Re-Imagining Outdoor Playspaces: An Unexpected Consequence of the COVID-19 Lockdown
Abstract
This paper presents a series of reflective observations on the use of outdoor spaces in Melbourne, Australia, during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. With the closure of playgrounds and organized sports, the authors observed three themes emerging: changes in users and uses of parks and reserves; markers of children’s activities in public areas; and, children’s creation of huts, dens or “cubbies” as evidence of constructive and imaginative play.