Growing Up in the Inner City

TLDR

Children growing up in the inner city are at risk for a range of negative developmental outcomes. The study examines whether barren inner‑city neighborhood spaces compromise everyday activities and experiences necessary for healthy development. The authors observed 64 urban public housing outdoor spaces—27 with low vegetation and 37 with high vegetation—across four visits. Most observed children (73%) engaged in play and were supervised (87%), but in barren spaces play levels and adult access were about half those in greener spaces, and creative play was significantly lower.

Abstract

Children growing up in the inner city are at risk for a range of negative developmental outcomes. Do barren, inner-city neighborhood spaces compromise the everyday activities and experiences necessary for healthy development? Sixty-four urban public housing outdoor spaces (27 low vegetation, 37 high vegetation) were observed on four separate occasions. Overall, inner-city children's everyday activities and access to adults appeared remarkably healthy; of the 262 children observed, most (73%) were involved in some type of play, and most groups of children (87%) were supervised to some degree. In relatively barren spaces, however, the picture was considerably less optimistic: Levels of play and access to adults were approximately half as much as those found in spaces with more trees and grass, and the incidence of creative play was significantly lower in barren spaces than in relatively green spaces.