The day-to-day environment surrounding the child influences its physical, social, and emotional wellbeing. The study was conducted to understand how the perception of children and their parents about the outdoor play spaces influences their outdoor participation. Face-to-face interviews with parents, a walk-along interview with children and audit of public open space were conducted in different neighbourhoods in the city of Pune (India) which differed in social and spatial characteristics. This paper suggests a conceptual framework that defines the setting of participation and factors influencing the motivation of participation in the outdoor environment.

The quantitative study of parents’ interviews and qualitative analysis of children’s sketches highlight different aspects like play and mobility range, open space visitation, activities of children, spatial qualities of the open space and perception of children and their parents. The findings brought forth difference in parents and children’s perception of risk in open spaces.