We let kids design our city -- here's what happened | Mara Mintzer | TEDxMileHigh

As adults, we think of kids as "future citizens." Their ideas and opinions will matter someday, but not today -- there must be a reason the voting age is 18, right? But kids make up 25% of the population -- shouldn't we include them in some important conversations? In this inspiring talk, urban planner Mara Mintzer wonders what would happen if we let children design our cities. Mara Mintzer is a founder and the director of Growing Up Boulder, Boulder’s child and youth-friendly city initiative, based out of the University of Colorado-Boulder. She writes and speaks internationally on the topic of engaging young voices in city planning. Prior to working in Colorado, she designed and implemented programs for underrepresented children, families, and neighborhoods in New York and California. She loves to travel and practice her French & Spanish language skills fearlessly. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx

[@the-uj8hi]

"Children design for living creatures not for cars, egos or corporations "

[@alejandroaranda5254]

A powerful quote indeed.

[@truls9578]

Dont kids under 10 have the lowest empathy levle of any age group?

[@luminentarchive]

Drag No. it is not a proven fact.

[@kiratheusagiisworkshop5266]

@@truls9578 I work with kids and don't think that's correct at all. I work with kids up to five years of age and they are all very empathy and cares for those who are sad and wonders and worries about those who are hurt or not doing well.

[@morgrugg]

Children under 2 have the lowest empathy level. Because it is before they learn that other people are actually people, not tools for satisfying their needs. But then they usually go to "oversensitive" even. You must have mistaken the numbers

[@captainweiss219]

Who else said yes to the water cannons on bridges?

[@thebettercandyxd1307]

absolutely YES xD

[@nailarahman2420]

Captain Weiss yesss

[@sanityisrelative]

Sitting alone in my living room and I said yes out loud.

[@amethyst_cat9532]

If I lived there and the water cannons were installed, you can bet I would be daring my friends to try to avoid the water cannons as we kayaked as fast as we could to avoid getting wet

[@Yaxoi]

Definitely. Kayakers are just the absolute worst.

[@trenae77]

Even more than giving children a voice, this helps them start to understand how society works from a younger age, and builds up civic awareness.

[@trenae77]

I'm sorry you have such a poor experience with your public schools, but I don't see this as an impossible future. It just takes determination.

[@raapyna8544]

Shufei That sounds scary. You really think that yourself? I take it that the US is not a demogracy anymore and is going towards something like that but I don't really know what it is now.

[@afriteststudios6961]

"The city friendly to children, is the city friendly to all." That is amazing

[@PropiedadesenVentaRiveraMaya]

jjjhuuuuuuuuuuuiiii

[@PropiedadesenVentaRiveraMaya]

how. i i. io

[@austinmoon6974]

Agreed

[@retiredchannel]

yay, forced family friendliness by youtube! Oh what is that, the whole world might become family friendly? It looks like I should kill myself before FFWO kills me for braking the new rules

[@cormorantcolors6791]

YESS! (and 500th like)

[@Lemonjessy]

Growing up in Australia, I can tell you that parks with zip lines, climbing structures and water-play areas were by far the best ones. We had so much fun and stayed there for all hours of the day. Listen to the kids, they know what they're talking about :)

[@aussieginger1960]

I was afraid of heights, I always loved that parks had seats under shady tree's that give me a quiet place to read.

[@tobifoong8025]

I wish it was ok for the oldies to do some of these climbing too :-)

[@akihikokayaba8165]

@Jeremiah Bullfrog uhm the McDonald's coffee being too hot is a legitimate one tho

[@joecremer3633]

Akihiko Kayaba No it is not in any way.

[@mranthony1886]

Sydney also has drinking taps everywhere

[@allisondoak9425]

I work for local government, and we have consulted primary school kids historically for strategic plans and we consult kids on playgrounds regularly but we only ever seem to consult a certain kind of teenager: ‘youth leaders’. In high school I resented ‘youth leaders’ because I didn’t conform to what adults favoured in a leader and so my opinions were not valued and engagement wasn’t often possible for me because as a teenager I didn’t want to compromise my values in order to conform, which is fairly typical. I did engage by joining a radical environmentalist group as the youngest member and we were part of real change in the city and beyond via our protests and fund raising, but my contributions weren’t recognised outside of the group and my family, while fellow students who ‘lead’ by implementing a teacher’s idea to make anti-litter signs for storm water drains were. Too often the teenagers who are engaged are the ones trying to impress adults and essentially serve as a eco chamber. My town has an excess of skate parks because people over 40 seem to know nothing else about youth culture. All the skaters regularly use only a couple of the parks, because it’s a social sport and the whole spectrum of other teenage interests are underserved. When I was a teenager we wanted indoor space, we wanted jobs or at least a better pathway to jobs after high school (and we had good ideas which were in scope of local government jurisdiction), we wanted spaces for music, we wanted a cbd where us being there wasn’t seen as a nuisance, we wanted food caravans, we thought a solution to the street racing some of us participated might be a race track, we wanted space for recreation that wasn’t sport and so much more. When I say we, I mean my group of friends who were mostly seen as dropkicks. How do you engage teenagers of all kinds and how do you avoid doing it in the class room where there is an additional element of pressure to deliver ideas that adults like? Teenagers are some of our biggest stakeholders, we need them to stay in town as our population is aging at a notably higher rate than other cities, and if we want adults who can engage we need to teach teenagers how and why.

