Youth Pilot Study 1: Art Activity
Two pilot studies were conducted in 2019 to get
a better idea of outdoor recreation preferences
among youth. The first study was for students
K-5 to participate in an art activity that involved
drawing their perfect park. The objective was to
take the students through an exercise requiring
them to think about what they currently like to do
at parks and what they would like to see added
in the future. A total of 84 students participated.
A few examples of artwork are illustrated here.
The children were creative in this pilot study,
as their examples show treehouses, zip lines,
and even areas for wildlife and ecology within
their drawings.
The top amenities the children indicated interest
in are illustrated in Figure 4.10. Even though the
sample size was small in this pilot study, the top
amenities are similar with those indicated at
regional levels in the other surveys conducted
in SCORP. For example, zip lines, which are
considered an adventure activity, were among the
top 5 amenities in each of the surveys that people
would like to see in parks.
It was evident through Figure 4.10 that youth
valued playgrounds and the amenities within
them. This pilot study was urban-centric as it
involved elementary students in Lincoln, Nebraska.
However, it does give a depiction of the types
of amenities and features children would like to
continue to see in parks. Communities should take
this into consideration when planning outdoor
recreation amenities for this demographic.
Figure 4.10: Top 5 Outdoor Recreation
Amenities Among Perfect Park Art
53.6%
Swings
46.4%
Pools
39.3%
Slides
38.1%
Ziplines
26.2%
Fishing
Source:"Youth Outdoor Recreation Survey." Conducted by NGPC.
(2019). Lincoln, NE.
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