REGENERATE at Science is Wonderful! 2026: Exploring young people's views on urban parks

Last March, REGENERATE was selected to take part in Science is Wonderful! 2026 in Brussels, the annual science fair organised by the European Commission. The event brought together researchers from across Europe to share their work with families, school groups, and members of the public.

At our booth, “Level Up Your City Park”, we tested a co-creation methodology to involve children and teenagers to reflect on their use of urban parks. Using our bespoke set of map and stickers, participants created the map of their ideal urban parks, and explored the many ways parks contribute to health and well-being.

The activity encouraged young people to think about what makes a park enjoyable, welcoming, and inclusive. Participants designed spaces for play, sport, relaxation, nature, and social activities, often drawing on their own experiences of local parks.

Teenagers also took part in inclusivity challenges, considering how parks can better support different groups of people, including women and girls, older adults, and people with different needs and abilities. These discussions highlighted the importance of designing public spaces that work for everyone.

We are now using the 200+ maps and related observation notes for analyses on how gender might shape experiences of parks.