[@beth8775]

Seeing some o the other comments about involving teenagers had me asking these same questions. You have to get the outsiders' input too for the same reason that asking young children is important. We need "outside the box" ideas.

[@brightsalot]

👏👏👏👏👏👏 Thank you that youth leader system is total bull. Fantastic commentary!!!

[@thegardenofeatin5965]

When I was a college student, I and a few other students were taken out to lunch by the department chair to hear our feedback about the school and the program. He flatly rebutted every single thing we had to say bar none and I heard nothing else for it.

[@Ravenofthedog]

How crazy is it that “youth leaders” are often natural followers who act as echo chambers .

[@olymolly3637]

OP, & TEDx.... I just want this comment to be pinned, to be honest, even though what Allie's talking about in particular is just one more step beyond childhood & just off a liiiitle tiny bit from what the video is about, but not really. It's actually the same thing. If only the mass population of leading adults open their eyes, ears & try to remember that the younger people is also people & that they are the next heirs that should live their own lives by their own methods. You can help, nurture & guide them but you have to see their own potentials & not crush them just because they can't conform to your original, STIFF & STUCK ways... Every generations can differ from their previous ones in some, if not all aspects of life. Things may not stay the same however much you want it to - even the Earth grows older & sicker with time & she actually needs us to help her be better for our own sakes, even if we have been growing because of her endless assistance & we don't destroy her faster out of our own greed, heartlessness & failure to be symbiotic with her. I don't know if this weird analogy makes sense but.. I hope I can get across to whoever's reading this, that we people of all generations need to understand each other & live together as a unit & not separated because of generation gaps. It's actually damaging to totally separate/disconnect the generations based on their ages & knowledge or experience limitations. This is what we need to address & overcome by including everyone into every single decision the leading people have ever made, for everyone. Anyway, human beings are very dynamic & can grow out of the restrictions they put on themselves, if not on the others. Let the newer generations lead themselves for themselves but at the same time go hand in hand with the older & much younger ones. There shouldn't be any sort of gap in between us all.

[@127753Jb98]

I know this might sound silly, but I would love to hear ideas from kids about issues that adults can't agree on because they are bound to their loyal ships within political parties. A lot of this would include older children 13 and above. When we are bound to a side by default, we close off conversations as adults. Kids though aren't bound to sides or to their own ideas. Kids are willing to change their minds. They might have solutions to issues we deal with everyday, but adults can't listen to one another.

[@macxzcrevan6099]

Feel the bern if she is she definitely has a higher iq than most adults I know

[@gorillamane13]

The problem is the kids are extra biased because they just regurgitate their parents opinions

[@127753Jb98]

I agree partially with that argument. I wouldn't say "extra" biased. There are instances where kids are extra biased, based on what a parent has openly expressed and drilled into them, but there are issues that never get talked about in a home that fresh, creative solutions can come from.

[@Muuip]

I agree about the value of children's ideas on adults issues. Our creativity grows over generations, children pickup up where adults found themselves limited.

[@meap1022]

I was gonna type that, but then i realized that you already typed it.

[@lacyMindsetConsulting]

At first I didn't think I would enjoy the talk but it really made sense towards the end. Thank you. It gives you a different view point

[@snowballeffect7812]

same

[@kasmhamosh5596]

think 😃

[@ESSBrew]

Same, ended up being one of my favorite TEDx Talks so far.

[@starfiring]

She's one of my relatives! I'm happy to know you enjoyed.

[@jimmywall]

She sounds horrible, sounds condescending and has a sense of superiority, the speech is not very natural, and the posture is horrible, legs too open in the stance, evenmore if she wears a skirt. The concept was nice on the other side.

[@fandomgodmother4903]

when I was a kid I wanted to be an architect and I designed a pet store with a river running through it that led into the fish area. The fish area was a dome shape and has a clear roof so you could see the sky the walls were lined with tanks.

