Examining the Relationship Between Park Design and Children's Park Use and Play Behaviours in London, Ontario using Behaviour Mapping

Parks can offer an optimal play environment for supporting childhood development by encouraging the engagement of adventurous and diverse play. This study examines how park design influences children’s park use and play behaviours with the aim of identifying what features can be improved to better facilitate child engagement in adventurous play and diverse play types. Using London, Ontario as a case study, nine 1.5-hour observational sessions of behaviour mapping were conducted in each park. 248 play events were observed in Lorne Avenue Park, a hybrid natural park and 310 play events were observed in Carriage Hill Park, a traditional park. The location and prevalence of risk-related behaviours, outdoor play types, physical activity intensity levels, and environmental interactions were determined, revealing existing features in each park that support positive risky play and diverse play types. This study reveals key features that can inform the design of balanced, safe, and challenging play spaces within a Canadian context.

Name thesis:degree_name

M Sc

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Geography and Environment

Grantor dc:publisher

The University of Western Ontario

Year dc:date.issued

2023

Author dc:creator

• Aglipay, Alyssa O

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Jason Gilliland

• outdoor play
• children
• parks
• play environments
• behaviour mapping
• adventurous play
• risky play.

Language dc:language.iso

en_ca

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14721/37125

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:uwo.scholaris.ca:20.500.14721/37125