Why UX matters in kid's playarea?

                          Hey, hey, oh playmate,
                   Come out and play with me
                   And bring your dollies three
                   Climb up my apple tree
                   Slide down my rain barrel
                   Into my cellar door
                   And we'll be jolly friend
                   Forever more, more, more

These are the lines of an old rhyme which hover around my mind when I go down memory lane. I recall my friends and time spent with them in by lanes, on muddy areas, over a roof top……engrossed in activities away from worldly hustle bustles. Sometimes we used to roam around in park here and there always specifying our own play area for the day. Every day there was a new play zone and every place was meant for playing. There was no such buzzword as“designated” play area for kids. With the turn of the century, the need for a specific play area evolved, space meant only for kids structured with their ideas, imagination and inputs.

Play area design inspired by kid's ideas

These days it has become mandatory for societies to incorporate a plan for play area in their blueprint. The most important reason for this change being health and safety issues for children. The awareness for cleanliness and consciousness for the safe zone has made it all the more necessary to layout a “specific“ play area for kids, a place exclusively meant for fun in leisure time. What matters most is not only the design of these play areas but what we call UX.

 What should be kept in mind while implementing UX in play areas?
 Who all should be involved in developing the strategy and design of areas?
 What is the role of participants be it parents or concerned authorities or children themselves?
Many studies and researches have been conducted regarding this  which envisage the following suggestions:

• Delivering good quality play spaces involving parents, grandparents and children in design consultation.
• Attractive design to engage children in their activities.
• Application of health and safety management principles have been the core concern. It is essential that the surface under the playground equipment should be soft and thick enough to lessen the impact of kid's fall.
• The environment for children should be exciting, imaginative and challenging which helps them to innovate, think and learn how to cope with difficult situations.
• Apart from physical fitness, the design should nurture emotional responses and cognitive thinking. This, in turn, ensures improvement in their interpersonal skills, problem-solving skills and language skills.
• The play space should be nature friendly. The use of natural elements like plants, trees and natural rocks add value to the play area.
•  Lastly UX testing-evaluation by children and other participants is a must. If there are any bugs these need to be tested and fixed.
•  Regular up-gradation and maintenance are must to enhance the longevity of the play area. 

Someone rightly said "good design is good investment. Nevertheless, delivering good quality play spaces is an integrated team approach. It is a combined effort of those passionate with the idea of making the world a healthy and safe zone for children. It is high time that people should respond to and work for smog-free,dust-free greener vibes for our safe and fit generations...