Kids Just Wanna Get Fun: A Children-Centric Participatory Research Methodology for Sustainable Cities and Communities

Introduction: Urban planning and design have traditionally been adult-centric, driven by professionals and decision-makers focusing on space efficiency, economic development, and urban performance. This approach has resulted in cities becoming increasingly hostile environments for younger populations. Cuenca, Ecuador, an intermediate-sized city, exemplifies this trend, with children no longer walking or cycling to school due to decades of car-centric planning. They now rely on private cars, school buses, or public transport. Despite growing interest in integrating the perspectives of vulnerable groups into urban design, there is limited information on participatory planning and co-design approaches focused on school-age children.   Objective: The objective of this study is to propose and evaluate a participatory research methodology to incorporate the perspectives of children aged 10 to 12 regarding their school environments and their visions for safer, more engaging routes to school in Cuenca in the context of more sustainable cities and communities   Method: The methodology includes several participatory techniques organized within an interactive fictional narrative in which children assume the role of urban environment researchers. The method employs various instruments: mapping, route-to-school evaluation, place awareness, activity journals, and co-design activities.   Results and Discussion: The results offer vital insights for planning and designing safer routes to schools that meet children's specific needs and aspirations. These insights sometimes contradict adult-centric views that prioritize efficiency. For instance, solutions deemed safer by adults can impede efforts to promote active commuting among children.   Findings: The findings highlight the importance of using tailored methods to gain deep insights into children's preferences and perceptions. These insights call for fundamentally reevaluating urban planning paradigms in Latin American cities to better accommodate children's needs and perspectives.   Research Implications: Governments, Urban Planners and Decision Makers should include the perspectives and voices of children by using participatory planning and a co-design approach to create more friendly cities.   Originality/Value: This study contributes to the literature by proposing and evaluating a participatory design approach to a better understanding of children needs in urban planning specifically in developing safe routes to schools.