who has a right to play?

What the report says

Designboom examines the idea that children’s play, while often treated in cities and emergency settings as an optional amenity, has been recognized since 1989 under Article 31 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child as part of childhood alongside rest and leisure. The article frames this as a design challenge: if play is a right, then housing developments, schools, parks, public squares and humanitarian settlements should be assessed not only for safety and function, but also for whether they allow children time, freedom and space to play.

The report draws on arguments from childhood studies, including Stuart Lester and Wendy Russell’s work on children’s right to play, to emphasize that play is not simply preparation for adulthood or a tool for learning outcomes. It describes spontaneous, child-directed activity as a way children negotiate relationships, process uncertainty and regain agency, particularly in contexts affected by conflict, displacement or instability.

Designboom also places current practice in historical context, noting that dedicated playgrounds emerged as industrial cities reduced informal play spaces such as streets, courtyards and vacant lots. It contrasts more controlled early playground models with later open-ended approaches, including Aldo van Eyck’s postwar playgrounds in Amsterdam and the adventure playground movement, where loose materials, improvisation and manageable risk were central.

Contemporary examples cited include Assemble’s Baltic Street Adventure Playground in Glasgow, OMMX, Webb Yates Engineers and SetWorks’ Playrise concept for refugee settlements, CatalyticAction’s work in Lebanon, and projects in Uganda and other locations. The broader point is that architects and planners are increasingly being asked to treat play as social infrastructure, not decoration added after basic needs are met.