Miniature cities?

 Hi All! 

I can’t believe I’ve almost been here for a week already! The days are flying by. Yesterday we got to go visit a traffic garden! These are still pretty uncommon in the States, so I’ll explain what it is for those of you who don’t know. Traffic Gardens are miniature cities that mimic streets where kids can learn to bike. We got to speak with the park manager who had been running this place for something like 30 years. This area is completely free for anyone to use during open hours, M-F 9-5. Anyone can come and learn to bike, either on provided bikes or on their own. The goal of traffic gardens (at least this one) is to promote cycling culture. 

        The number of truly tiny bikes here was adorable. Here, most kids learn to bike around 3 years. They start on balance bikes, to help learn the feel for the movement and balance. Once a kid feels comfortable on that, they can attach pedals to the balance bikes. This isn’t something we have as much in the States, but it’s great because it really cements that this is the same kind of movement. All over the bike storage area were pictures of lil kids who had ‘graduated’ from balance bikes. These are absolutely adorable, and a big motivator for the kids who also want to get their pictures up on the wall.

The main goal of the traffic garden is to instill a culture of biking in Copenhagen. So while it definitely has an aspect of teaching road safety, ten years ago they shifted to a philosophy of learn by play. They want kids to have positive associations with bikes, and they have a ton of free play time where kids can explore the garden. The chaos in the garden is honestly kind of like the bike lanes, and teaches kids so much about stopping, turning, and reacting to their environment. By switching away from rule based learning, they focus on exploration instead of what you could do wrong. The traffic garden strives to get parents involved too, and wants to give them the tools to help their children be successful on bikes. It all felt a little like how we teach swimming in the States. 

        

After learning about the traffic garden, we went on a quest to explore the parks of Copenhagen. There are so many, and it’s obvious that Denmark has made a conscious choice to invest in its peoples wellbeing. Almost every few blocks we run into a little area designed for people to relax in. There’s a great mix of smaller outdoor spaces tucked into nooks and crannies and larger full block parks. I’ve honestly seen quite a few parks that seem like they might once have been road space for cars. 

I love how wild the park’s feel. There are so many different plants (and lots of them are flowering now too!) and the grass is much longer than I’m used to. Every park we visited had interactive elements, from a water pool with streams flowing out of it, rainwater catchment and pumps, to lots of small wandering paths to get lost on. At the last park we visited, we wandered by a stroller that had a baby sleeping in it! There wasn’t an adult in sight. This is just one example of the level of trust in this culture. 

Something else I’ve noticed while being here is how quiet the city is. All the parks are devoid of car sounds, and even the walking streets are very quiet. It makes the city so much more peaceful and enjoyable. It feels so relaxed. Well I’ve been here almost a week now. It’s hard to balance what I’m seeing here with what I know is happening in the States. I miss you all so much and can’t wait to see you later this summer!