[@fandomgodmother4903]

I also made a school that had a farm in it and all the walls were rock climbing walls

[@gryffith1378]

What job do you have bow

[@fandomgodmother4903]

rudy I am a photographer

[@SpltPersonaltyOF]

Pretty rad concept, you'd have to find a spacious area near a river to do that though lol.

[@SuDoesThings]

I'm still a kid (13 years old) and while I was reading your comment and imagined everything! You know how beautiful it actually sounded? I would say go ahead!! As long as you live you can do it😁 it's a really beautiful idea!!!!

[@Yotanido]

"In addition to treason plans" ...wait, what? Oh, trees and plants. Right.

[@lindabcarpentersings]

Yndostrui me though XD

[@jexania]

Its treason then.

[@josephpayne113]

Yndostrui youral....youral... "What?execute order 66? OK then"

[@woodywoodsfurd6296]

You have disobeyed the dictator, brian. You shall now be thrown into the bouncy house of doom

[@meowrchl97]

I heard the exact same thing haha

[@iskahana2601]

It takes great sensibility to decipher the children’s abstract ideas and to synthesize those ideas into reasonable realizations... and i think she’s done it amazingly. This is a very nice talk

[@jvw5064]

sakinong Er, so all kids ideas are absolutely impossible to understand?

[@shiningdawn8578]

Who said anything about "absolutely impossible to understand"? sakinong is most likely referring to the connection that adolescents wanted thrill-seeking features. They didn't need sky diving and rock walls, but other things that were safe, yet pushed their exploration.

[@iskahana2601]

j vw i i understand that my opinion sounds like i’m generalizing the impossibility of understanding children’s ideas.. i’m sorry for the vagueness in my statement :) I was trying to say that.. discovering user needs with qualitative methods, while the users are children, is really challenging. They used elaborated methods at schools (was it a modified focus group discussion? Cmiiw), instead of boring 1-on-1 interviews for the children. And from the creative methods, came various incredible, amazing, mind-blowing answers. But did the researchers just recklessly execute the ideas? No, they squeeze those creative mind-fruits into pure juice of conclusions: the user needs. I’m sorry if my explanation might sounds complicated... i’m actually an awkward person hehe..

[@xylophone897]

sakinong inb4 people call you sexist

[@sandhyachristine7173]

I'm 15 and I honestly think that a lot of teens will come up with excellent ideas not only in building parks and stuff but actually coming up with solutions to housing concerns due to population rise. All we want is a better city. Many of us are brutal when it comes to law making and enforcing. We aren't going to worry about whether it's gonna get the current govt. more voter's support. Many of us actually think about concerns involving everything like cost, space and environmental because we've been told since we started going to school that these are the problems faced. Most school also have students from wide range of economic backgrounds so there will be unbiased opinions about many living standards and we'll be more empathetic to other backgrounds

[@timoseaotter4077]

Sandy Christine true

[@netaimonadal7927]

Right now i m 15 and you much be 17 I think i m between a age where i can understand both adults and kids .Its confusing

[@kittycat3638]

@@netaimonadal7927 same but mostly adults and it's kinda sad cuz I kinda remember how I used to think which was less boring.

[@KOKAYI69]

A city in a garden (beauty on the way & multi-use structures) made for people starting w/ the *least wealthy residence to walk, ride bikes, skates/boards and not around cars, garages, parking lots! We would reduce green house gases and live healthier lives! *Singapore 🇸🇬!

[@aticosmos5156]

There's a joke that when teachers ask students what they want to be when they grow up, they're asking cause they're out of ideas and want to find something new...

[@lindabcarpentersings]

Ati Cosmos lol

[@anayaj402]

Well bad idea to ask kids they only know 5 professions. Unless becoming an astronaut or pop star works for you lol

[@Camazotz-kz9wr]

Anaya Jaffer I think you'd be surprised by some kids lol. I wanted to be an Egyptologist when I was in elementary and middle school. That's not a typical answer lol.

[@Andyatl2002]

Anon Commenter, what inspired you to that?

[@gr6251]

Wow! It indeed is such a simple yet a unique and a fun idea! Making us realise that we are lacking the most important thing in our lives as adults-only creativity.

[@lacyMindsetConsulting]

Gautam Rao, yes! 😁

[@lindabcarpentersings]

I can't tell if you are being sarcastic or not....

[@tardiskeeper6]

Not always (missing).

[@CestLimee]

When I was in primary school the city council had us design a park, just like her project. We went all out and had so many ideas. However, they didn't listen at all and all they ended up doing was add a sandpit, a swing and a see-saw. It was a very underwhelming experience. Good to see the adults actually learned from the project in Boulder!

