The Design of Childhood

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An eye-opening exploration of how children's playthings and surroundings impact their development reveals that parents often focus on playdates and education while overlooking the significance of toys, classrooms, and neighborhoods. These elements reflect evolving ideas about child-rearing. Choices between wooden, plastic, or digital toys raise questions about what children sacrifice when safety takes precedence over play. How can the built environment foster self-reliance? Parents, educators, and children find themselves navigating these debates. Prominent design critic Alexandra Lange uncovers the surprising histories of the human-made aspects of children's lives, illustrating how these seemingly innocuous items influence behavior, values, and health in subtle ways. Her investigation highlights how decisions by toymakers, architects, and urban planners have shaped American children’s paths toward independence. Through Lange's perspective, everything from sandboxes to streets is imbued with deeper meaning. This book is essential for parents, educators, and design enthusiasts, offering a transformative view of the world by revealing it through the eyes of children.