City takes its cues from child's play

Over the last few years, Yinchuan, capital of Ningxia Hui autonomous region, has been in the process of turning itself into the area's first child-friendly city. Through focused efforts tailored toward children, the city is delivering tangible benefits to its young residents and their families.

At a water conservation-themed park recently, 6-year-old Zhang Jinyu swung happily on a crescent moon-shaped swing, giggling as it moved. "This swing is low; I can touch the ground easily," Jinyu said.

Nearby, 3-year-old Cheng Menglu played on a seesaw with her mother. "The seesaw seats are low, making it easy for kids to get on," said Li Pengjuan, Menglu's mother. "The handrails are decorated with stars and moons, which kids love."

Xingqing District Library is another favored choice thanks to its welcoming atmosphere. "The chairs in the library are adorable. I love their shapes!" exclaimed Li Muxi, a student at Xingqing's No 27 Kindergarten, during a study tour.

As a child-friendly space, the library is a conducive space for young readers, and the parent-child reading zone has over 6,000 illustrated books. "Our library also allocates 50,000 yuan ($6,850) a year to refresh our collection of children's books," says Jia Jiancheng, director of the library.

Ningxia's implementation plan for creating a child-friendly city is based on the "1-meter perspective", in other words, the creation of a world that, when seen from the 1-meter height of a child, is tailored toward their use and sensory experience.

In conjunction with associated departments, the National Development and Reform Commission issued guidelines in September 2021 to promote the creation of child-friendly cities — including integrating child-friendly standards into aspects such as social policy, public services, protection of child rights, and environments favorable to the growth of children. By the end of this year, 100 child-friendly pilot cities will have been created.

In April 2023, Yinchuan became the first city in Ningxia to be included in the second round of national pilot cities.

"The goal of creating a child-friendly city is to prioritize and meet the needs of children in urban planning by optimizing city infrastructure and public services through a child-centric approach," says Lei Jing, chairperson of the Yinchuan Women's Federation.

Concerted efforts have been made to achieve this goal. According to local authorities, Yinchuan has undertaken 27 child-adaptive reconstruction programs with an accumulative investment of 1.79 billion yuan, and designated 100 child-friendly pilot units in schools, communities, parks, hospitals, and cultural and gymnastic centers.

The city's natural resources bureau, and housing and urban-rural development bureau, review and approve construction projects with a focus on child-friendly aspects, incorporating children's activity areas and facilities into the planning and construction process.

In addition, it has worked to improve safety and travel for children. For example, the first child-friendly smart crosswalk was installed at the No 18 primary school in Xingqing. Speed monitoring and deceleration reminder signs were erected approximately 100 meters on each side of the crosswalk to ensure the safety of children in the area.

Many commercial complexes in Yinchuan also embrace the "1-meter perspective" by adding child-friendly signage and guidance, building toilets suitable for children, as well as independent nursing rooms and play areas.

Other cities across China have also been achieving significant progress in the development of child-friendly urban environments.

For instance, Guangzhou, Guangdong province, an early adopter of the national child-friendly construction initiative, has successfully integrated child-friendly enhancements into its urban renewal projects, according to local media. In all, 190 public spaces and facilities, along with around 400 sites like parks, libraries, sports facilities, hospitals, schools and bus stops, have been refurbished to meet the needs of children. Additionally, the city has established 83 safe commuting routes to schools, and 35 greenways specifically designed for children.

In March last year, the third list of national child-friendly cities was released, including Haikou and Sanya in Hainan province; Zhuhai in Guangdong, and Shijiazhuang in Hebei province.

As of last year, 93 cities in 31 provinces and municipalities were included in the scope of the national program, and awareness of the needs of children is continuing to rise in other locations.