[@gideonjones8088]

kind of sad that this seems so interesting and new to everybody. I thought this was common sense, but I guess that's what i get for still being a child at heart. I hope more people pick up on this.

[@SteviiLove]

This is a very well thought out idea. Giving kids the opportunity to help create these public spaces can do so much to benefit the people living within them, not to mention the positive outlets that these kids can utilize can help steer them away from the negative ones. I know if my city would have been more like these, a lot of us wouldn't have turned to drugs, alcohol and other negative activities due to boredom and nowhere to express ourselves positively. I am all for this

[@eternalreign2313]

It's a slippery slope. If you start allowing kids to have these opinions and to make decisions the rest of us have to live by, adults will eventually find a way to take advantage of it. Kids are easy to manipulate and eventually they'll just become political pawns.

[@SubversiveStyle]

We should have designs for homeless people, no one deserves to be exposed to the elements and it seems housing and shelters aren’t solutions for all.

[@Roxor128]

Didn't Utah eliminate homelessness just by giving them one-bedroom flats?

[@sophiejones7727]

If I recall correctly, they ran into the problem of maintaining the structures. Although homelessness is reduced it was never eliminated and it has resurged. What that initiative did do, which I think we could all learn from is it thought about housing in a different way. Rather than seeing a house as an investment which happens to come in a useful shape: it saw the house primarily for how it would be useful to it's occupant. Moving towards a model of housing that is detached from banking would probably be healthy for everyone. My parents recently bought a house, and the extent to which future market value played a role in their decision was a little scary to me. I felt like I had to keep reminding them that we were going to live in the house so it's features had to work for *us*. All's well that ends well and we bought a great house, but the process was not at all what I thought it would be.

[@charleyedwards2121]

SubversiveStyle sounds like she is

[@dtho6231]

The problem was that the homeless tend to be junkies and criminals. They would build housing and said housing would cause a dramatic spike in crime, everyone who could afford it would move out, property values crashed, and the homeless housing units would turn into a wasteland for the drug addicted,poor, and criminals.

[@-lollipopsunder-7044]

Yeah, lets design for failure, thats sounds like a genius idea.

[@ursulanonya6590]

I write books for children and this is one of my favorite talks- EVER! Thank you for this.

[@beaglesguy]

One of the best TEDx Talks I've viewed. Thank you. (60 yrs old here.)

[@The_oli4]

This is so cool in the Netherlands we have a non obligated lesson you can choose instead of drawing or music lessons in highschool. In those lessons you go to random companies that explain their current projects/problems they have and then you go and work in small groups to make your own solutions for the problem. It's really nice because you learn how companies work and the companies get some input they would maybe never thought of or disregarded the idea in early stages of development.

[@veronicachristopher9321]

Children are pure hearts before the world told them what to think instead of how to think. Their eyes don't see dollar signs or socioeconomic status; they see with wholeness. It inspires me. ❤

[@teuton8363]

As a kid I spent whole afternoons with friends in the forest, no one knew where we were and we were not reachable on mobile phones. Today kids are not allowed to walk four blocks to go to a park? what the heck has happened?

[@lindabcarpentersings]

blaberoo guns. Overprotection. New knowledge. That being said, I never went to the park since there wasn't any park near me unless you wanted to walk 45 minuets passing all those college houses being scared of any drunks that happen to see you. I live in a very weird neighborhood.

[@fandomgodmother4903]

blaberoo not to brag but when I was five I was able to go ONE WHOLE BLOCK away from home by myself (I'm now 14)

[@audreywhalen5141]

fandom godmother HA! That’s nothing! I could go all the way to the park! It was a whole half block away! Oh wait... (I’m turning 14 in less than a week)

[@sacredchild]

A lot of it is parental fear.' If I let my child go to the park alone, someone will call social services on me and said child will be taken from me. Or said child will be stolen. Or said child could die there and I wouldn't be there to save them.' It all comes back to fear. Fear of being a bad or neglectful parent and fear of losing the child you love for any reason. My cousin's neighbor called the police on her because she was letting her six and ten year old play in the back yard while she was inside making dinner. Nothing came of it, but for the next six months she was terrified to let her kids play outside alone in case social services were called the next time.

[@ckv954]

My parents were afraid of me being abducted. It might have been different for you as a guy which I assume you are. They think girls need to be more ‘protected’

[@TS_Mind_Swept]

I think this just goes to show you that people need to come down off of their high horses and think like a kid every once in a while, people think so much of themselves that they can’t look at anyone else as intelligent. It almost makes you think they’re afraid to be outsmarted by a child (and most of them aren’t any smarter).

