What the study asked:

In 2005, Dr Susan Pike launched a study to explore how children aged 10–13 experienced their local environments in Ireland. Through conversations and creative activities, children shared how they engaged with their homes, neighbourhoods, and communities, as well as how they used emerging digital technologies to connect and express themselves.

Building on the original research, a new study running from 2025 to 2028, aims to capture contemporary childhood experiences, emphasising the importance of children’s voices in shaping future educational and community frameworks.

 

What the study found:

The original 2005 study, the Children’s Environments Project, offered a vivid portrait of children’s engagement with their local areas. From home life to neighbourhood explorations, children described valued experiences with family and friends, and spoke passionately about their favourite places and local adventures. As early users of mobile phones, they used technology to stay connected and share music and photos—demonstrating an emerging digital agency. Children shared hopes for their locality’s future, though most preferred that it not change too much. Their ideas reflected a strong sense of rights, particularly the right to play, move freely, and participate in local life. The findings highlighted how deeply embedded children were in their local environments – physically, emotionally and socially.

 

Why it matters:

The findings of the original study have provided educators and researchers with invaluable insights into the lived experiences and perspectives of children. Two decades on, the world has changed. Understanding how children now experience their localities is vital for designing inclusive, responsive education and public spaces that support their wellbeing and agency.

The new Children's Environments Project, running from September 2025 to June 2028, will build on the original study and examine the impact of societal, environmental, and economic shifts, as well as children's digital lives and the transformation of localities, on children's place-based experiences.

 

What’s next - Researching a new generation in a changing world:

Launching in September 2025, the new Children’s Environments Project will revisit and expand on the original research. Running until June 2028, it will explore how children today navigate and imagine their local worlds in a rapidly changing society.

The original research involved children aged 10-13 years from seven primary schools across Dublin and Waterford. Many of the original schools are eager to participate again, joined by new schools that reflect the diversity of modern Ireland.

For more information, please visit: https://tinyurl.com/TCDChLocalEnv

Contact: Dr Susan Pike
Email: susan.pike@tcd.ie