Designing Kid-Friendly Spaces: Simple Changes for a Better Experience
Designing Kid-Friendly Spaces: Simple Changes for a Better Experience
I am a mother of 3 (currently 5, 9, and 11), and have been through some of the major hurdles of early childhood with my kids and visited many farms with kids at various ages. Kids are difficult as it is without extra hurdles making life more difficult. So I have compiled a list of considerations to design with kids and families in mind to make you space and life that much easier.
Children up to 15 make up 25% of the population so they are worth paying attention to! They live here too and it is empowering to make them feel like it’s their spaces too!
No curbs or steps. I’m past the stroller stage now, but barriers for strollers was a pain. So when you can avoid curbs, ledges, and steps whenever possible. Also provide automatic door openers not just the code minimum at the front door, but throughout the common entrances.
Lower sinks, soap, and paper tower dispensers – Please lower the sinks and paper towel dispensers in your washrooms. They don’t all need to be kids height but at least 1 or all a little lower so that my 4’ tall 5 year old can wash her hands without me lifting her up! This applies to soap, paper towel and hand dryers too.
Places for parents to sit and watch – If you have a play area that is too small for Mom and Dad to participate, please provide a few benches. Not 1 but a few so we can all take a rest and let our kids explore.
Fenced in areas for smaller kids – some play areas that are designed for smaller kids or have hidden sides. Please put a fence around it so kids can’t escape by accident. Or one farm we visited had only 1 entrance to the play castle to ensure kids couldn’t wander off by accident or get lost.
Snack areas (you need to allow parents to bring their own food)
Washrooms close and often. A 1 kilometer walk back to the washroom isn’t going to cut it for the toddler who is learning or early potty trained. Provide smaller washrooms more often to reduce accidents. Accidents cause parents to want to leave and spend less money and time at your venue.
Free play sandbox-like toys. Free play toys have shown to engage children. Sandbox toys are toys like your corn pits, blocks, generic play structures (with less use specific features), such as CoPlay, etc.
Larger washroom stalls. Young kids often need help, can’t lock doors, and just don’t want to be alone in the washroom. So providing larger dimension stall for parent and young kids to be in there together.
They don’t need to be as big as the barrier free stall, but just larger than the minimum stall size that barely allows the door to open while 1 person is in it.
Change tables in both mom and dad gendered washrooms. I think this is probably getting more common, but Mom and Dad need access to childcare. I hated as a mom that when kids needed changing I couldn’t send my husband to do that job because there wasn’t likely a change table in the mens room.
Alternatively you can provide family washrooms or nursing/baby care rooms with sinks but not toilets.
If you are a more adult oriented venue like a winery or brewery. A simple addition is a collection of games and tables for families to enjoy your place. You can also add a play area nearby the patio. These can expand your market a little wider.
You may have noticed that many of these suggestions are also close to barrier free requirements. They need of these two people segments are similar, so yes designing for kids also makes your space more wheelchair accessible too!
All the ideas make your Agritourism destination that much easier. You may not get compliments, or credit for the little things, but the smoothness of the visit for your guests will bring them back over and over and they will recommend to you to their friends.
These are some general ideas, and the specifics to get it right are important. VELD architect spends the thinking time needed to get these details right for you. Contact us for a free call to learn about working with us on your next project.