[@ChixenLil]

Finally kids ideas being taken into consideration. Been saying that for the longest time 😑

[@eternalreign2313]

Except if we start taking their ideas into consideration, adults will only find a way to take advantage of it and manipulate them. That's the real reason we don't allow kids at the grownup table. It's why the age of consent is 18. Because kids are easy to manipulate. In fact the age of consent should probably be 30 because even people in their 20's are easy to manipulate lol.

[@LemonsRage]

Jaiden Smith said it first "If newborns could talk they would be the most intelligent beeings on this planet"

[@LoganMillett]

Lemons Rage They're smarter than us because they don't speak. It's only once we start talking that we muck everything up

[@itsnotme8182]

For me, a baby can understand universal language no matter what they are.

[@animerlon]

Yeah right. Let's imagine what newborn babies might say by what they would focus on. who are you? (I can't see) I'm wet. I'm hungry. I'm cold. I'm uncomfortable. Something is wrong. GIVE ME ATTENTION. That's nice. This tastes good. I'm comfortable. Yup, great conversation.

[@austinmoon6974]

*beings

[@jonahyogman6282]

I dont think so

[@mhtinla]

TRICYCLE LANES

[@ilya8914]

YES

[@fandomgodmother4903]

mhtinla YES

[@lil_vault_boy4201]

mhtinla YESSSS

[@cormorantcolors6791]

100th like

[@tuesdaywithanh]

RavenclawInginious, 150th like :)

[@Jet7600]

My dad is a townplanner and when I was in primary school he brought me pictures of all the different things they were thinking of including in the new playground at my school and asked me which ones I would like to see in the playground. Later when I was in highschool he was involved with building a new youth centre and they asked lots of teenagers what they would like to be in it, the one that I remember was someone asked for a pink fuzzy wall and they put it in!

[@Dan-si8eu]

The Asymmetry of that necklace makes me angry.

[@noahsimon4422]

Lol I was thinking the exact same thing

[@azadalamiq]

its symmetrical, it just moved

[@AscheDjidoi]

Relax

[@trangium]

Now I can't unsee it.

[@priyankajoisher9300]

I'm a student of architecture and this talk made my day ❤️

[@thefirm4606]

Children are far more astute than they are given credit for. They don’t have limitations on their dreams, goals and ambitions. When asked to think of others, they will do, and selflessly. In an age where a screen is never far away from theses beautiful minds, a place where they can be and connect with the world around them is a right, not a want. This is wonderful ❤

[@Renaeissance]

"Climbing towers" We call them spider webs, at least that's what my local one is called.

[@annabourbon]

When I was a kid I wanted to have a ceiling made of glass to watch the stars every night. And I wanted a garden with a pond, and apple trees. lolol I still want that though...

[@ryanclemons1]

Next we let EA design our city issue is you need to pay for a ticket to get inside and each time you pay you only have a 1/100 chance of getting the ticket.

[@kalandarkclaw8892]

Ryan Clemons1 the microtransaction clause in lootbox city.

[@Cabalex]

PARK LOOT BOXES - YOU MIGHT GET A SLIDE OR A ZIP LINE

[@butterflymagicwithhottea9291]

As a Registered Early Childhood Educator, I am absolutely thrilled about this initiative.

[@millariinal604]

Imagine a school yard with asphalt and swings or a school yard with natural forest. I studied at two different elementary schools as a kid. At my first school, the school yard was basically a small forest with a few old bunkers and trenches (there are a lot of trenches in the capital area of Finland). The trees had big roots coming over the ground so we sometimes played with little toys in the roots imagining the roots being a house with lot of rooms. Sometimes, we made huts or played hide and seek. At my second elementary school, the yard was an asphalt field with two swings (which were always occupied as there were few hundred kids at the school) and a few other play equipment. At that school we didn't have much to do during the breaks. I missed the old school yard so much! I wondered why did they waste the money to build those artificial play equipment when the plain forest was the best play ground a kid can ever have.

[@midnightfoxx5491]

Where’s the 3d model of the city they designed?

[@ChillTheFuckOutMeditations]

How awesome!! Love Boulder.

[@grayventras1235]

This made me so immensely happy. I've lived in boulder county since I was in kindergarten and can remember our elementary school taking time to hear what we wanted when designing a new playground, and I even got to help with my high schools redesigning. Having the people who spend time in these environments contribute to what they look like and how they function is just so important and I'm so grateful to live in a place where it is being put into practice

[@ShimmerWyn]

This was by far one of the best talks I've ever listened to. What an amazing and enlightening topic!

[@za012345678998765432]

you should all check jacque fresco's city design, although he designed it as a grownup, it answers all of what she's talking about, and he even got the Novus award from the UN for it!

