Play in the City: Rabin Square Welcomes Early Childhood

During Urban95’s first year in Tel Aviv-Jaffa, an inspiring study tour in Copenhagen with senior municipal officials from the Planning Administration, the Community Division, and the City Beautification Department sparked a joint initiative: transforming a central city square into a play area. Upon returning to Israel, this vision was brought to life with a citywide event celebrating the importance of play. Rabin Square was selected as the venue, and over three days, the event drew approximately 6,000 participants.

Why transform a city square into a play space?

Our goal was to show how public spaces could foster and encourage children’s development through play and exploration. We aimed to raise awareness among city residents - especially parents of toddlers - about the importance of playfulness, imagination, and meaningful communication among children and between children and their parents. The event also provided an opportunity to highlight the city’s diverse offerings: high-quality resources and developmental opportunities designed for young children and their caregivers.

As part of this initiative, we provided a controlled introduction to new play elements that were later installed throughout the city. Municipal instructors offered guidance and explanations to ensure a positive, engaging experience and to encourage future use of these play features.

• Sandboxes: As part of a broader initiative to promote sand play, the event provided an excellent opportunity for children to enjoy sand gardens while helping parents overcome concerns about cleanliness and hygiene. The 20 sandboxes used during the event were later distributed across the city near community centers.
• Imagination blocks: Large blue foam blocks designed for creative and imaginative building, encouraging collaboration between children and adults while providing an empowering and meaningful experience. The blocks were introduced for the first time at the event and later distributed among community centers.
• Scrap play area: A space filled with real-world objects from the nearby environment (e.g. pots and pans, printers, wheels, and packing boxes), allowing children to explore their surroundings and create their own imaginary worlds through free play.

Partnering municipal units:
The Community, Culture, and Sports