With catastrophes such as the global epidemic, a rather distressing issue concerning harmony between children and nature has garnered much attention. Educators in the United States have also weighed in, suggesting that the inability of children to grow up freely with access to the outdoors is becoming a universal problem.
If we talk about China, three-year-old children are enrolled in all sorts of activities based on the educational theory of ‘Chinese Parenting’ – aesthetic education, interest classes, intellectual education, remedial classes, yet their children are unhappy. Moreover, these feelings of sadness and anxiety also create tensions between parents and children.
So the question arises: How can parents become more relaxed? And how can a balance exist between study and play?
The solution: Zhang Ying, architect and interior designer from Harvard.
According to Ying, “the emotion of proper distance” is vital for effective parent-child communication and development throughout their lives, whether at home or abroad. Keeping a child too close results in loss of understating of personal space and causes separation anxiety, whereas keeping children at a distance weakens the parent-child bond.
Hence, Animal Adventure Land was created specifically to help foster the best parent-child relationship. It showcases a family paradise that allows parents and children to keep each other company without invading their personal and spiritual space. The Park’s design features four different animals that depict four distinct personality traits: parrot for wisdom, lion for communication, zebra for courage, and elephant for exploration. This theme intends to support the concept of ‘learning while playing, playing while learning.
Lastly, Park’s motto simply states: “I support what you want to do, and I don’t limit what you want to do.” It allows children to play in the park and strengthen their communication and bonding with their parents while also recognizing the importance of nature and the outdoors.