[@purplegill10]

I second this, dude is an inspiration

[@xavier2.044]

I am a child... this talk was true for all children imagine a park 40 miles/km away how could you go there by yourself? Children need freedom someday. Everybody need freedom but the weight of *stress* is bad. We need to release that weight as we go on in life that weight might get heavier but work hark and nothing will block your way.

[@rina123456]

When I was in grade three or four, my community decided to built a large wooden playground. The contractors in charge, came to our little elementary school, took each class one at a time, and asked each kid to draw a picture of what they would like the playground to look like. Then they took all these ideas, put them together, and a year later the playground was built. This was fifteen years ago, and the wooden playground is still a very popular spot for hundreds of miles around.

[@RemingtonHillOfficial]

great lesson, but delivery was a little robotic. enjoyed it overall and learned a lot of new perspective!

[@QemeH]

I feel like her stance contributed to that impression a lot. Her voice is calm and nice and she isn't droning on that much... It looks like she suffers from a thing most untrained public speakers suffer from: whattodowithyourhandsitis ;) If she gives this talk a dozen of times, audience will love her in no time...

[@kerbalprogram3405]

QemeH the voice is a little bit robotic too she needs to work on her timing as well

[@__-fm5qv]

I agree her voice and cadence is too clear to me. I know that wanting to be understood is important, but speaking so precisely to do so just sounds almost condescending in a way, and unnatural at best.

[@dinkledankle]

What a trivial thing to be intolerant of. Sounds like a personal problem to me.

[@philb912]

@@dinkledankle I saw this more as a constructive criticism than a problem of tolerance, don't you think ?

[@asmilingvoid9093]

Yes! Climbing towers! They are the BEST things in the park. You’re up 2 stories with no harness and it’s safe and fun! When i reach the top I normally lean out with one hand, like 8 m ups, no fear! Glad to see they were mentioned. They were(and still are) my childhood

[@Mr6Sinner]

Her outfit kinda reminds me of Commander Purple Hair from TLJ..

[@two-face1041]

Uriah Siner it does kinda look like Holdo dress

[@MrChopstsicks]

Heyyy it does.

[@mariovelez578]

Admiral Holdo lol yes it does!

[@rockyfalldownstairs]

You mean Vice Admiral Gender Studies?

[@Holobrine]

rockyfalldownstairs I take it you subscribed to Sargon of Akkad?

[@mink2567]

This was really cool. Seeing all of the cool ideas being implemented

[@amanekabbaj]

This is amazing and made me emotional. I was really excited to listen/watch this.

[@PsoriasisChannel]

Great city 🌃 design thoughts. Disabilities friendly too!

[@jadapisanilee1976]

"Children are a kind of indicator species."

[@cutsomeone]

I grew up in the suburbs of Virginia 20 minutes outside of DC. It was beautiful, relatively safe, schools offered a great education...umm I'm sure whatever else people look for in a "family friendly" environment. I left as soon as I graduated. We were miserable, bored, and uncultured. Most of my classmates are still home because there were no experiences growing up that were INSPIRING enough to ignite a desire toward a specific direction that would give us a chance to shape our future. This mentality is a step in the right direction.

[@alejandroaranda5254]

I re watch this every now and then, it's still shakes my heart with hope.

[@The_NJG]

This is a great idea for older kids like teens.

[@lacyMindsetConsulting]

NJG i agree

[@twistedsinging2952]

..A shame. Missing the point shouldn't have been that easy to do. It isn't like they hid the point under a rock; the point isn't Patrick, the point is spread throughout in the most clear way she could think of; the point is Spongebob. So, being that I've said it, how on Earth did you manage to overlook Spongebob and his repetitive ability to return to speak again no matter how many times you ignore or brush him off; how on Earth did you manage to miss a point repeated so many times that even if you had only heard it once it would be weird? Did you just comment *before* watching the video? Or perhaps you commented after lying to yourself to convince yourself that you watched it? Well, either way it's a lot better than if you genuinely watched it and genuinely missed the point. I highly doubt that you really watched it and still missed the point. ...So, uh, teenagers are usually the worst demographic to ask. It's not by mistake that they got brushed over through most of this. This would have been different some many years ago but at this point the average teenager is a lot less capable of giving an opinion on a park than back then. Back then the parks would actually see teenagers show up from time to time- if the parks existed-, but now that kind of thing's a rarity. You want your opinion to matter; I get that and I cannot blame you for wanting that, alright? I also used to want that. But you're being too encompassing. It wouldn't be a "great idea for *older kids like teens*"- it would be a "great idea for *you, from your perspective*". ...Why do I care?: Yeah.. I also don't know. I guess I'm just fond of writing.. Well, if you've made it to this part of my message then all I can say is "Well done.", because really; you deserve it. :/ This message is so excessive.. It's a response to a mere 10 words..

