YOUR FORUM FOR PLAY, SPORTS UND LEISURE AREAS
The 2020 version of the annual German Kinderreport that deals with the rights of children focussed on the subject of play out-of-doors. In detail, the report considered the importance to children of being able to play in the fresh air and the reasons why children do not do so. Assessed were measures that could encourage children and adolescents to play outdoors and, in addition, under examination was this group's opportunities to influence urban and open space planning policies that significantly determine whether this choice is available to them. Also looked at in this connection were the issues in which the group should be given more right of involvement in decision-making.
The value of outdoor play in the view of children
Of the group of German children and adolescents surveyed, 39% stated that outdoor activity was of considerable relevance to them (10%: "extremely important", 29%: "very important") ‒ another 31% claimed outdoor exercise was "important" to them. However, another 29% was of an entirely different opinion; 23% saw outdoor play as "less important" while 6% stated that for them this was "not at all important". These figures are in the same sort of ranges as those recorded during the previous survey in 2018. At that time, 41% assigned considerable relevance to being able to play outdoors (12%: "extremely important", 29%: "very important"), for 30% outdoor exercise was "important" while for 28% this activity was largely irrelevant (23%: "less important", 5%: "not at all important").
The results for the adults who were surveyed deviated significantly from those for the children. In this case, 89% perceived play outdoors to be of considerable relevance (56%: "extremely important" and 33%: "very important"). For 10%, play outdoors was "important". Again, the statistics here are similar to those of the previous survey in 2018.
Consequences for policy-making
The findings of the 2020 Kinderreport survey have implications in terms of the rights of children and the need for policies that facilitate their opportunities to play outdoors. The results demonstrate that this activity is seen to be of considerable significance by both children and adults, particularly in the case of children in the younger age groups. However, this aspect seems to be of less concern to the older age groups of children. For this reason, it is necessary to influence the mindset of these groups by means of educational measures and participatory concepts ‒ particularly within school settings ‒ that demonstrate to them the importance of outdoor play and take account of their particular needs in this connection. It should be made clear to them that play outdoors in natural surroundings, with peers and individuals of other generations, can have wide-reaching effects on their personal and social development. Particularly targeted need to be pupils attending upper secondary schools for whom outdoor play is less attractive.
The fact that adults with lower levels of education or on lower incomes tend to see outdoor play as markedly less relevant means that a focus also needs to be placed on this group in the context of parenting advice.
When it comes to policy-makers, it is apparent that these must place much greater emphasis on providing for outdoor play. The current legal provisions here in Germany at the federal, state and local levels often do not sufficiently provide for children to participate in decisions relating to urban and free space planning. The outcome is that we are now seeing the rapid disappearance of spaces available for play and also their extensive deterioration in terms of quality. Active intervention is thus also required in this respect.
How to facilitate play outdoors for children
One of the main reasons given why children and adolescents do not play outdoors is because they do not have others to play with. This explanation was endorsed by 54% of those surveyed (17%: "fully relevant" and 37%: "to some extent relevant"). This total had thus grown by 7% since the 2018 survey. The surveyed adults, on the other hand, did not consider the lack of playmates as the main reason why children and adolescents fail to play outdoors. Only 34% (9%: "fully relevant" and 25%: "to some extent relevant") endorsed this view.
Of the group of children and adolescents, 92% stated that what they required were sites where they could play outdoors that were more readily accessible; alternatively free bus or train travel, cycle paths or green routes should be provided in this connection. The majority of the surveyed adults ‒ 94% ‒ agreed with this, placing an emphasis on the factors outlined above.
In addition, 88% of the children and adolescents pointed out that to help them play outdoors, they needed more facilities near where they lived, such as a small playground, a field or even a play street. Again, 94% of the adults shared this view.
Among the group of children and adolescents, the preferred choice was for the provision of traffic-calmed roads ‒ play streets ‒ in residential areas. This was seen as a measure that would encourage outdoor play by 87% of those surveyed. The traffic-calming concept also gained the approval of 85% of the adults.
Also seen as a way of promoting play outdoors was the retention of natural spaces within urban environments where children and adolescents could experience the world of nature; 86% of the children and adolescents claimed that this would be beneficial. Among the adults, 88% saw this as a potentially effective measure.
Another aspect that was considered attractive was the inclusion of suitable opportunities for outdoor play in the school setting, particularly in connection with all-day schooling; 84% of the children and adolescents embraced this concept while an even larger percentage of the adults (87%) were in favour of this.
