Children's planned and unplanned places of play and encounter in West Herttoniemi, Helsinki

This chapter explores the child friendliness of West Herttoniemi, a suburban neighbourhood in Helsinki, Finland, built in the 1950s. The analysis builds on mapping of different environments for play and participatory observation to explore how children use the suburban environment. West Herttoniemi offers a dense network of play opportunities for children, comprising city-run playgrounds, play areas in private yards, natural features such as forests and rocks, and nature strips between buildings. The abundance of play spaces contributes to the perceived presence of children in the neighbourhood and offers opportunities for play but also for creating social networks among families.