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Public Open Spaces, Children’s Independent Mobility

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Book cover Play and Recreation, Health and Wellbeing

Part of the book series: Geographies of Children and Young People ((GCYP,volume 9))

Abstract

The health benefits of children engaging in at least 60 min of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) daily are well documented, including improved musculoskeletal health, cardiovascular risk profiles, and aerobic fitness and better psychological well-being. Many Western countries have indicated a decline in physical activity over recent decades.

Emerging research shows that children who engage in outdoor activities and travel to destinations using active modes (i.e., walking, cycling) accumulate higher levels of physical activity than those that do not. Over recent decades, research interest has focused on children’s independent outdoor play and active travel to destinations within their neighborhood, including journeys to and from school without adult accompaniment.

Engaging in independent mobility has two important benefits for children. Firstly, engaging in non-formalized activity practices helps children attain daily physical activity recommendations, which in turn, generates significant health benefits. Secondly, independent mobility has an important role in fostering children’s physical, social, emotional, cognitive, and spatial development; this carries into adult life.

A growing body of evidence suggests that the use of public open spaces, including parks and green spaces, is associated with many health and well-being benefits of urban dwellers. Public open spaces are also recognized as important settings to promote physical activity and children’s independent mobility, not only because of purpose-built infrastructure (e.g., playgrounds) but also as easily accessible destinations for unstructured activities such as walking, cycling, and informal outdoor play.

This chapter first provides an overview of children’s independent mobility and thereafter synthesizes the literature related to public open spaces within the context of children’s activity and independent mobility.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Human Potential Centre, Auckland University of Technology, 17 Antares Place, 0632, Auckland, New Zealand

    Moushumi Chaudhury & Melody Oliver

  2. McCaughey VicHealth Centre for Community Wellbeing Unit, Melbourne University School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, 3010, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    Hannah M. Badland & Suzanne Mavoa

  3. SHORE and Whāriki Research Centre, School of Public Health, Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand

    Suzanne Mavoa

Authors
  1. Moushumi Chaudhury
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  2. Melody Oliver
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  3. Hannah M. Badland
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  4. Suzanne Mavoa
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Correspondence to Moushumi Chaudhury .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geography and Planning, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom

    Bethan Evans

  2. Centre of Children and Youth, The University of Northampton, Northampton, United Kingdom

    John Horton

  3. Department of Geography, National University of Singapore Department of Geography, Singapore, Singapore

    Tracey Skelton

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Chaudhury, M., Oliver, M., Badland, H.M., Mavoa, S. (2016). Public Open Spaces, Children’s Independent Mobility. In: Evans, B., Horton, J., Skelton, T. (eds) Play and Recreation, Health and Wellbeing. Geographies of Children and Young People, vol 9. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-4585-51-4_17

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