I work for Strong Towns and sometimes even I don't know what the Strong Towns approach is.

Sometimes the way to best advocate for change in your city isn’t obvious or easy. And the inertia of the status quo is a challenge all its own.

“J” is for Jane Jacobs

How Sesame Street embodied the urbanist principles of Jane Jacobs.

Jane Jacobs, Top StoryLydia KulinaApril 14, 2020Sesame Street, children, Jane Jacobs, television

Best of 2019: Want to Start a Local Revolution? Ask a Kid This Question

I asked my daughter a simple question on the way to school one morning. Her response gave a valuable kids-eye-view of the neighborhood…both as it is and as it could be.

In the Neighborhood, Rural, Pattison, Top StoryJohn PattisonDecember 10, 2019neighborhood change, children, Oregon, rural, walkability

What Does Evidence-based Gang Intervention Look Like on the Neighborhood-Level?

Spoiler: it doesn’t look like more police stations, more top-down programs, or more incarceration.

The Trick-or-Treat Test

The spooky wisdom of the spookiest night of the year.

Urban Design, Top StoryDaniel HerrigesOctober 30, 2019urban design, halloween, walkability, children

Want to Start a Local Revolution? Ask a Kid This Question

I asked my daughter a simple question on the way to school one morning. Her response gave a valuable kids-eye-view of the neighborhood…both as it is and as it could be.

In the Neighborhood, Rural, Pattison, Top StoryJohn PattisonAugust 27, 2019neighborhood change, children, Oregon, rural, walkability

Plan for Spontaneity

It’s a paradox, but cities can set the stage for the unscripted. These playful surprises cater both to young and the young-at-heart, and they endear the community to visitors and residents alike.

Horbovetz, Urban DesignArian HorbovetzAugust 20, 2019public space, Parks, Chicago, Tactical Urbanism, children, family

Making Your Neighborhood a Better Place to Play

Morgan Leichter-Saxby—co-founder at Pop-Up Adventure Play—shares how you can create low cost, low risk places to play in your neighborhood, including how to pitch the idea to your neighbors, how to commit to an incremental approach, and how Pop-Up Adventure Play can help throughout the process.

Who's Afraid of "Trunk-or-Treat"?

As American families abandon traditional trick-or-treating for “safer” alternatives like Trunk-or-Treat, a rare opportunity for neighborhood community engagement is lost.

Top StoryNatalie BicknellNovember 1, 2018community building, children, family

3 Urban Planning Lessons from the New Mister Rogers Movie

“It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood.”

#StrongCitizens, Quednau, Top Story, Planning ProfessionRachel QuednauAugust 10, 2018children

5 Perspectives on Building Cities Where Kids (and Parents) Can Thrive

From public transit to listening to mothers, here’s how cities can (and do) support families.

Top Story, #StrongCitizensRachel QuednauJune 12, 2018children, family

Letting Go and Slowing Down – Why Today’s Mothers Need Support and Community More Than Ever

Writer and mother, Beth Berry, talks about the need to slow down and not let fear control our parenting.

PodcastRachel QuednauMay 31, 2018children, family

What would a city for children with Down Syndrome look like?

Two parents weigh in on how to build cities where kids with Down Syndrome can thrive.

Top Story, Urban DesignRachel QuednauMay 3, 2018disability, children

To build a strong town, get the kids involved

If you want a city that appeals to young people, you have to ask them what they want.

#StrongCitizens, Member Post, Top StoryJonathan HolthApril 6, 2018children, community engagement

A City Where Kids can Play in the Street

5 things a Moroccan medina taught me about safe streets.

#SlowtheCars, Top StoryGideon WeissmanFebruary 28, 2018children

Parents Paving the Way for Family-Friendly Urban Living

Millennials are incredibly resourceful, adaptable, and entrepreneurial, and many of them are pursuing unique and creative ways to affordably obtain that highly-desired urban lifestyle with kids.

Top Story, Member PostJennifer GriffinJanuary 24, 2018children, family, Millennials

The Risks and Rewards of Building for People

Roadway changes that give more space to pedestrians, bicyclists, or buses may challenge the status quo, but multimodal communities will be more resilient in the long run.

Bikeability, Top Story, Walkability, #SlowtheCarsLindsay BayleyJanuary 19, 2018children, family

Car-Free and Kid-Friendly in Los Angeles

Prepare to have your stereotypes about Los Angeles destroyed in this lively, engaging conversation with writer and editor, Alissa Walker.

PodcastRachel QuednauJanuary 18, 2018family, children, urbanism, Los Angeles

Lessons Learned in Meeting the Demand for Family-Friendly Urban Living

The transformation of downtown Vancouver begins to illustrate the potential return for cities that work to make their downtowns conducive for families with kids.