[@lacyMindsetConsulting]

Uknownymous End, thank you for your reply.

[@aryansingh2199]

Uknownymous End you said teenagers don't go to parks anymore. This is why they need a say- if they don't go to parks, what do they want in those parks, and what do they want instead of parks ? Young kids are represented but teenagers aren't. *That's* why teenagers don't go to parks.

[@abbeylussier9756]

Uknownymous End I’m thirteen, and although I know that’s kind of on the cusp of teenage-hood, I would have to disagree completely with your comment. I personally think that teenager care more than you think. The reason I don’t go to my local park is because what they have to offer for teenagers is a skating park... something that lost popularity way too long ago. If my park were to have tables to do your homework or pathways to walk around I would seriously enjoy my park. Tbh I still do love playing on the playground every once in a while, I guess the kid in me hasn’t fully diminished yet but anyways, just thought I’d comment ;)

[@clintonraubenheimer5879]

What she is talking about sounds a lot like democracy... What a wonderful concept... If only democracy was real.

[@reizayin]

Republics > Democracies.

[@citizenprayer5644]

....says North Korea

[@kittyjones8811]

Zoe is such an inspiration! I admire her bravery and compassion for animals so much.

[@monikanowotny1766]

I loved Boulder before, now I love it even more! What a wonderful project!

[@athena6005]

Why aren’t all cities made like this? I mean you don’t even have to pay the children!

[@haroldgjr]

Phenomenal

[@austinmoon6974]

agreed

[@manon8083]

i've climbed the tower at 8:28 . it's great. good sense of risk, but even if you lost your grip (unlikely) the tangle of ropes would stop u before u hit the ground

[@byrongsmith]

I love this so much. It brought tears to my eyes. "The city friendly to children, is the city friendly to all." Yes!

[@Drecon84]

I had the Simcity 2000 music in my head throughout the whole thing.

[@fandomgodmother4903]

Drecon84 now I can't unsee it

[@bobsquirrelking]

"One of my advisors will be an average five-year-old child. Any flaws in my plan that he is able to spot will be corrected before implementation."

[@kimberlyabbott2767]

Faith in humanity restored. Thank you.

[@wendymcmillan3038]

This is inspired and inspiring! Loved every word, every idea, and especially the overall initiative. Brilliant!

[@KafshakTashtak]

I would definitely build a park out of candies, and bridges with water canons.

[@goblin456]

I think we need water cannons everywhere to be honest.

[@michaelrees350]

As a small person intersted in city design, YEET REET FLYING MACHEET

[@thecatspjs6714]

This is such an amazing idea.

[@deborahbeat1052]

Yes! This video had some wonderful points. I hope many see it... share!

[@azteciandrumset7140]

Put this to x1.5 Speed if you have few spare time. :)

[@afriendofafriend5766]

BTW, a better way of phrasing the sentence would be: Put this to x1.5 speed if you don't have much spare time.

[@Gregarious3]

Thanks, 1.25 is most likely how she talks with her friends.

[@alyrojas623]

thx 😊

[@Hsirbrus]

Love you man

[@aryansingh2199]

*1.25 speed k thx*

[@elisec.5080]

best talk I've seen so far. Tells the truth of how our life would be if this happened! We should get to the design NOW!

[@tamarapereira8049]

I'm so in love with this idea! I really want do it, I don't know how but I'm very very very interesting about all the possibilities to change the cities and to have a healthy life. I hope the world will value this. You guys, don't stop! Great work!!

[@zacharymiller613]

Just warning you that this comment section is really hostile. Turn back while you still can!

[@paolav2887]

TheSyfyGamer Nnnaaahh, I can take it!

[@lindabcarpentersings]

TheSyfyGamer PSSHAWW. What could go wrong? Besides, it's fun to fuel the flame to make fun of the idiots and ageists.

[@audreywhalen5141]

Aria the kinda- but not really- Weeb what’s an ageists? Did you misspell something or is it a word I’ve never heard of?

[@lindabcarpentersings]

its like rasism but instead of with race, its with age also i probably misspelled it. ive only ever heard the word, so...

[@Natalie-qs2ot]

L.B. Carpenter its spelled racism, just wanted to help

[@nathangamble125]

I don't feel like I was ever like these kids. My designs were always boring and practical... Though my dreams were just as crazy as anything else... And still are.

[@spartacus17.]

Same.

[@jacobh9487]

Turned out to be a better TED talk than I thought. It was touch and go for a while in the beginning. Was slow to take off, but off it sure went. Solid TED talk, inspiring. We have a lot to learn from children and a lot to remember back when we were kids.

