Designing Cities for Our Youngest Residents to Thrive

A quarter of today’s global population is under the age of 15. In developing regions, where most urban growth is happening, that number almost doubles! Yet, complex regional disparities, migration, rapid rates of urbanization, and historical and cultural realities mean that many of the world’s children are born into, or already reside in, poorly performing urban conditions.

The urban environment plays a huge role in the development of children. From their well-being to how they learn from and connect with the world. 

We’ve had the privilege of working in cities internationally and have found that living in urban settings can provide life-changing advantages for young children and their families, like increased opportunities for education and access to health care. However, that being said, for our youngest urban residents — 0 to 8 year-olds — cities can still present more obstacles than opportunities. That’s why an increasing number of urban planners are reimagining cities to be more child-friendly. At its core, this means creating spaces that prioritize safety, sensory stimulation, health, and opportunities for play — not just for children, but for their caregivers as well. In turn, these improvements enhance the urban experience for all.

Drawing from our expertise and global best practices, we offer four urban design principles that help give children the best start in life.

Design for play along the way

Play is a cornerstone of childhood development. At the same time, play also promotes health as part of children and their caregivers’ everyday life. Making play an integrated part of the city in simple and diverse ways creates opportunities for young families to have more active and joyful daily lives. Use the urban landscape to embed moments of play into necessary activities like grocery shopping, and traveling to school, parks, and other daily destinations. Cities that promote spontaneous, everyday play — from sidewalk games to interactive public art — can help children build confidence, motor skills, and ease caregivers’ load.

Promote social connection

Urban environments have the potential to foster strong support networks by bringing families, neighbors, and community services into closer proximity — making it easier for people to build relationships and share resources. These connections enhance safety, nurture a collective sense of belonging, and contribute to better mental and physical health, while also creating more opportunities for social, cognitive, and physical development for young children and their caregivers. 

Public spaces can encourage heightened interaction between young children and their caregivers as well as with other community members through context specific seating arrangements, participatory play structures, cultural and age appropriate programming, and flexible event spaces. Through thoughtful engagement, urban designers can foster belonging and a sense of place for young children — an essential yet often overlooked milestone in early development that shapes their emotional security, identity formation, and connection to the world around them.

Mitigate harmful environments

Air pollution and limited access to green space can have a lasting impact on early childhood development and young children’s health outcomes. Reduce exposure to harmful pollutants by providing green pathways and clean air corridors, integrating green buffers around leisure spaces where young families might be most exposed to pollution such as near bus stops or busy roads. Green buffers typically consist of landscaped areas strategically placed to absorb pollutants, reduce noise, and create a physical barrier between people and sources of emissions. Clean air corridors, on the other hand, are routes designed to channel and circulate fresh air through urban areas, helping to disperse pollutants and improve overall air quality using landscaping. These interventions not only support public health but also enhance the comfort and appeal of everyday spaces for children and their caregivers.

Inclusive design

Ensure accessible infrastructure for all abilities. Some examples could look like smooth side walks for prams and mobility-impaired people to move easily, quieter spaces with less stimulation, inclusive language including images to communicate important information, water fountains at different levels, public changing and nursing facilities in gender neutral spaces or in every bathroom, and  play structures for a variety of ages and abilities. This list is by no means exhaustive, but it’s important to remember that inclusive urban design should not only support the healthy development of children — it should also contribute to building cities that work well for everyone. When we design with the everyday needs of the most vulnerable in mind, we create environments that are more humane, more livable, and ultimately better for all.

By embedding child-friendly principles into cities, we don’t just create better environments for children, we improve life for everyone.

A shaded bench can become a resting place for an elder. A playful sculpture outside a grocery store makes errands more joyful and can invite adults to reconnect with play as well. A safe bike lane helps a parent connect with their child and their neighborhood and bring movement back into their life.

Urban planning, at its best, has the power to shape society. And when that begins with our youngest residents, the future isn’t just more livable — it’s more playful and joyful.