The intersection of culture and play: Evaluating children’s play spaces in Xi’an’s parks using the 7Cs framework

With rapid urbanization, children’s play spaces in Chinese parks face challenges related to functional monotony and a lack of cultural expression. This study examines heritage parks in Xi’an, one of China’s most historically significant cities, as case studies. Using a mixed-methods research approach and the 7Cs framework, we systematically evaluate these spaces to assess their effectiveness in meeting cultural and functional needs. The findings highlight several key shortcomings in current designs. First, an imbalance between static cultural displays and dynamic interactive elements limits children’s engagement and cultural immersion. Second, a lack of exploratory and challenging activities fails to meet the developmental demands of older children. Third, weak user participation mechanisms and inadequate feedback systems contribute to a misalignment between design intentions and actual user needs. To address these challenges, this article proposes integrating dynamic and interactive cultural displays, introducing multi-level exploratory and challenging features to accommodate diverse age groups, and enhancing user engagement and feedback systems throughout the design process. These recommendations aim to balance cultural preservation with modern usability, providing both theoretical insights and practical foundations for improving children’s play spaces in heritage parks while inspiring similar global efforts.
Chen, X. (2022). Gaomidu chengshi ertong youqi kongjian gui hua jianshe celue. [Children’s recreational space planning and construction in high-density cities]. Planners, 38(6):131-137.
Chiesura, A. (2004). The role of urban parks for the sustainable city. Landscape and Urban Planning, 68(1):129-138. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2003.08.003
Dalpra, M. (2022). Rethinking Play Environments for Social Inclusion in Our Communities. In: Transforming our World through Universal Design for Human Development. Amsterdam: IOS Press. https://doi.org/10.3233/shti220842
Ding, K., & Han, X. (2019). Shenzhen shi huwai youxi changdi kongjian tezheng dui ertong youxi xingwei he zonghe fazhan de yingxiang. [The impact of contemporary outdoor playground spatial features on children’s play and development, Shenzhen]. Planners, 35(15):87-92.
Fan, Z., & Chen, C. (2024). Jiyu dianping shuju fenxi de chengqiang yizhi gongyuan gongzhong tiyan ganzhi yanjiu [The public experience perception of city wall ruins park based on review data analysis]. Chinese and Overseas Architecture, 2024(12):68-73.
Fang, N. (2020). Policy innovation on building child friendly cities in China: Evidence from four Chinese cities. Children and Youth Services Review, 118:105491.
Gemmell, E., Ramsden, R., Brussoni, M., & Brauer, M. (2023). Influence of Neighborhood Built Environments on the outdoor free play of young children: A systematic, mixed-studies review and thematic synthesis. Journal of Urban Health, 100(1):118-150.
Gray, C., Gibbons, R., Larouche, R., Sandseter, E.B., Bienenstock, A., Brussoni, M., et al. (2015). What is the relationship between outdoor time and physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and physical fitness in children: A systematic review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 12(6):6455-6474. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph120606455
Guan, H. (2021). Review of Space Research and Practice of Child-Friendly Outdoor Games in Past Ten Years Spatial Governance for High-Quality Development. In: Proceedings of the 2021 China Urban Planning Annual Conference, Chengdu, China.
He, H. (2020). Ertong youhaoxing chengshi shenghuoxing jiedao kongjian pinzhi shibie yanjiu-yi Wuhan shi Nanjing Lu yu Shanglong Lu wei li [Research on space quality identification of living street in child-friendly city: A case study of Nanjing street and Shanglong Street in Wuhan]. Shanghai Urban Planning Review, 2020(3):47-53. https://doi.org/10.11982/j.supr.20200307
Heft, H. (1988). Affordances of children’s environments: A functional approach to environmental description. Children’s Environments Quarterly, 5(3):29-37.
