir-Turkey, a city with a high urbanisation rate, and to explore the factors that affect their outdoor preferences outside of their school time. The study consists of a field study conducted in a densely populated middle-income neighbourhood. Participants are fourth-grade children from a state-run primary school aged 9–11 years (n=44) and their parents (n=40). The study followed a multi-methodological approach, employing questionnaires, drawing and story writing tasks as data collection methods. Results of the study showed the strong tendency to prefer outdoors during their free time even when their neighbourhood is a high-density urban settlement with limited opportunities for outdoor activities. In the studied neighbourhood, most of the participants mentioned the schoolyard over other locations as their preferred place for outdoor play. Other than the schoolyard, the children mainly reported familiar places in their neighbourhoods, close to their local environments which were also depicted in their drawings and described in their stories. From the perspectives of urban designers and policy-makers, the findings of the study highlight aspects to be concerned about opportunities for outdoor play in high-density and urbanised central neighbourhoods.

Keywords Children’s Outdoor Experiences, Children’s Outdoor Perceptions, Izmir, School Neighbourhood, Urban Environment