Four Subtle Ways to Bring Life and Interaction to Suburban Streets Over a Weekend

What comes to mind when you think of play? Perhaps childhood, freedom, and energy. Maybe places to play. Play has been all but written out of our neighborhoods and our lives. But when we tweeze out the characteristics of play, we see it can unfold in many ways, shapes, and forms. And importantly, play is not just for children, but is vital to a good life at all ages.

Play is a very human endeavor. It involves spontaneity and exploration that are often absent in over-planned and over-engineered environments. Many of us live in suburban areas designed for vehicles, which reduce opportunities for spontaneity by design. That’s because cars demand predictability. This creates a negative correlation between auto-dependency and play.

If environments that encourage play are interactive and multidimensional, and suburbs are prescriptive and linear, then is it all a loss? I think not. By understanding the characteristics of play, we can think outside the sandbox to find simple ways to create more playful suburban places.

Play is a spontaneous, enjoyable activity that engages our curiosity and imagination, and promotes exploration. It is inherently enjoyable, requiring no external sources to fuel its happening. While there are a variety of ways we can define it, six basic characteristics of play are as follows:

Characteristics of Play, at Its Core:

1. Curiosity: Encouraging discovery and interaction.
2. Exploration: Designing spaces that invite wandering and adventure.
3. Imagination: Creating areas that inspire creativity and storytelling.
4. Intrinsic Motivation: Providing opportunities for self-directed play.
5. Spontaneity: Facilitating unplanned and impromptu activities.
6. Enjoyment: Activities bring joy and satisfaction.

Playful environments encourage discovery and interaction in unscripted ways. They inspire creativity and promote wandering and adventure. It’s no mistake that many of our first thoughts associated with play is a “playground”. Nearly all of the land in suburban contexts is privately-owned, and due to various regulatory factors such as deep setbacks and wide lots, the streets aren’t exactly welcoming. Thus, oftentimes tiny plots of land dedicated solely to play (such as playgrounds) are the only safe spaces to play.

The privatization of land is deeply embedded in North American culture, and the likelihood of homeowners inviting the public onto their properties to play on a play structure or engage in a game of pickleball is slim. So where and how can people play? When we consider the characteristics of play, we can see there are several ways in which we can create more playful suburban streets in very gentle ways.

When it comes down to it, it’s simply about breaking monotony and promoting interaction, which can be done through thoughtful landscaping. And surprisingly, many of these solutions may not look like play at all.

Four Landscaping Elements For More Playful Streets

Photo courtesy of Decoist

Photo courtesy of Skokie Park District

1. Little Free Libraries. While you may not think of Little Free Libraries as “play,” they check several boxes on the Characteristics of Play list. Little Free Libraries are spontaneous and unexpected; they pique curiosity and promote exploration, and they open people to stories and ideas they may not have come upon otherwise. Nobody forces passersby to look through a Little Free Library. They’re intrinsically motivated to do so. By strategically placing these libraries along the street or sidewalk, you can create mini social hubs that encourage neighbors to stop, browse, and interact.

Photo taken in Pittsburgh, PA

2. Sidewalk seating. People do not expect to find seating in the suburbs. This deters walking and exploration in too-hot weather, and for people with limited mobility year-round. Want to add an
element of surprise for your neighbors? Reposition outdoor furniture toward the sidewalk. Think
beyond benches—seating can be provided with various landscaping elements including rocks,
logs, and swings. These seating areas invite rest and conversation, turning a simple walk into an
opportunity for spontaneous social interaction and engagement with the environment.

Photo taken in Pittsburgh, PA

3. Trees, please. Trees are one of the most obvious play pieces in the world. There is something inherently natural about touching, sitting under, and climbing trees. Trees provide shade, beauty, and a natural play element that can transform a monotonous sidewalk into a place of discovery and enjoyment. If you have a tree near the right-of-way, embrace it. Invite people to interact with it by adding small touches like a path leading to it, a swing hanging from its branch, or a tiny gnome garden near its trunk.

Photo courtesy of Organic Authority

Photo Courtesy of Aspen Times

4. Edible sidewalk gardens. Did you know most herbs can be grown with relatively little maintenance? Street or sidewalk gardens can break the monotony of the typical suburban lawn and invite spontaneous interaction. Whether you're planting directly in the ground, in raised beds, or large pots, including little signs can educate passersby about the plants and invite them to pick!

Wanna get crazy? CombineThe Ideas Above!

Combining these elements can create a cohesive and playful sanctuary right in your front yard. Imagine a charming Little Free Library at the edge of your lawn to spark curiosity and encourage exploration. From there, a flagstone path invites visitors to discover more. They find a log where they can sit to read their book and have a spontaneous conversation with another neighbor. They notice a tiny gnome garden at the base of your tree, and as the wind gently blows, they get a whiff of fragrant lavender, thyme, and mint. They notice the sign invites them to pick, so they pluck a few twigs of each and tuck them into their new book.

Using simple landscaping elements, we can create cohesive and playful environments that transform simple suburban yards into vibrant and engaging sanctuaries that not only enhance the visual appeal of the streetscape, but also promote community interaction, exploration, and a sense of playfulness. These gentle interventions demonstrate how small creative efforts can significantly impact the livability and enjoyment of suburban streets.

While the vast, vacant American front lawn is a sight we’ve gotten used to, I think you will be surprised by the delight you may find in passively engaging and hosting your neighbors.

Article by Samantha Yannucci

Samantha is an urban planner and community engagement specialist with a passion for exploring the intricate connections between the human experience and the built environment. By delving into this interplay, she is on a mission to tackle pressing concerns like loneliness and isolation and create urban environments that foster more wholesome societies from the individual outward.​