A proposal of child-friendly play space design model "Skillscape"

Considering that child development determines the core of a society, addressing every aspect of children's needs should be the primary concern of society. It is crucial for children to live in a supportive environment which significantly influences their education and overall development. For the development of spatial awareness, sensory stimulation, and motor skills, children must have diverse experiences within their environment, primarily acquired through play. Correspondingly, the objective of this study is to develop a model for "child-friendly" play spatial design. After identifying the spatial criteria that support child development, a sample play space is proposed. The proposed space addresses concepts such as; accessibility/ergonomics, safety, aesthetics, personal space, creativity, order, challenge, hierarchy, and autonomy. It is designed as a flexible, transformable environment with rich physical stimuli that foster imagination, curiosity, and creativity. The methodology of this study involves a research-for-design approach. Initially, the educational role of play and play spaces in child development was examined and analyzed through a literature review. Subsequently, the prominent design criteria were evaluated from the perspectives of space designers and child development experts through surveys and semi-structured interviews. The SkillScape play space model aims to contribute to the field as an exemplary space that supports child development from various aspects.