Children S Spaces

The importance of publishing designs that feature safe yet creative spaces for children is often overlooked by the plethora of commercial and residential design. 'Kids Spaces' overcomes this, featuring colourful designs of kindergarten and elementary schools, playgrounds, playrooms, bedrooms and specialist rooms such as computer,

Putting together a creative and inspiring environment for children is perhaps one of the most exciting interior projects, yet it is also one of the hardest to get right. 'Creative Children's Spaces' is here to change that. Firstly, Ashlyn Gibson sets out to make sense of the basics, providing a valuable guide to creating a childhood haven that can evolve with your children and all their changing needs, from newborn to pre-teen. Next, Ashlyn discusses the key elements of successful and inspiring children's spaces—color, wall decor, storage, display, dens and hidey holes, creative spaces and homework zones, and cozy bedrooms. She visits real-life homes that feature imaginative and stylish design ideas and explores children’s spaces that provide an inspirational backdrop for busy family life. An award-winning retailer herself, Ashlyn also opens her address book and reveals her favorite online suppliers, design stores, and flea markets as well as suggesting interesting blogs, instagram accounts, and pinterest boards that readers might like to follow.

This collection of essays is concerned with the experiences children have within the supervised worlds they inhabit, as well as with architecture and landscape architecture. International examples of innovative childcare practice are illustrated together with the design processes which informed their development. The emphasis here is on new and experimental childcare projects which set-out to reassert the rights of children to participate in a complex multi-faceted world, which is no longer available to them, unless under adult supervision. Research supports in depth recommendations regarding the ideal children's environment, across a range of contexts and dimensions. Until recent times, the needs of children within the urban environment were largely ignored. There is little tradition and no broadly agreed contemporary architectural or landscape theory as to how children should be provided for, beyond a limited functional agenda. There is a sense that architecture for childhood is not taken seriously; it is either whimsical and ephemeral or largely designed for adults, an adjunct to the more important business of adult needs and aspirations. Yet children access much of their education and development through play and social interaction with their childhood counterparts. The spaces in and around children"s daycare centres, schools, supervised parks and other dedicated children"s environments are the subject of this collection. As more and more purpose designed buildings and gardens for children are opened, the need to listen to children and their carers is becoming more aparant. Mark Dudek gathers together a number of internationally recognized experts in the field of childcare environments to write about different aspects of the landscape. They have been chosen in particular because of their background in enquiring, research orientated work, both theoretical and practical. They listen to and watch children. Contributors have considered the child"s environment as one which is secure and controlled yet offers additional environmental dimensions which extend developmental possibilities. Children often spend a great deal of time in daycare facilties and schools, as parents are absorbed in their own work and leisure activities. This places an emphasis on architects and planners to consider the needs of children in great detail. As such, the children"s environment must be conceived of as a rich, complex place; a "world within a world". We use the word LANDSCAPE in recognition that children do not differentiate between the inside and the outside, private and public; every part of their perception is open to stimulation by a stimulating environment.

More than ever before, children are apparently being recognised as social actors and citizens. Yet public policy often involves increased control and surveillance of children. This book explores the contradiction. It shows how different ways of thinking about children produce different childhoods, different public provisions for children (including schools) and different ways of working with children. It argues that how we understand children and make public provision for them involves political and ethical choices. Through case studies and the analysis of policy and practice drawn from a number of countries, the authors describe an approach to public provision for children which they term 'children's services'. They then propose an alternative approach named 'children's spaces', and go on to consider an alternative theory, practice and profession of work with children: pedagogy and the pedagogue. This ground breaking book will be essential reading for tutors and students on higher education or in-service courses in early childhood, education, play, social work and social policy, as well as practitioners and policy makers in these areas.

How can young children play an active role in developing the design of learning environments? What methods can be used to bring together children’s and practitioners’ views about their environment? What insights can young children offer into good designs for these children’s spaces? With the expansion of early childhood education and the move to 'extended schools', more young children will spend more time than ever before in institutions. Based on two actual building projects, this book is the first of its kind to demonstrate the possibilities of including young children’s perspectives in the design and review of children’s spaces. Situated at the heart of the debate about the relationship between the built environment and its impact on children’s learning and wellbeing, Transforming Children’s Spaces provides insights into how young children see their environment discusses children’s aspirations for future spaces develops the 'Mosaic approach' , pioneered by the author, as a method for listening to young children and adults Emphasising the importance of visual and verbal methods of communication, this fascinating book demonstrates how practitioners and young children can articulate their perspectives, and shows how participatory methods can support new relationships between children, practitioners and architects. This book is essential reading for those who work in children's spaces and for those who design them as well as being of general interest to those studying education and childhood studies.

The aim of this project is to enable a 'meeting of minds' between the avant-garde pedagogical philosophy of the Reggio Emilia preschools and innovative experiences within the culture of design and architecture.