Playgrounds Support Children’s Social-emotional Health

When planning and subsequently using outdoor playspaces for children, it’s important for policymakers, playground designers, and families to understand how green space can provide significant social-emotional benefits. Studies show that green spaces, such as those with trees and edible gardens, are associated with positivity in children’s mental health and mood. The presence of natural features not only makes playgrounds more aesthetically pleasing but also offers children a calming environment that encourages free play and exploration. This connection to nature has been associated with reduced stress and anxiety, enabling children to engage in more self-directed and cooperative activities.

When designing playgrounds to enhance social-emotional development, consider including the following elements:

• Manipulative materials: Incorporate sand, water tables, and movable equipment to foster cooperative play and interaction.
• Natural elements: Introduce trees, shaded areas, and green spaces that offer a serene environment conducive to emotional well-being.
• Symbolic play structures: Provide areas that facilitate imaginative play, such as “houses,” “storefronts,” or “rocket ships”—allowing children to explore various roles and scenarios.

There are multiple social-emotional benefits of playgrounds for children. From encouraging cooperative play and language skills through symbolic activities to offering a natural refuge that supports emotional well-being, playgrounds are invaluable environments for nurturing young minds. By thoughtfully incorporating elements that encourage both structured and free play, playgrounds can continue to serve as vital spaces for children’s social and emotional growth. As communities and educational settings design these areas, they should prioritize features that maximize these developmental benefits, ensuring that playgrounds remain beacons of growth and happiness for future generations.

Methods

The authors for this Child Trends series used GPT-4o to generate initial drafts of blogs that synthesized an original literature review conducted by Child Trends researchers for KABOOM! on how playgrounds benefit children’s social-emotional and physical health. We want to acknowledge Kristen Darling, Gabriella Guerra, Tamara Halle, and Vanessa Sacks for their contributions to the original literature review. Child Trends experts fully vetted the veracity of these outputs, conclusions, and works cited. The authors and Child Trends communications staff fully revised the initial draft to produce the current version and ensure that it conformed to Child Trends’ standards for scientific rigor and writing style. (OpenAI, 2025).