YOUR FORUM FOR PLAY, SPORTS UND LEISURE AREAS
Imagine a city where work is done from the vision, that life should be all about playing – not only for children and young people but also for adults and elderly. Not only in kindergartens and schools but also in every educational institution, in workplaces, in town areas – in other words, an entire city that buzzes of play and appeals to the inner child in every human being.
This is the vision of Odense city in Denmark. The vision is inspired by children and of course by the famous Danish author of fairytales, Hans Christian Andersen. The name of the vision is “To play is to live”.
Playing isn’t only an activity for children. - It is also a fundamental way of seeing life. It is a mindset that enables us to challenge the existing conditions, so that we are capable of achieving new experiences and knowledge. This both applies to children and adults. It is important to be motivated and willing to learn. It begins with the children, but the rest of us – including policy makers and local authorities can be inspired by children to move on with the ability to learn and rethink things through our entire life.
A city should provide the setting for a good life with a high aim of quality for the individuals and for the families. The ability to be innovative and creative is very important. That is why Odense has set a new direction. The city needs to change its way of thinking in order to be able to grow and develop. We need to create a big city with attractive jobs, high quality education, events and urban environments. There is a great potential in rethinking the future of Odense, so we need a new way. A new vision.
Historically Odense has been an important city in Denmark in both political, cultural and industrial terms, but we stand at a crossroad where we need to find new ways to regain the strong position of the past. Odense is more than 1000 years old, and it is an old historic and cultural main town on Fune. It was once the second largest industrial city in Denmark and founded many big manufacturing companies.
The vision “To play is to live” is based on the quote of Hans Christian Andersen “To travel is to Live”. However the quote needed a creative element. An element showing the transformation from industrial city to a knowledge based big city. In addition, this vision places a heavy focus on the idea of playing. Play is an alternative to words like “creativity” and “innovation”. A way of being a bit humoristic. We want to improve the quality of life in Odense through a combination of work and play. So how does the city play? It all – once again - starts with the children…
One of the projects that works with the vision “To play is to live” is the project Future Playgrounds. The project focuses on future playgrounds and outdoor activities and it is about much more than having a collection of different tools to play with. It is about creating a place to influence children through those experiences and impressions that the playground can give them. The playgrounds are indispensable for creating activities that support children to develop their motor skills, health, self-esteem and the feeling of identity through challenges and self-development. At the same time, the playground also is an area for learning and developing new play cultures. Therefore, the playgrounds have an important role in the vision of the city, as well as for the children and the youth politicians, who set goals for the children and youth.
Since 2006, the policy makers in Odense have located nearly 8.5 million Euro for the renovation and development of playgrounds in schools and kindergartens. The money will be spent over a 14-year period. To inspire applicants to this funding, two demonstration playgrounds were established. One of these playgrounds is located in a kindergarten with 0 – 6 year old children. The other playground is located in a school with 6 to 18 year old children. The playground located in the school is a robot playground that raises the bar for a connection between play and learning. The interactive playground stimulates the children’s play with elements of learning. At the same time, it makes them even more comfortable dealing with the new technology. A partly electronic playground especially for children with motor disabilities is also established, and a music playground, water with fish playground and a flower playground. All the playgrounds are open for anybody who is interested, and we would like to invite all visitors from Denmark and abroad to see the playgrounds.
The money of the fund will be spent to develop new safe future playgrounds and to renovate the existing playgrounds. Kindergartens and schools can apply, and the political council for children in Odense has set up a criteria, that the playgrounds that are currently in need of refurbishment and renovation will be fixed before new playgrounds will be made. Furthermore, the playgrounds will have special facilities for children with special needs.
To get funding, the applicants (teachers or nursery teachers) need to prepare a plan for the future playground, with a description of the entire playground-project including the aim, contents and the pedagogical considerations related to the institutions’ other organisational and pedagogic developments. The description also has to contain the possibility for activity and learning in a wider perspective. It needs to visualize how the playground will challenge children’s development. So far, a lot of playgrounds in kindergartens and schools have been renewed with the project Future Playgrounds.
The project Future Playgrounds is an example of how Odense Municipality not alone has signalled but also manifested that the play is taken serious in the Danish city, where play is to live. We hope you will come join and play with us.
Facts
The city of Odense is with its 195,866 citizens the 3rd largest city in Denmark. It offers more than 250 exciting playgrounds for children of all ages. The playgrounds vary in size, quality, the selection of equipment and surroundings. Some are very traditional with sandpits, jungle gym, swings and playhouses. Others have newly developed equipment and electronic games. In one playground you will find music instruments, - in another you will be surrounded by flowers bushes and trees that stimulate the sense of smell.
Photo: Susanne Crawley Larsen, Kompan
