ABSTRACT
Play is fun and joyful, but it’s much more than mere amusement—for centuries thoughtful observers and now scientists have recognized that play is integral to both childhood development and adult life. Unstructured play is informal, spontaneous, free and imaginative. It’s often the result of an unexpected interaction between a person and another person, a thought or the environment. Most modern-day street design has not yet explored the opportunities for play, and the physical environment on the street usually does not meet the needs of all users, especially its youngest inhabitants or even adults. People of all ages and all abilities sat down to play a little tune or two, connecting with their surroundings—and surrounding people who were drawn to the music. Settings for play should be based on the context of the street and truly integrated into the street fabric and not just mimic existing playground environments.
