The Doorstep Play Space
This pattern is shaped by
Problem
The most important play space is not the park or the playground — it is the space immediately outside the front door. When this space is a parking lot, a traffic lane, or a bare lawn with no enclosure, children cannot play within earshot of a parent working inside. The parent must choose between supervision (standing outside) and productivity (working inside), and usually chooses to keep the child indoors.
Evidence and Discussion
Studies of children's outdoor play consistently find that proximity and visibility are the primary determinants — children play most where parents can see them from inside the home. A semi-enclosed space within 10 meters of the front door, visible from the kitchen or living room, is used ten times more than a park three blocks away.
Therefore
at every dwelling with children, create a play space within 10 meters of the front door — visible from the kitchen or primary living space, semi-enclosed (by a low wall, hedge, or fence), with a surface that accommodates digging, building, and mess (sand, earth, grass — not concrete). The space can be small — even 10 square meters is enough. The critical factor is that a parent inside can hear and see a child outside without leaving their work.