A research-backed guide for cities, landscape architects, parks & recreation, multifamily communities, schools, and placemaking professionals
Public spaces succeed for one reason: people want to be there. They linger, gather, laugh, return, and bring others with them. That is the heart of placemaking — and one of the most powerful, overlooked tools for achieving it is also one of the oldest:
Play.
Not just play for children (though that matters deeply).
But play for everyone: teens craving belonging, adults seeking connection, seniors wanting meaningful interactions, and communities of all ages looking for safe, joyful spaces.
In the last two decades, cities worldwide have rediscovered that public play is civic infrastructure — as essential to urban vitality as lighting, benches, or landscaping. And the research supports it: play animates space, improves health, strengthens social ties, and increases safety through natural surveillance and positive activity.
This article synthesizes leading research — including Gemmell et al. (2023), Watson et al. (2024), Ranken et al. (2025), and a systematic review of built-environment play factors — to show why cities must double down on playable placemaking.
It also demonstrates how concrete games — concrete ping pong tables, foosball, cornhole, chess, shuffleboard, Chinese checkers, domino tables, ladder ball, backgammon, double foosball, and the round 4-way ping pong table — create intergenerational, durable, community-building public assets.
This guide is for anyone designing parks, plazas, campuses, schools, multifamily communities, waterfronts, rooftop amenities, or redevelopment sites.
1. Why Play Is the Missing Ingredient in Modern Placemaking
Play is not decoration — it is essential civic infrastructure.
Decades of research now show that interactive play:
- increases time spent in public spaces
- enhances feelings of safety through “eyes on the street”
- improves mental and physical health
- increases social cohesion
- supports early childhood development
- reduces loneliness and social isolation
- fosters intergenerational connection
The World Health Organization, UNICEF’s Child-Friendly Cities Initiative, and the National Recreation and Parks Association have all identified urban play as a core strategy for healthier, more equitable cities.
Children’s play is a public health indicator
Gemmell et al. (2023) found that neighborhoods that support children’s outdoor free play also show broader indicators of community wellbeing: social trust, cohesion, walkability, and access to nature.
A key insight from their review:
“Children view all spaces as potentially playable. Their neighborhoods are those spaces around home where interactions with people, plants, animals, buildings, destinations, and routes are possible.”
In placemaking terms: children activate space simply by being there. And the more a space invites play, the more the entire community uses it.
2. The Evidence: What Makes a Place Playable (and Loveable)?
The systematic review of 53 studies (Gemmell et al., 2023) identified three universal factors shaping the success of a playable public space:
A. Availability — Nearby space for play
People use what is close and convenient. Play succeeds when it is:
- embedded into daily life
- near circulation and seating
- visible, obvious, and inviting
Concrete ping pong tables, foosball tables, cornhole boards, and chess tables excel here because they fit into compact footprints, enabling play in:
- pocket parks
- plazas
- courtyards
- pedestrianized streets
- waterfront promenades
- campuses
- multifamily communities
- rooftop decks
B. Accessibility — Safe, enjoyable routes
Successful play spaces have:
- low-traffic approaches
- clear sightlines
- connected walking routes
- ADA-friendly surfaces
- intuitive entry points
Open, social games (ping pong, foosball, cornhole) serve as visual magnets drawing people toward active play zones.
C. Acceptability — Does it feel safe, comfortable, and socially welcoming?
Parents, teens, and adults choose spaces that feel:
- clean
- socially safe
- shaded
- maintained
- visually appealing
- activated by other people
Every Stone Age Concrete Game becomes a signal of care — a visible cue that “this place is meant for people,” which encourages participation and safe use.
3. Why Concrete Games Are Powerful Placemaking Tools
The research points to a clear conclusion:
Play thrives when it is social, visible, intergenerational, spontaneous, and durable.
Permanent outdoor concrete games check all of these boxes:
Intergenerational Appeal
- Children play ping pong with teens.
- Teens play foosball with adults.
- Seniors play chess, dominoes, and backgammon.
- Families play cornhole and shuffleboard together.
Intergenerational play increases social trust, a key factor in successful public spaces (Ranken et al., 2025).
Durability & Low Maintenance
et al. emphasize that public play must be reliable — toys, fixtures, or equipment that break diminish trust.
Stone Age concrete games are:
- vandal-resistant
- weatherproof
- stable year-round
- built to last decades
They never warp, rust, crack, or blow away.
Social Magnets
People gravitate toward visible joy. Studies show:
- People are drawn to spaces where others are actively playing.
- Ping pong rallies and foosball matches generate energy and curiosity.
- Chess and domino tables attract observers, building micro-communities.
