Community, Mental Maps and Social Safety

In this People and Projects episode of The Streets and People podcast, Wendy and Tim Gill look into the significant decline in children's freedom to roam outdoors over the past century.

Imagine your childhood - a place where the world feels endless and the streets outside are calling. Now imagine today’s kids with their range cut to a fraction of what we knew. The space to roam is shrinking fast.

In cities where streets are filled with traffic, children’s opportunities to explore and grow have drastically reduced. But this modern setup, with its car-filled streets is costing kids their chance to develop confidence and resilience. Kids need room to test their limits and experience manageable risks. Without that, they miss essential life lessons in independence.

Take low-traffic zones and school street schemes in parts of London - these aren’t just designs on a map. They’re spaces that bring communities together and turn the neighbourhood into a safe training ground for young adventurers. And beyond the city structures, it’s about us as parents and mentors finding that balance - learning to give safety while allowing just enough freedom for them to learn and grow.

Tim Gill, a voice for child-friendly spaces, champions the idea of Play Streets and School Streets as pathways to vibrant and healthy communities. By letting children wander just a bit further we can create neighbourhoods that aren’t just safe but inviting. If you’re looking for ways to build stronger, healthier communities where kids can thrive, let’s talk about putting the brakes on a car-driven culture and designing places where children can truly grow.

Ready to imagine a street where kids don’t just walk, they explore?

• You can find Rethinking Childhood at https://rethinkingchildhood.com

• Tim's book is Urban Playground: How child-friendly planning and design can save cities https://www.routledge.com/Urban-Playground-How-Child-Friendly-Planning-and-Design-Can-Save-Cities/Gill/p/book/9781859469293

• Queensland School Road Safety - Parents' information booklet https://dtmr-jointhedrive.s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/wp-assets/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/11115203/1061_ParentBooklet_WEB_040722_v1.pdf. You can find the above guide and more resources at Qld Government StreetSmarts - Parents of children aged 0-16 years https://streetsmarts.initiatives.qld.gov.au/parents/parents-of-children-aged-0-16-years where's there's also a guide for children in Years 5 and 6.

• Tim mentions Play Australia, you can find resources for Council and State Governments and Communities https://www.playaustralia.org.au/1000-play-streets

• Wendy mentions a 2019 research paper on the effect of transport infrastructure on children's social media use and social interactions https://www.researchgate.net/publication/334639948_The_role_of_children's_independent_mobility_and_social_media_use_for_face-to-face_social_interaction_with_friends

• You can listen to Conrad Kickert's discussion about creating a sense of place and community with your front garden design here https://getaroundcabocarfree.com.au/s1e45-pp-conrad-kickert-on-how-front-yards-make-or-break-community-cohesion-and-connectedness

www.GetAroundCaboCarFree.com.au