Who decided this? A neighborhood walk for families

You don't need a kit or a screen for this one. Just a walk around your block and one question: who decided this?

Before you go

Bring a notebook or a phone for photos. Kids ages 4 to 7 can point and talk; ages 8 to 12 can sketch and take notes.

Five stops to look for

1. A building you pass every day. Who do you think uses it? Who might have paid for it? An architect drew it and a builder built it, but a developer decided it should exist.
2. A bench, bus stop or bike rack. Which way does it face? What can you see from it, and what can't you see? Someone chose that.
3. A tree or patch of grass. How old do you think the tree is? Someone planted it years ago, for people they would never meet. Landscape architects plan for the future like that.
4. A streetlight. Come back after dark if you can. Does the corner feel different? Lighting designers think about how places feel at night.
5. An empty lot or empty building. What would you build here? Who would it be for? What would you have to give up to make it happen?

Back at home

Ask your child to draw the thing they would build on the empty lot, and to tell you who it's for. That's the same question professionals start with.

Share your drawings with us on Instagram. We'd love to see what your neighborhood needs.