Childcare support and community development in a public indoor, all-weather playground where parents and children can comfortably gather.

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K02649
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 09030:Childhood and nursery/pre-school education-related
• Research Institution: Tokai University
• Principal Investigator: TAGAWA Seiki 東海大学, 国際文化学部, 教授 (10326564)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 塚本 未来 東海大学, 国際文化学部, 准教授 (70548734)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: こども環境 / 屋内遊び場 / 建築計画 / 子育て支援 / 健康づくり / コミュニティ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The target of this study is indoor playgrounds (with an area of 100 m2 or more) set up by local governments to support child rearing. They are generally familiar as all-weather playgrounds for children. They have been increasing in Japan, with approximately 110 facilities as of 2023. A survey of 100 facilities in 82 municipalities conducted in 2020 revealed a trend toward increasing play opportunities by providing a variety of playground equipment, encouraging interaction, and promoting children's health. In terms of interaction, there are various aspects such as parent-child, parent-to-parent, child-rearing circles, and participation of grandparents and fathers in child-rearing. Approximately 30% of public indoor playgrounds have childcare counseling and support functions. They are located in public facilities, commercial facilities, or independent facilities. They are also being combined with childcare support centers and lifelong learning facilities.

Free Research Field

建築計画・こども環境学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

研究対象を「自治体が設置または補助している、遊具等を配置して広場的な雰囲気を有し、地域の親子等が比較的自由に利用できる屋内遊び場」と捉えており、一般に全天候型遊び場とも呼ばれる。そうした公共的な屋内遊び場は、児童館のような法令による設置要件等が無く、自治体による先行事例の視察や遊具メーカー等の提案により企画されている。施設計画面においても、子育て支援分野からも既往研究が少ない。子育て期の親子の多様な居場所の確保と創出という観点からも、全国的な設置状況を把握し、建築や遊具などのハード及び子育て支援や運営などのソフトの両面から研究を進めることで知見を共有する社会的意義が大きい。