Designed for Play: Children’s Playgrounds and the Politics of Urban Space, 1840–2010 - University of London Press (original) (raw)

• Introduction
• 1 Finding Space for Play: ‘playgrounds for poor children in populous places’
• 2 Competing Playground Visions: ‘a distinctly civilizing influence that gives much health and happiness’
• 3 Playgrounds for the People: ‘a magnetic force to draw children away from the dangers and excitements of the streets’
• 4 Orthodoxy and Adventure: ‘playgrounds are often as bleak as barrack squares and just as boring’
• 5 Playground Scuffles: ‘It’s ours whatever they say’
• Conclusion

Copyright: © Jon Winder 2024

DOI: 10.14296/mgyc2910

Number of pages: 296

Number of illustrations: 17

Publication date: July 2024

PDF ISBN: 9781914477508

Read Online ISBN: 9781914477683

Hardback ISBN: 9781914477485

Paperback ISBN: 9781914477492

Jon Winder (Author)

Jon Winder is a historian of modern Britain and freelance heritage consultant. His academic research explores the social, environmental and oral histories of attempts to create more liveable and inclusive urban environments.

‘Jon Winder’s Designed for Play shows us how our playgrounds are the product of the vying interests of educationalists, manufacturers, local governments, philanthropists, even, very occasionally, children. It is a beautifully told and compelling tale that treats the playground as a major element of urban life. This is an important book that deserves a very wide audience.’

— Ben Highmore, Professor of Cultural Studies, University of Sussex, UK

Subject: History

BISAC codes: HIS052000, SOC026030, SOC047000

Thema codes: NHTB, RGCS, RPC

Keywords: childhood, design, education, geography, history, planning, playground, social, space, urban