A Study on the Spillover Effects of Children’s Outdoor Activity Space Allocation in High-Density Urban Areas: A Case Study of Beijing

Abstract

In the context of rapid urbanization in third-world countries, many cities adopt high-density development, effectively using land but limiting open space, especially for children, impacting their spatial rights. This study focused on the Dongcheng and Xicheng districts of Beijing. It employed methods such as variance inflation factor, multiple linear regression, spatial autocorrelation, and spatial econometric models to investigate the impact of various configuration factors on children’s satisfaction with outdoor activity space. The study also revealed the spillover effects of outdoor activity space configuration for children in high-density urban environments. The results showed that (1) children’s satisfaction was significantly influenced by the configuration elements. The variables that had the most significant impact on satisfaction were the number of outdoor spaces, facilities’ amusement, advertisements, and service management levels. (2) Using spatial econometric models, we determined that spatial dependency significantly enhances the model’s explanatory power. The quantity of outdoor space had the greatest effect on children’s outdoor activity space satisfaction, followed by facilities’ amusement and advertisement impact, and service management had the least impact, though all categories positively affected satisfaction. This study held significant value and importance in improving the rights of children in mega-cities in developing countries and promoting the physical and mental well-being of children.

Keywords

• children’s outdoor activity space
• high-density urban areas
• spillover effects
• Beijing