On 15 April 2026, a group of children and adult participants of the B-Challenged project met to discuss what should be changed so that children spend more time playing outdoors and adopt healthier eating habits.
During the meeting, participants reviewed the factors previously identified by both groups that could encourage young residents of Praga Północ to be more active outdoors and to eat more healthily.
Each participant could select five factors they considered the most important by marking them with a colored note. The highest number of votes was given to effective communication – children should have access to information about places worth visiting and about interesting activities taking place there. Ideally, such information should be available in multiple locations to increase its reach (e.g., school notice boards, school websites, municipal websites, etc.).
An important factor influencing outdoor activity is the availability of attractive places for sports close to home. Children suggested that schools should make their sports fields available after school hours, as there are few accessible facilities of this kind in Praga Północ.
A sense of safety was also identified as a key issue. Participants highlighted the need to ensure that areas intended for play and physical activity are free from intoxicated individuals and from signs of alcohol consumption, such as empty bottles.
All participants also agreed on the importance of ensuring children have access to water in outdoor spaces where they play or engage in physical activity.
The Deputy Mayor of Praga Północ, who participated in the meeting, assured attendees that infrastructure investments planned for the coming years will increase the number of places where people can spend time actively outdoors. He also expressed readiness to hold discussions with
school principals to make school sports fields available after lessons where possible.
Regarding safety, the Deputy Mayor announced the installation of additional lighting in areas frequently used by children.
Referring to the need for access to water, he noted that the main obstacles to installing drinking fountains are the high costs of utility connections and lengthy approval procedures. One of the locations under consideration is the Jordan Garden, and such projects could potentially be implemented through the Participatory Budget.