Herrington, S., & Brussoni, M. (2015). Beyond physical activity: The importance of play and nature-based play spaces for children’s health and development. Current Obesity Reports, 4(4):477-483. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13679-015-0179-2
Herrington, S., & Lesmeister, C. (2006). The design of landscapes at child-care centres: Seven Cs. Landscape Research, 31(1):63-82. https://doi.org/10.1080/01426390500448575
Hyder, T. (2004). War, Conflict and Play. Debating Play. New York: Open University Press.
Jiang, Y. (2024). Jindai Yilai Xi’an Chengshi Wenhua Yichan Gonggong Kongjianhua Licheng Yanjiu [Study on Public Spatialization Process of Urban Cultural Heritage in Xi’an Since Modern Times]. Vol. 56. China: Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology, p. 466-474.
Lee, E.Y., Kim, Y.B., Goo, S., Oyama, O., Lee, J., Kim, G., et al. (2023). Physical activity in the era of climate change and COVID-19 pandemic: Results from the South Korea’s 2022 Report Card on physical activity for children and adolescents. Journal of Exercise Science and Fitness, 21(1):26-33. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesf.2022.10.014
Lian, Y., & Xie, J. (2024). The evolution of digital cultural heritage research: Identifying key trends, hotspots, and challenges through bibliometric analysis. Sustainability, 16(16):7125. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16167125
Shu, X., Mesimäki, M., Kotze, D.J., Wales, M., Xie, L., Benicke, R., et al. (2022). Needs and expectations of German and Chinese children for livable urban green spaces revealed by the method of empathy-based stories. Urban Forestry and Urban Greening, 68:127476. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2022.127476
Slingerland, G., Lukosch, S., & Brazier, F. (2020). Engaging Children to Co-create Outdoor Play Activities for Place-making. In: Proceedings of the 16th Participatory Design Conference. Vol. 1.
UNESCO. (2016). Culture Urban Future: Global Report on Culture for Sustainable Urban Development. Available from: https:// unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000245999
UN-Habitat. (2013). Streets as Public Spaces and Drivers of Urban Prosperity. Available from: https://unhabitat.org/ sites/default/files/2020/08/streets_as_public_spaces_and_ drivers_of_urban_prosperity.pdf
UNICEF. (2018). Shaping Urbanization for Children Handbook. Available from: https://www.unicef.org/reports/shaping-urbanization-children [Last accessed on 2025 Apr 02].
Wang, X. (2021). Ziran yuansu zai Zhongguo chengshi gongyuan ertong youxi kongjian sheji zhong de yingyong diaocha yanjiu [Study on the application of natural elements in urban parks’ children’s play space in China]. International Urban Planning, 36(1):40-46. https://doi.org/10.19830/j.upi.2020.385
Wang, X. (2022). Jiyu youxi jiazhi de Zhongguo chengshi gongyuan ertong huwai youxi kongjian pingjia yanjiu [Research on evaluation of children’s outdoor play space in Chinese urban parks based on play values]. Landscape Architecture, 2(29):78-83. https://doi.org/10.14085/j.fjyl.2022.02.0078.06
Wray, A., Martin, G., Ostermeier, E., Medeiros, A., Little, M., Reilly, K., et al. (2020). Physical activity and social connectedness interventions in outdoor spaces among children and youth: A rapid review. Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention in Canada-Research, 40(4):104-115. https://doi.org/10.24095/hpcdp.40.4.02
Wu, Y. (2021). Satisfaction evaluation of comprehensive urban parks under the concept of child friendly city. Journal of Chinese Urban Forestry, 16(6): 82-87. https://doi.org/10.12169/zgcsly.2021.03.12.0001
Yang, D., & Dong, N. (2021). Jiyu chengzhang renzhi shijiao xia de qinziranxing feijiegouhua ertong youxi huanjing [Biophilic unstructured play environment based on the perspective of children’s developmental cognition]. Chinese and Overseas Architecture, (7):9-14. https://doi.org/10.19940/j.cnki.1008-0422.2021.07.002
Yildirim, Y., Keshavarzi, G., & Aman, A.R. (2022). Does play-based experience provide for inclusiveness? A case study of multi-dimensional indicators. Child Indicators Research, 15(6):2197-2214. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12187-022-09951-3