Through the lens of participatory photography : engaging Thai children in research about their community play centre

This paper explores a children's participatory photography research project that was conducted within a larger action research collaboration with a Thai nongovernmental organisation called the Foundation for Child Development. The project examined how Thai children experience play and sense of place at a children's centre located in an urban low-income congested community. The process provided insight into how the centre may become a meaningful place in children's lives through the ability to transform the space through their play, experience diverse playthings, interact with playmates, and feel a sense of safety. Guided by a cultural-ecological framework, the study contextualises children's play and indicates how globalisation and urbanisation are increasingly changing the landscape of childhood in Thailand. The ï¬ndings suggest that future research which examines the impact of these patterns on children's play and play space can help inform policy and practice related to education, child development, and play space design.