Consequences for policy-making
The results of the survey draw attention to the need for a comprehensive approach to urban planning that not only takes into account the interests of all residents but those of children in particular ‒ with an emphasis on the creation of child-friendly communities. When it comes to urban development policies, for example, there are as yet no binding requirements that stipulate that funding priority should be given to plans that envisage the provision of green and recreational spaces or outdoor areas for play by children. Moreover, play space concepts based on consultation and tried-and-tested approaches such as the participatory child-friendly 'Spielleitplanung' policy are similarly not earmarked for preferential backing. It is left to individual local authorities to decide where to place their focus; unfortunately, this means that it is children and adolescents who all too often lose out. Obviously this attitude needs to change so that child-friendly measures are given priority. At the same time, increased support must be provided to projects in heavily built-up inner-city areas where children are already disadvantaged in several respects.
We need legislation that protects, promotes and allows the intermediate use of spaces suitable for children’s play and actively encourages the utilisation of consultation-based development principles and comprehensive overall plans ‒ such as the 'Spielleitplanung' approach. Suitable methods must be used to involve children and adolescents in the design process and the binding development plans. But this group must not only participate in the framing of development plans but also in all urban and traffic planning projects that are likely to have direct and indirect impacts on their interests. The State of North Rhine-Westphalia has launched a campaign with the aim of demonstrating that the provision of more open space for children represents a benefit for everyone ("Mehr Freiraum für Kinder. Ein Gewinn für alle!"). It would be gratifying to see all states introduce similar schemes designed to support child-friendly projects at the local level.
The preservation of open space for play is at present not considered to take precedence when it comes to matters of public interest. Berlin is the only state that has playground-relevant legislation and that since the late 1970s while certain other local authorities have voluntarily introduced regulations in this respect. The other states need to remedy the situation and introduce suitable legislation at the earliest possible opportunity. This should ensure that local authorities assign a certain proportion of available space to the needs of children and do not automatically offer suitable brownfield sites as building plots to the higher bidder but retain these as locations where children can play out of doors.
In addition, legislation that is more rigorous in requiring the provision of nearby playgrounds in association with the construction of new residential buildings is required. At the same time, existing legislation must be enforced more strictly and those who fail to comply must be penalised. It is the local authorities that should decide on exceptions to the rules ‒ not the architects or the developers. When an exception is made, authorities should require payment of a sum in return that can be invested in public playground projects.
However, play outdoors must not simply be restricted to playgrounds; also provided should be natural spaces where children can experience the world of nature. The provision of these needs to be specified in building codes. It is also necessary to look ahead and ensure at as early as possible a point in time that sufficiently large open spaces are set aside in urban development concepts and the resources for their structuring, upkeep and supervision are set aside.
And children and their interest groups should be given the means to counteract the increasing densification that is occurring in our cities. There are no laws, such as those that apply to nature conservation, that provide for the protection of existing play and open spaces or that require the restoration of these should they be unlawfully eradicated. This must change.
To view other key findings of the representative 2020 Kinderreport survey as outlined in Berlin by Thomas Krüger, the President of the Deutsches Kinderhilfswerk, the children's charity that commissions the annual Kinderreport, and Franziska Giffey, Federal Minister for Family Affairs, go to www.dkhw.de
Plea for the inclusion of children’s rights in the German constitution
"It is especially in times of crisis that we must not lose sight of the interests of children and adolescents," said former Family Minister Franziska Giffey (SPD), participating in the event at which the findings of the Kinderreport were announced. She demanded a greater say for the group, using the opportunity to canvass for the reduction of the voting age to 16 years and to remind her coalition partners that the rights of children must, as already agreed, be anchored in the constitution. "At what other time than now has it become so apparent how important the rights of children are? And how important it now is that children's rights need to be taken into account in all decision-making by government?"
With regard to the current coronavirus situation, she approved easing measures by the states that would be beneficial to children. At the same time, she stressed that the related decisions need to be taken by authorities with a view to local conditions.
"The findings of the 2020 Kinderreport show how people essentially saw the importance of play out of doors prior to the onset of the pandemic. One of the central reasons given by the children surveyed for their failure to play outside was the lack of peer playmates. This indicates among other things that in many places there are not sufficient accessible places and sites near where they live where children can come together. This means that the work of public organisations in the child and youth sector has become eminently important and needs to be promoted. It is about time that we had child-friendly communities here in Germany. Needed for this are sufficient open spaces where children can play, play space development concepts that involve all interested parties and the use of suitable approaches, such as the 'Spielleitplanung' concept," concluded Thomas Krüger, President of the Deutsches Kinderhilfswerk.
