Play Yards and Their Contribution to Comprehensive Child Development

Abstract

In Santa Ana Chiautempan, Tlaxcala, Mexico, children face a lack of adequate public spaces for free play. The street is no longer an option, and the existing parks are almost unused, with poor design and minimal maintenance. In response to this scenario, “play yards” were proposed as an initiative aimed primarily at promoting free play and contributing to the recovery of public space for recreational purposes. This report describes this initiative and presents the results of a mixed quantitative and qualitative evaluation based on participant surveys and field observations, with indicators showing the main benefits for the participating children’s holistic development.