Play is for parents and children in Jordan

Advice to parents of young children often focuses on individual choices, being active, spending time outdoors, and staying connected. Far less attention is given to the role cities play in shaping these choices, and to whether everyday urban spaces make it possible for families to spend time together in ways that support both children and their caregivers.

Zaha Cultural Center is the first of its kind in Jordan and the largest park and early childhood development centre in Aqaba. In a city where high temperatures shape daily life, families with young children often rely on outdoor spaces during the late afternoon and evening hours. Yet before the park’s transformation few public spaces allowed families to stay outdoors comfortably and safely during these times.

Outdoor play was largely limited to equipment-focused playgrounds with minimal shade, seating, lighting or programming, often pushing families towards indoor spaces such as shopping malls, especially in the evenings. Zaha Cultural Center was designed to move beyond this model, creating an inclusive environment that supports children under the age of 5 while also responding to caregivers’ needs for comfort, safety and connection. Children’s wellbeing is closely linked to the wellbeing of their caregivers, but in Jordan, particularly for mothers, limited access to welcoming public spaces can place significant strain on psychosocial wellbeing.

Jordan’s only coastal city, Aqaba City, is situated at the southernmost tip of the country and is home to almost 50,000 families, with an estimated 20,000 children under 5; it is also visited by a quarter of a million families each year.^[1] Recognising the lack of comfortable public spaces in the city, we wanted to create a space where caregivers could relax, feel safe, and interact with their children in a positive way.

A unique feature of the new park is well-designed walkways, specially created to promote mental health and wellbeing, with message prompts and activities that focus on parents. Caregivers can stroll through the trees with their children or find a quiet place to sit on a bench in the shade while their children play. Such nature-filled public spaces are rare in Aqaba City, offering areas dedicated to mental relaxation for parents. One mother said, “This place makes me feel like it doesn’t only care about my children, it cares about me too.”

When designing the spaces, it was important for us to create a sense for visitors that the place “resembles” them, to boost feelings of belonging and encourage communication. The park’s visual identity is inspired by Jordanian heritage. Signs encourage games and activities based on animals with a special place in the local culture, such as the camel, the fox and the ibex. The different play spaces offer parents many options with zones for different age groups, and educational and natural elements that encourage child–parent interaction as well as play-based connection with their own language and cultural identity.

The streets surrounding the park were redesigned to pilot a new street intervention concept. New traffic signs and pedestrian crossings make it easier to access the park’s entrances. Bollards and colourful paint on the roads prompt drivers to reduce their speed. These small adjustments have made travelling to and from the park a much less stressful experience for parents. Painted imagery on the pavements invite children to play games, such as hopscotch.

Since the completion of the redesign, usage of Zaha Cultural Center Park has increased significantly. Based on visitor counts, the park now receives approximately 12,000 visitors per month, including families with young children who use both the outdoor spaces and the centre’s programmes. Thousands of people of all ages have participated in new programmes and activities at the Zaha Cultural Center, from sports and computer training to art and creative thinking.

The experience of Zaha Cultural Center in Aqaba demonstrates how everyday urban spaces can evolve to support families in more holistic ways. By responding to local climate, daily routines and economic realities, the park has become more than a place for play: it is a space where children and caregivers can spend time together in greater comfort, safety and ease. As cities across Jordan continue to grow, this approach offers a practical example of how public spaces can be designed to strengthen family life and urban wellbeing. Our learnings are now being used to inform the transformation of spaces surrounding Zaha Cultural Centers across Jordan, with the aim of creating more accessible environments where parents and children can relax, connect and play.