Playing the public realm: children’s lived experiences of a neighbourhood play network in a high-density urban community

This article advances understanding of how the urban public realm can function as a play network by examining children lived play experiences in Thorncliffe Park, a multicultural inner-suburban neighbourhood in Toronto, Canada. Child-friendly neighbourhood design has traditionally focused on playground provision, often overlooking broader opportunities within public open spaces. This limitation is particularly consequential in high-density context, where access to private outdoor space is constrained. Using ethnographic methods, including observations, questionnaires, and interviews with children aged seven and 13, the study examines how physiographic and sociocultural conditions intersect to shape types and quality of play within the neighbourhood. Results highlight the significance of walkable pathways, proximate destinations, and socially familiar spaces in activating the urban public realm as a connected play network extending beyond playgrounds. The findings underscore the value of incorporating children’s lived experiences into urban planning and design and demonstrate how neighbourhood play networks can support children’s physical activity, social connection, and well-being. Embracing child-friendliness as a core planning principle contributes to more inclusive, healthy, and resilient cities for all age groups.