Peer-reviewed article
Integrating Child-Friendly Green Spaces into Post-Disaster Recovery: Psychological, Physical, and Educational Sustainability Impact on Children’s Well-Being
Dewi Rezalini Anwar, Gehan Selim ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This literature review examines how child-friendly green spaces support children's recovery after natural disasters. The study found that these spaces reduce anxiety, depression, and trauma symptoms while promoting physical activity and educational engagement. Despite clear benefits for children's well-being and links to sustainable development goals, green spaces are often neglected in disaster recovery planning due to financial constraints and competing priorities. The authors propose a participatory framework that includes inclusive design and multi-sector collaboration to better integrate green spaces into recovery efforts.
Key points
- Child-friendly green spaces significantly reduce trauma-related symptoms including anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress in disaster-affected children
- Green spaces promote physical health through active play and improve educational outcomes by enhancing concentration, attendance, and informal learning
- Green spaces contribute to multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 3, 4, and 11)
- Current barriers to CFGS integration include prioritization of immediate relief, financial and logistical constraints, and socio-cultural factors
- A participatory, culturally sensitive framework with inclusive design and multi-sector collaboration is needed for effective implementation
Limitations
This is a literature review synthesizing existing studies rather than a primary research study, so it does not provide new empirical data. The review does not specify which findings come from which countries or contexts, making it difficult to assess generalizability to particular disaster-affected regions.
Abstract
This study reviews the role of Child-Friendly Green Spaces (CFGS) in supporting children’s psychological, physical, and educational recovery following natural disasters. The main research question guiding this review is the following: how do CFGS contribute to holistic child well-being and resilience in disaster-affected contexts, and what barriers and strategies influence their effective integration into recovery frameworks? Employing a rigorous literature review methodology, we synthesized interdisciplinary evidence from environmental psychology, urban planning, public health, and education, encompassing studies published between 2000 and 2024. Findings demonstrate that CFGS significantly reduce trauma-related symptoms such as anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress, promotes physical health through active play, and foster educational engagement by improving concentration, attendance, and informal learning opportunities. Furthermore, CFGS contribute directly to multiple Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 4 (Quality Education), and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities). Despite these advantages, CFGS are often overlooked in formal disaster recovery planning due to prioritization of immediate relief, financial and logistical challenges, and socio-cultural factors. To address these challenges, this study proposes a participatory, culturally sensitive framework for CFGS implementation, which integrates inclusive design, multi-sector collaboration, and ongoing monitoring and evaluation. Grounded in theoretical perspectives such as the Biophilia Hypothesis, Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory, and restorative environments, CFGS are reframed as critical infrastructures for children’s holistic recovery and resilience. The findings underscore the urgent need to embed CFGS within disaster recovery and urban planning policies to promote child-centered, sustainable community development.