Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
CHILD INDICATORS RESEARCH, 2026 (SSCI, Scopus)
This study aims to evaluate the types of activities suitable for the developmental needs of different age groups in children's playgrounds based on expert opinions and to examine the impact of these activity types and their locations on playground quality. Through the participation of 200 experts from diverse disciplines, including child development, psychology, architecture, landscape architecture, education, and rehabilitation, the types and characteristics of activities required in playgrounds were comprehensively analyzed. Unlike previous studies, which treated activity types, their target age groups, and spatial locations separately, this research adopts an integrated approach. In the study, activities identified through expert input were linked to developmental criteria specific to age groups, and a quantitative evaluation system expressing playground quality was developed, along with a customized experience score. Two different location scenarios, Plan A and Plan B, were compared. The findings indicate that Plan A has a positive influence on playground quality, with higher scores in terms of both interaction and developmental contribution. A key strength of this study lies in its multidisciplinary expert involvement in the combined evaluation of activity selection and spatial organization, as well as in the development of a quantitative scoring system that reflects playground quality. This approach guides designing children's playgrounds that move beyond mere entertainment spaces to become functional and high-quality environments that support the multidimensional development of children across different age groups.