What Does it Mean to be “Children-friendly”?

Children-friendly spaces, areas and play areas are places designed and operated in a such a manner that children can be provided with a safe environment, where feeding, diapering, play, recreation, education, health, and psycho-social support can be delivered.

Benefits of making your business to be child-friendly

As a business or organization, you are probably why it is important to create child-friendly spaces in your premises. Regardless of the type of business or organization, for example, a restaurant, a medical clinic, a supermarket, a law firm, a veterinary, a gym, a government office or any other business/organization that serves adults, you’re bound to have children spending time in your waiting area.

Do you have child-friendly spaces to cater to these young visitors and their parents

If you don’t consider this. An environment that lacks child-friendly spaces can be the source of discomfort to the child, stress and anxiety to the parent, and potential disruption to a business. Take the example of a restless child in a banking hall, doctors office or restaurant. The results can range from unpleasant to downright disasters especially where children access dangerous areas.

By incorporating child-friendly spaces in your premises, you make the job of entertaining children as easy as possible for visitors who come with their children. In return, you can expect;

1. A better business environment.
2. Better customer experience and satisfaction.
3. Your business is viewed as family-friendly and, depending on your type of business, this could attract new customers. For example, a child-friendly restaurant where parents can enjoy their meals without having to check on their children all the time will definitely do better than one without child-friendly spaces. The same can be said of a doctor’s clinic, bank, supermarket, you name it.

The Mother Goose Kenya adheres to these THREE principles when planning, designing,  developing and operating child-friendly spaces for all our clients.

Books keep children busy

1. The space is safe and secure for children. Children require immediate support and a safe environment in challenging circumstances. The space must provide a quick and efficient support system and response for the safety of children after emergencies. The environment must also provide protection from dangers, violence, exploitation and abuse.
2. The space provides a stimulating and supportive environment for children. A supportive environment entails three key elements:

-A wide range of appropriate activities and programmes;
-A physical environment to facilitate the activities and programmes;
-Have an encouraging, supportive and sensitive staff.

• A participatory approach in designing and in the implementation of children play areas

Meaningful participation gives voice to different stakeholders in the organization and enables the sense of local ownership that contribute to programme quality, equity and sustainability of the child-friendly spaces. Stakeholders will range from organization to organization but will typically include staff and customers. An example of a participatory approach is to conduct a customer survey or have a focus group to get customer feedback on a planned initiative to make the business child-friendly.

In our experience, the following are a few examples of business premises with a great need for professional child-friendly spaces.

Restaurants

There is existing research that suggests that making your restaurant child-friendly may increase traffic by up to 25%. Having child-friendly spaces in a restaurant can, therefore, be a game-changer for the business. These include play and diapering areas.

Banking Halls

In Kenya, mothers are forced to wait in queues before they are served. During this time they have to contend with restless children. Having a child waiting zone in banking with play activities frees up mothers to conduct important transactions.

Supermarkets

Young infants will typically want to play with the products on aisle oblivious to the fact that this could lead to product damage and liability for the parents. However, no supermarket wants to have to make a parent pay for the damage caused by an infant due to the obvious negative publicity this would attract. The only option is, therefore, to create a child play zone where children can play as their parent’s shop.

Hotels

In hotels that lack child-friendly spaces, mothers can barely enjoy their holiday. The solution to having simple solutions like play areas as well as night nannies, baby sleeping cots and similar interventions.

Medical Clinics

Visits to hospitals, doctors offices and dentists need to have play areas where children can play as they wait. Additionally, examination rooms that serve children need to be designed with children in mind. For example, incorporating fun elements into the design, such animal paintings on the wall and footprints on the floor that they can follow to navigate through your practice. There should also be feeding and diapering areas.

Churches

Children are rarely able to sit through sermons. It is, therefore, a good idea to have a playroom, diapering and feeding area for infants and younger toddlers, and a small playground for older toddlers.

Airports, Railway and Bus Stations

These public areas require play area corners and breastfeeding and diaper change areas for parents.

Zoned children play area

Child-friendly spaces, areas and play areas are places designed and operated in a such a manner that children can be provided with a safe environment, where feeding, diapering, play, recreation, education, health, and psycho-social support can be delivered.

Environments that lack child-friendly spaces can be the source of discomfort to the child, stress and anxiety to the parent, and potential disruption to a business.

A child-friendly space can be a play area/room with toys and playthings as well as a lactation room, diapering room or any other area that provides comfort, play and entertainment to children.

For more information on how we can assist your organization or business create child-friendly spaces, please get it touch with us by calling   +254723412689