“We just want to play”

Adolescents Speak about Their Access to Public Parks

Abstract

The discussion of play typically focuses on the activities of and benefits for young children while the perspectives and positive implications of play for adolescents are overlooked. During the participatory action research project, Youth Voices for Change, young people noted that, other than when they were participating in a team activity, they felt unwelcome in their neighborhood parks. Their attempts to use the swing set were denounced by parents and sitting around talking with friends drew suspicion from neighbors. The teenagers also lamented their ability to “just be a kid.” This paper discusses these views and what the youth did to impact change in local park design and citywide recreation policies. A public policy brief, in the form of a comic book, was developed and shared with city officials. This activism led to the youth being invited to participate in a park redesign and the city’s recreation master plan update.