Chris Bruntlett draws on precedents from across North America to illustrate simple ways that our cities can better serve, entertain, and nurture children.
“For far too long, many people have considered family life and urban life as being mutually exclusive,” writes Chris Bruntlett. “That trend is slowly reversing, as more and more parents choose to raise their kids in urban areas. However, city builders often fail to consider their smallest, most vulnerable users.”
Bruntlett uses examples from 12 cities across north to illustrate some simple but all-too rarely seen planning and design treatments that can make cities more fun, safe and stimulating for younger (and younger at heart) city-dwellers. Ideas Include:
- Streets as playgrounds
- Playful and plentiful crosswalks
- Activating alleyways, and
- Shared musical instruments
FULL STORY: 12 ways to make cities more child-friendly
How Urban Design Can Benefit Parents and Kids
Designing thoughtful, child-friendly public spaces can ease the burdens of modern parenting and offer safe spaces for children to learn self-reliance and resilience.
Study: Extracurricular Activities Benefit Children’s Mental Health
A new study indicates that improving access to extracurricular activities (EA) may help address the growing mental health needs of children and caregivers.
How Japanese Cities Enable Toddlers To Roam Independently
A TV show featuring young Japanese children going on errands on their own highlights the differences between Japanese and American urban design that enable even toddlers to safely navigate big cities.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Empower LA: The LA2050 Grants Challenge
The 2025 LA2050 Grants Challenge invites organizations to become outreach partners and help mobilize Angelenos to vote on how $1 million in grants will be allocated to address key local issues like homelessness, income inequality, and park access.
Take a Walk: Why Step Count Is the Most Valuable Fitness Metric
Step count remains the most valuable fitness metric for longevity and well-being, offering a simple yet powerful way to track daily movement, reduce health risks, and promote active lifestyles without reliance on complex data or technology.
SXSW Panel Addresses Housing Affordability for Artists
Musicians are increasingly hard-pressed to find affordable housing in Austin, a city known for its music scene.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
Harvard GSD Executive Education
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research