In order to thrive in today’s rapidly changing world, children need rich learning opportunities in and out of school that allow them to adapt and engage in independent and lifelong learning. An overwhelming body of evidence points to play as the best way to equip children with a broad set of flexible competencies and personal capacities to tackle new and different challenges creatively. Moreover, studies show that quality play-based education has a high return on investment in the form of higher earnings, reduced crime, and other social indicators. And yet, today, children have less time for play in and out of school as parents and educators increasingly worry about academic readiness.

As highlighted in a recent Brookings report on education reform, playful learning in school is a low-cost, flexible, and equitable approach that ensures all students receive the educational experiences necessary to become critical thinkers and engaged problem solvers. Playful learning also promotes 21st century skills outside traditional school settings. Playful Learning Landscapes (PLL)—an initiative that blends the science of learning, placemaking, and community cohesion—shows that everyday public spaces can be transformed into engaging learning hubs.

These PLL objectives are embedded in the new Urban Play Framework (UPF) featured in the “Reclaiming play in cities” report. Based on a review of literature from sociology, child development, and educational theory and consultations with play scholars, the UPF was developed by Arup in collaboration with the LEGO Foundation and the Royal Town Planning Institute for the Real Play Coalition. Urban childhoods are the future—by 2050, experts predict that around 70% of the world’s population will live in cities. Yet many cities continue to ignore the needs of children and their caregivers. The UPF aims to address this challenge by supporting the design of play-based interventions in urban spaces to maximize the chance for children to engage in play as part of their daily routine.

Read the full article about playful learning landscapes by Helen Shwe Hadani and Jennifer S. Vey at Brookings.