Kid-Friendly World

Curriculum

7 Sections
26 Lessons
12 Weeks

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Course Introduction
1
- 1.1
  Designing a Kid-Friendly World
How Children Experience the World
This section introduces the foundational understanding of childhood development and perception, offering insight into how children move, feel, play, decide, and socialize. These lectures explore the physical, cognitive, emotional, and sensory growth that shapes every interaction a child has with their environment. By understanding how children perceive and navigate physical and social spaces, we can create communities, destinations, hotels, and events that not only support their development but also appeal to the parents and caregivers who make decisions about where to go, stay, and return.
5
Designing for Children
This section shifts from understanding child development to applying those insights in the design of communities, tourism destinations, hospitality venues, and public experiences. It explores how spaces can be planned and built to be safe, inclusive, and meaningful for children—while also serving the needs and expectations of families. These chapters provide practical guidance for creating environments that support both exploration and comfort, attract parents and children, and promote return visits, resident satisfaction, and family engagement.
5
Measuring Kid-Friendliness
To create child-centered environments that are truly effective, we must be able to study, assess, and improve them through intentional research. Section 3 equips learners with the frameworks, tools, and approaches needed to evaluate children’s experiences and design decisions based on real data. It introduces both traditional and creative research methods, explores how to work ethically with children and families, and emphasizes the value of participatory research in shaping inclusive tourism, hospitality, and community planning.
5
Broader Impacts of a Kid-Friendly World
Kid-friendly design isn’t only about childhood—it’s about building healthier, more livable communities for all. This section explores the wider benefits of designing environments that center children and families, from improved public health and economic growth to social cohesion and civic trust. It outlines how such investments ripple out to support entire neighborhoods, cities, and tourism systems. Lectures focus on measuring outcomes, sustaining progress, and embedding family-focused strategies into long-term planning, policy, and cross-sector collaboration.
5
Global Insights and the Future
Across the world, communities, hotels, events, and destinations are reimagining what it means to be welcoming for children and their families. Section 5 explores global case studies, emerging innovations, and future directions that inspire and inform a more inclusive design culture. These lectures highlight scalable practices, technology-infused solutions, and values-driven visions that shape tomorrow’s child-friendly environments. They also emphasize that kid-centered design is not only a local imperative but part of a global movement toward equity, creativity, and sustainability.
4
Conclusion
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- 7.1
  Course Conclusion: A Call to Action for a Kid-Friendly Future

Research Design: Studying the Needs, Experiences, and Perspectives

Understanding what children need and how they experience the world requires careful, intentional research design. This involves not only selecting the right methods, but also respecting children’s perspectives, adapting to developmental stages, and capturing experiences in diverse real-world settings.

Key Principles of Child-Focused Research Design

Children are active participants, not passive subjects. Research should honor their voices and agency.
Developmental sensitivity matters. Research tools must reflect children’s communication styles and abilities.
Context is essential. Children’s responses vary across settings, cultures, and group dynamics.

Designing Studies Around Real-World Environments

Research can be embedded in communities, parks, hotels, events, and attractions—anywhere children spend time.
Evaluating kid-friendliness involves both observing behavior and interpreting subjective responses.
Families often travel or decide together—so both child and parent perspectives must be considered.

Working Ethically with Children

Consent and assent must be clearly obtained and age-appropriate.
Power imbalances must be acknowledged, and children should never be coerced.
Research should be playful, transparent, and meaningful to participants.

Discussion Questions

Why is it important to include both children and parents in the research process?
What are the risks of applying adult-centered research tools to child-centered environments?
What real-world places could serve as sites for evaluating children’s experience in your work?

Cultural, Ethical, and Inclusive Considerations in Child-Friendly Tourism

Solutions

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Solutions

Curriculum

Research Design: Studying the Needs, Experiences, and Perspectives

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