We worked with 82 primary school children (aged 9-10) from four schools and neighbourhoods in Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. Through focus group discussions, we asked them to share their travel experience in their neighbourhoods. Using age-appropriate maps and playful stickers, we gathered insights into their experiences, to identify patterns in what children need from their neighbouhoods. In addition, we mapped their comments to specific locations to better understand the relationships between the built environment features and children’s experiences.

We interviewed ten municipal officials and 23 residents in four Arab towns, and observed five outdoor gyms. We wanted to understand how outdoor gyms are perceived, what barriers limit their use, and what strategies could make them more effective. This was the first study of its kind in Arab towns in Israel, but it also speaks to underserved communities worldwide where informal urban development and limited resources shape access to healthy environments.