Cultural Universality
Games translate across cultures and languages. Chess, ping pong, cornhole, dominoes, shuffleboard — all have global analogs or equivalents.
4. Designing for Child-Friendly, Teen-Friendly & Community-Friendly Cities
The research underscores that great play environments are holistic, not isolated. They integrate space, nature, movement, and social opportunity for all ages.
Here’s how concrete games map to the research.
A. Child-Friendly Design (0–12)
Research from Gemmell et al. and Watson et al. shows that children need:
- nearby playable areas
- natural elements (shade, vegetation, textures)
- safe routes
- opportunities for spontaneous exploration
Stone Age applications:
- Concrete ping pong tables near shade trees
- Round 4-way ping pong tables as social “village squares”
- Concrete chess or Chinese checkers tables near nature play
- Domino tables beside gardens or plazas
- Ladder ball in small courtyards
B. Teen-Friendly Design
Teens are the most underserved demographic in public space. They need:
- places to gather
- activities that don’t feel childish
- skill-based challenge
- social visibility
Stone Age applications:
- Ping pong (always a teen magnet)
- Double foosball for team competition
- Cornhole and shuffleboard near seating and food
- Game clusters that allow group activity
Positive teen engagement increases neighborhood safety and reduces conflicts.
C. Adult- & Senior-Friendly Design
Ranken et al. found adults need:
- low-barrier, low-stakes activities
- opportunities for casual interaction
- places where they feel welcome
Stone Age applications:
- Chess and backgammon tables under shade
- Domino tables near cafes or walkways
- Shuffleboard for slower, social play
- Clusters of seating around game areas
These become third places for adults — the lifeblood of social cities.
D. Whole-Community Design: The Playable Network
The research emphasizes distributed, integrated play — not one big playground, but a network of micro-activations.
Stone Age’s product line supports this seamlessly:
- Games can be distributed across a park or campus.
- They activate “in-between” spaces.
- They create a sense of discovery.
- They increase walkability and exploration.
This is how placemaking becomes placeliving.
5. Case Study Patterns: What Works (and Why)
While the research doesn’t cover your specific installations, your real-world results reinforce academic findings.
A. U.N. Plaza – San Francisco
Before: low foot traffic, safety concerns including drug use and high crime rates.
After: ping pong + foosball, skateboard parkcreated daily, positive activity.
Matches research:
- visible play reduces fear
- sustained social activity increases safety
B. Yanaguana Garden – San Antonio
Your concrete games became central to one of America’s most successful urban parks.
Matches research:
- intergenerational, nature-rich play
- diverse affordances = longer stays
C. Eagles Park – Roseburg
A previously troubled space transformed.
Matches research:
- community trust rises with visible, shared play
- children’s and families’ presence shifts perceptions
6. Stone Age Concrete Games as Placemaking Infrastructure
Here’s how each product functions as a community-building asset.
- high-energy, visible play
- draws teens & adults
- ideal for plazas, rooftops, campuses
Round 4-Way Ping Pong Tables
- sculptural centerpiece
- high social density
- perfect for signature placemaking moments
Concrete Foosball (Single & Double)
- fast-paced team play
- ideal for multifamily, breweries, parks, resorts
Concrete Cornhole Boards
- tournament-friendly
- family-oriented
- works well at festivals & events
Concrete Chess & Backgammon Tables
- quieter social zones
- multigenerational
- ideal under shade
- culturally significant
- perfect for senior activity
- powerful for community-building
- slower-paced, social
- waterfronts and resorts love it
Concrete Chinese Checkers & Ladder Ball
- distinctive offerings
- fit small spaces
- ideal for family areas
These games become anchors — permanent, attractive, durable — shaping the culture of a place for decades.
7. Conclusion: Designing Cities for Joy, Community & Belonging
Play is not optional.
It is not extra.
It is not a luxury amenity.
Play is public life — the catalyst for social health and community wellbeing.
The research is unequivocal:
- Children thrive in playable neighborhoods.
- Teens engage when offered social, skill-based activities.
- Adults and seniors connect through low-barrier play.
- Communities grow safer through visible positive activity.
- Durable, inclusive play delivers long-term return on investment.
Stone Age Concrete Games help cities and communities build that reality — in parks, schools, plazas, multifamily housing, campuses, rooftops, resorts, waterfronts, and everywhere people gather.
When communities invest in permanent play, they invest in:
- health
- equity
- belonging
- joy
- and the long-term vitality of public life
We measure success in tons, laughter, and centuries.
Few investments last as long — or create as much joy — as a beautiful, permanent outdoor concrete game table.