Designing for kids is certainly not child’s play. Whilst the design process is undertaken by adults, the end-users are often children, such is the case in kindergarten, schools, and parks. Architects have a responsibility, therefore, to ensure that the built environment offers children the chance to play, explore, and learn in physical space, even in a digital age. With that in mind, here are 18 cool spaces designed especially for children – environments that may perhaps inspire the Fosters, Hadids, and Le Corbusiers of tomorrow.
The Youth Wing for Art Education Entrance Courtyard / Ifat Finkelman + Deborah Warschawski
![Learn as They Play: 18 Examples of Architecture for Kids - Image 1 of 90](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/58ee/825f/e58e/ce9d/7d00/003b/newsletter/TREE_HOUSE%C2%A9_Amit_Geron.jpg?1492025944)
Brutalist Playground / Assemble
![Learn as They Play: 18 Examples of Architecture for Kids - Image 16 of 90](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/58ee/82be/e58e/ce9d/7d00/003d/newsletter/The_Brutalist_Playground_%C2%A9_Tristan_Fewings_-_Getty_Images_for_RIBA_.jpg?1492026040)
The Family Playground / HAO Design
![Learn as They Play: 18 Examples of Architecture for Kids - Image 12 of 90](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/58ee/82d2/e58e/ce9d/7d00/003e/newsletter/Family_Playground%C2%A9_Hey!Cheese.jpg?1492026062)
OB Kindergarten and Nursery / HIBINOSEKKEI + Youji no Shiro
![Learn as They Play: 18 Examples of Architecture for Kids - Image 6 of 90](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/58ee/82b3/e58e/ce58/3b00/0065/newsletter/Hibbinosekkei%C2%A9_Studio_Bauhaus__Ryuji_Inoue.jpg?1492026030)
Play Landscape be-MINE / Carve + OMGEVING
![Learn as They Play: 18 Examples of Architecture for Kids - Image 18 of 90](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/58ee/82fb/e58e/ce58/3b00/0069/newsletter/Play_LandscapeCourtesy_of_Carve__.jpg?1492026102)
Drapers Field / Kinnear Landscape Architects
![Learn as They Play: 18 Examples of Architecture for Kids - Image 11 of 90](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/58ee/82e6/e58e/ce58/3b00/0068/newsletter/drapers_field_%C2%A9_Adrian_Taylor.jpg?1492026081)
Children's Bicentennial Park / ELEMENTAL
![Learn as They Play: 18 Examples of Architecture for Kids - Image 20 of 90](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/58ee/8248/e58e/ce58/3b00/0062/newsletter/infancia_%C2%A9_Cristobal_Palma.jpg?1492025924)
Täby Torg / Polyform
![Learn as They Play: 18 Examples of Architecture for Kids - Image 7 of 90](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/58ee/82cb/e58e/ce58/3b00/0066/newsletter/polyform_%C2%A9_Wichmann___Bendtsen.jpg?1492026056)
The Courtyard of Our Dreams / Lukas Fúster
![Learn as They Play: 18 Examples of Architecture for Kids - Image 21 of 90](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/58ee/8234/e58e/ce58/3b00/0061/newsletter/plaza_de_nuestros_suen%CC%83os_%C2%A9_Federico_Cairoli.jpg?1492025904)
Five Fields Play Structure / Matter Design + FR|SCH
![Learn as They Play: 18 Examples of Architecture for Kids - Image 8 of 90](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/58ee/8311/e58e/ce9d/7d00/0040/newsletter/Courtesy_of_Matter_Design___FR_SCH__.jpg?1492026122)
The Lego Play Pond / HAO Design
![Learn as They Play: 18 Examples of Architecture for Kids - Image 14 of 90](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/58ee/82dc/e58e/ce58/3b00/0067/newsletter/lego_%C2%A9_Hey!Cheese.jpg?1492026070)
Frederiksvej Kindergarten / COBE
![Learn as They Play: 18 Examples of Architecture for Kids - Image 9 of 90](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/58ee/826c/e58e/ce9d/7d00/003c/newsletter/cobe_%C2%A9_Rasmus_Hjortsh%C3%B8j.jpg?1492025957)
Clover House / MAD Architects
![Learn as They Play: 18 Examples of Architecture for Kids - Image 15 of 90](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/58ee/82f0/e58e/ce9d/7d00/003f/newsletter/clover_house_%C2%A9_Koji_Fujii_-_Nacasa___Partners_Inc..jpg?1492026092)
Sleep and Play / Ruetemple
![Learn as They Play: 18 Examples of Architecture for Kids - Image 13 of 90](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/58ee/82a8/e58e/ce58/3b00/0064/medium_jpg/Sleep_and_Play_-_Ruetemple.jpg?1492026014)
Giraffe Childcare Center / Hondelatte Laporte Architectes
![Learn as They Play: 18 Examples of Architecture for Kids - Image 17 of 90](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/58ee/8220/e58e/ce58/3b00/005f/newsletter/giraffe_center_%C2%A9_Philippe_Ruault.jpg?1492025883)
Farming Kindergarten / Vo Trong Nghia Architects
![Learn as They Play: 18 Examples of Architecture for Kids - Image 23 of 90](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/58ee/822a/e58e/ce58/3b00/0060/newsletter/farming_kindergarten_%C2%A9_Hiroyuki_Oki.jpg?1492025894)
Ama'r Children's Culture House / Dorte Mandrup
![Learn as They Play: 18 Examples of Architecture for Kids - Image 19 of 90](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/58ee/8256/e58e/ce58/3b00/0063/medium_jpg/childrens_culturehouse_%C2%A9_Torben_Eskerod.jpg?1492025933)
Village in the Schoolyard / MUTOPIA
![Learn as They Play: 18 Examples of Architecture for Kids - Image 22 of 90](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/58ee/8504/e58e/ce58/3b00/006c/newsletter/kids.jpg?1492026626)
Editor's Note: This article was originally published on May 31, 2019.