Lecturer Ezgi Ercihan from Üsküdar University Vocational School of Health Services Child Development Program presented the project titled “Play Street” to participants via Zoom. Providing information about the project, Ercihan stated that this project is a step towards creating a safe play area for children.
Ercihan: “Children develop their social skills through street games”
Lecturer Ezgi Ercihan emphasized that playing is the most beneficial form of learning for children; “Playing is a form of learning that is carried out with or without specific rules, which the child enjoys, participates in with pleasure, and benefits the child the most. Children spend quality time with their peers outdoors through street games, develop their social skills by communicating with them, and satisfy their need for movement,” she said.
“Currently, outdoor play has decreased”
Lecturer Ercihan stated that outdoor areas are where children can expend their energy in the healthiest way; “Currently, outdoor play has decreased. The closest outdoor areas we can reach are streets. Since children cannot go out to the streets now, they expend their energy at home, somewhat bothering the neighbors. The main problem here is that while everyone used to play in the streets, at the beginning of the 20th century, automobiles became widespread and caused traffic problems. Parents started not letting their children out on the streets due to both traffic and various safety concerns. For this reason, the rate of playing in the street has gradually decreased,” she said.
“Our aim is to provide children with a safe street environment”
Lecturer Ercihan; stated that with the decrease in the rate of play on the streets, the concept of 'Play Street' emerged; a play street is organized by closing a specific street to traffic on certain days and hours of the week or month, for the purpose of children and adults playing safely. Our aim is to provide children with a safe street environment. There are also signs in the play street indicating that traffic is closed or that vehicles should proceed slowly,” she said.