Eco Inclusive Play Spaces for Children: Reflections on Institutionalized and Non Institutional ized Environments in Cantabria and Catania

This article presents the outcomes of a research project involving pre-service teachers from the University of Cantabria (Spain), kindergarten educators, students, and urban planners from the University of Catania (Italy). The investigation focused on institutionalized play spaces (school playgrounds) and non-institutionalized spaces (ur- ban parks). The objective was to analyze the extent to which spaces designed for childhood recreation and free play adhere to the principles of eco-dependency, interdependency, and inclusion, which were proposed as key analytical axes. Conducted jointly by teams from the University of Cantabria and the University of Catania, this research benefited from the collaborative framework provided by the European University for Customised Education (EUNICE). Aligned with the geography of childhood studies, the research explored how children experience, interpret, and (re)shape the spaces they inhabit. At the same time, this work connects with the field of urban studies that investigates the most appropriate principles to pursue the quality of public spaces for children (Derr & Tarantini, 2016). Scholars (Francis & Lorenzo, 2006) have highlighted the limited connection between urban playgrounds and chil- dren’s needs, often characterized by standardized designs that prioritize adult preferences over child-friendly fea- tures These spaces, enclosed and protected from traffic, may not fully address children’s diverse interests and capacities, potentially catering more to adult caregivers than to the children themselves. The research underscores the decline in children’s outdoor time due to speculative urban planning prioritizing economic profitability and private transportation. Consequently, child-friendly outdoor spaces have been marginal- ized, leading to an increased reliance on indoor spaces linked to consumerism and technology-based recreation. Examining playgrounds reveals their significance in children’s daily lives. School playgrounds emerge as versatile spaces accommodating diverse interests and abilities, offering opportunities for free play and diminished adult authority. However, challenges arise from the underutilization of playgrounds as pedagogical spaces. From a methodological standpoint, this research adopts an eco-social perspective (Hirvilammi et al., 2023) to analyze children’s play spaces in Santander, Cantabria (Spain), and Catania (Italy). Pre-service teachers assess these spaces through self-produced images to determine their alignment with childhood play, interaction, and connection with the natural environment. This led to identify elements shaping the eco-social quality of these recre- ational spaces and evaluate various spaces accordingly. Students’ active involvement in producing and analyzing images fosters proposals for improvement, enhancing their capacity to design play spaces in line with eco-social principles.