[@dilirah]

Great talk. My son's middle school spent this past year involving the student body in the design and functionality of the upcoming planned school remodel.

[@ambercimburek6872]

This is the most lovely idea.

[@Hats-On-Tv]

Met a small group of people to ask the opinions of a group of small people...

[@sepiasmith5065]

"children design for living creature, not for cars, egos, or corporations." Absolutely love it.

[@sixyellowzebras6814]

This is such an inspiring and interesting idea and I think it’s great that kids’ ideas were incorporated!😄

[@CuriousExplorer]

Nice

[@afriteststudios6961]

Profound!

[@nailarahman2420]

Didn't think anyone else understood this. I was wrong and I am very happy to be wrong. Thanks for realising and hearing what we have been trying to say

[@NicoSchurr]

I am a 12th grader from Germany and when parts of the park next to our school were to be redesigned, the planners actually turned to us and asked us to think of things we wanted to be implemented and build models of them. At the time I was I think in 9th grade. Together with a few friends, I wanted to design a climbing park, taking advantage of the already existing trees. While they didn't use the trees for that, they took inspiration from us and built a climbing structure that even follows the color palette and some of the design queues from our model. To see that our ideas are valued and that we can help reshape things for the better was a great experience that I hope many more children will encounter.

[@hedayaal3395]

Where 's Ted stage? In which city?

[@VasilikiTzalachanihappy]

Hidaya h There are stages all over the world. It's not just one stage

[@hedayaal3395]

Vasiliki Tzalachani thanks for your answer

[@VasilikiTzalachanihappy]

Hidaya h You're welcome!

[@alden5931]

This particular one is in Denver, Colorado

[@SumD-EGuy]

Hidaya h I’m sure they have one in a city near you. Search “TedX n” n=your city or city near you.

[@Bebo18]

She rides or use to ride horses.

[@saramirza6709]

One of the most smart/relevant Tedtalks that I really appreciated👍💯

[@reganred1270]

Woah! It’s actually a topic my friends and I discussed and came up with when we were p4-p6 basically your 4-6th grade because we felt that children like us were more creative innovative and useful in the work society because it’s more fun and interesting that way. I’m very happy to see that someplace in the world they actually thought of doing such a thing.

[@TheShastamonster]

Landscape architects who design public space and have been engaging children in design like this for many years... this is a good idea, but not new or unusual as she likes to suggest.

[@beth8775]

Shasta McCoy It hasn't been happening this extensively, and it hasn't been happening everywhere. She's trying to boost the awareness and popularity of this (very positive) practice. That's the whole point of these talks. Stop and think about this thing that you haven't thought about before.

[@WormholeJim]

Having kids design cities conforms with the agenda summed up in "Everyone is entitled to at least one surrealistic experience each day." I say go for it!

[@MarkLL1961]

A perfect presentation of perfect ideas.

[@mariosoler5350]

..i liked her video..it's good.. everyone deserves a chance & kids are our future🙏

[@liampadolina4040]

For the whole video I was staring and being annoyed by her asymmetrical necklace. OCD: Ruining Ted talks every day.

[@memosmith1353]

"For the Kingdom of Heaven is for such as these"

[@thevickycraftchannel]

I was thinking that

[@BJ-cf2ib]

THIS is thinking outside the box!

[@lachlanswadling9191]

8:23 I can tell you right now that these two things are awesome, the ziplines actually go fast and longer than a second and the climbing towers are remarkably safe, i have never come close to falling or loseing my grip

[@needleimag5031]

this comment section is cancer

[@lindabcarpentersings]

Needle I'm Ag half of it is. The other half is semi decent are actually nice, because they aren't stubborn adults.

[@TheCaroKann8282]

Most are either smart kids or adults with a open mind

[@hissendaud653]

You are a Beautiful Woman With Strong Personality

[@christianvalente1162]

All caps. Very assertive. Nice.

[@nicoh_no6823]

HISSEN DAOUD uhhh what the fuck...? u do realise that you don't have to say that right? That just alienates people...

[@kacperwoch4368]

Because she is standing in a bit wird manner for a woman?

[@suprafluid3661]

I don't care how she looks, I know jak about her personality.

[@jadapisanilee1976]

those climbing structures were always my favourite things

[@lilyhat]

Recently my city has contacted schools asking about what we would like. I mentioned that we should get better computers for the library because the other ones were too slow. A few months later we have better computers. I also suggested a bus that goes directly to the library from the school, but that didn’t happen. Although, now we have another free bus route. I have yet to see where it goes but that’s pretty neat! I’m not sure if my city has gone to younger children to talk about issues like this though. I sure hope they do, because this is a fantastic idea!