Creating playful learning spaces for children in the city

Since 2019, Daniela and students in her courses have been involved, through term projects, in re-imagining how urban, community spaces within Waterloo Region can provide greater playful learning opportunities on many levels for young children and families. in these courses, students are applying what they are learning about children's early communicative development and socio-economic gradients affecting development,  with their own further research into related worldwide initiatives to redevelop urban spaces into areas of greater playful learning for children and families. The students working in teams, in collaboration with Daniela, then come up with their own ideas to enhance these community spaces based on their research in all these areas. The particular community spaces change each term, based on Daniela's meetings with prior interested community members. At the end of the term, the student teams present their proposed spaces to the community members, which to date have included the Waterloo Park Advisory Committee, City of Waterloo Parks Staff, and City of Kitchener Parks Staff. These powerpoint presentations are (will be) featured here! And if any community members are interested in having students work on proposals like this for them, please just get in touch with Daniela.

Re-imagining Prospect Park in Kitchener

December 13, 2022, Presentations to City of Kitchener Parks Staff by undergraduate class PSY453W.

Playful Learning at UW: Reimagining parts of campus for playful learning for children

Dec. 20, 2022, Presentations to University of Waterloo Student Success Office Managers by undergraduate class PSY470F.

July 25, 2022: The course of Winter 2022 and its student projects from April 12th were highlighted in an article in The Record: Reimagining playgrounds in Waterloo Region.

Re-imagining 3 Kitchener Parks for Greater Playful Learning - Oaten, Kinzie and Idlewood

April 12, 2022, Presentations to City of Kitchener Parks Staff by undergraduate class PSY453W.

Creating Greater Community Engagement with Waterloo Park in Wintertime and Throughout the Year

April 6, 2022, Presentation to the Waterloo Park Advisory Committee by graduate seminar class PSY680W.

Re-imagining 3 Areas of Waterloo Park for Greater Playful Learning - Eby Farm Playground, the Forest, and the Victorian Gardens

Dec. 10, 2021, Presentations to City of Waterloo Parks Staff by undergraduate class PSY470F.

Re-imagining the Eby Farmstead for Greater Playful Learning

July 10, 2019, Presentation to the Waterloo Park Advisory Committee by graduate class PSY680S.