Unwelcome guests? Emotional barriers to adult co-presence in children’s playgrounds

Playgrounds in dense cities function as shared micro public spaces where adult presence can feel uneasy. Adopting a child-first, adult-enabled stance, this study examines how design signifiers and visibility relate to adults’ emotions and patterns of co-presence. Semi-structured interviews, analysed with grounded theory and informed by pilot observations, trace links among appraisals, contextual cues and coping. Embarrassment clustered under high visibility and weak role or rule legibility, followed by discreet repositioning or low-profile engagement. Shame aligned with questioned legitimacy and led to withdrawal or edge-based supervision. Guilt reflected perceived lapses in caregiving and elicited apologising or renewed diligence. Relaxation and gratitude were more likely where edges provided shaded seating, light screening and clear role cues. Practice implications centre on three levers: managing attention cues, widening environmental affordances, and clarifying social messaging, which preserve children’s priority while legitimising adult presence at edges. This research addresses a gap linking playground design to adult emotional experience and offers actionable guidance for inclusive design.