Unveiling the impact of green infrastructure on children's play in primary school open spaces an empirical pilot case study from Leipzig, Germany

In an era of increasing urbanization and sealing, green and open spaces are being displaced at an accelerated rate. However, it is precisely these spaces that contribute to the liveability of a city for its inhabitants, including a significant number of schoolchildren. Concurrently, urban green infrastructure is strategically integrated into the city's structures with a view to providing ecosystem services that support human well-being. The prevailing assumption is that green infrastructure exerts a significant influence on the play behavior of children in school yards, with certain green elements being hypothesized to foster increased creativity. The present pilot study, which was conducted in the city of Leipzig, Germany, examined the importance of green infrastructure on children's schoolyard activities at five elementary schools which were selected at random. Of particular interest was the importance of specific elements of UGI that foster creative play. The study employed a non-participant observation approach, wherein the children's activities were meticulously documented, and a comprehensive mapping of the elementary school schoolyards was conducted to ascertain the proportions of green and gray areas, as well as their arrangement. The research findings are noteworthy in demonstrating that mid-height green infrastructure exerts a positive influence on creative play behavior of primary school children, with a particular emphasis on the promotion of creative play, which in turn contributes to the cognitive development of younger children.