Detailed description (English): The Metropolitan Institute of Bratislava (MIB) runs the initiative “Ulice na hranie” (Play Streets) within its programme “Mesto pre deti” (City for Kids). Play Streets temporarily close selected school streets to traffic and turn them into safe, lively spaces where children can play, cycle, draw, or take part in creative and sports activities. The project shows how streets can serve people rather than cars, while also encouraging active school travel and reducing car dependency in school zones.
Since its pilot in 2022, Play Streets have become a tradition in Bratislava, growing each year thanks to strong cooperation between schools, parents, neighbours, and local organisations. Each event is tailored to the local context and shaped through participatory planning, ensuring it responds to the needs of children and the community. Beyond playful activities, the events also create opportunities for meetings across generations and cultures, supporting inclusion and building stronger social ties.
In 2025, Play Streets will once again bring life back to streets in front of schools across the city. By reclaiming space from cars and offering it to children and families, the initiative provides a clear demonstration of the benefits of active mobility, safer school environments, and healthier neighbourhoods. Play Streets highlight that reimagining urban space through play can inspire lasting change toward more sustainable, child-friendly cities.
Detailed description (original language): Metropolitný inštitút Bratislavy (MIB) realizuje iniciatívu „Ulice na hranie“ v rámci programu „Mesto pre deti“. Ulice na hranie dočasne uzavrú vybrané školské ulice pre dopravu a premenia ich na bezpečné a živé priestory, kde môžu deti hrať sa, bicyklovať, kresliť alebo sa zapojiť do tvorivých a športových aktivít. Projekt ukazuje, že ulice môžu slúžiť ľuďom, nie autám, a zároveň podporuje aktívnu cestu do školy a znižuje závislosť od automobilov v okolí škôl.
Od svojho pilotného spustenia v roku 2022 sa Ulice na hranie stali tradíciou v Bratislave a každý rok rastú vďaka silnej spolupráci medzi školami, rodičmi, susedmi a miestnymi organizáciami. Každá udalosť je prispôsobená miestnemu kontextu a pripravovaná participatívne, aby reflektovala potreby detí a komunity. Okrem hravých aktivít tieto podujatia vytvárajú aj priestor na stretávanie generácií a rôznych kultúr, podporujú inklúziu a budujú silnejšie sociálne väzby.
V roku 2025 Ulice na hranie opäť oživili ulice pred školami po celom meste. Tým, že ulice preberú od áut a ponúknu ich deťom a rodinám, iniciatíva jasne ukazuje výhody aktívnej mobility, bezpečného školského prostredia a zdravších susedstiev. Ulice na hranie poukazujú na to, že hravá transformácia verejného priestoru môže inšpirovať trvalé zmeny smerom k udržateľnejším a priateľskejším mestám pre deti.
Target group(s): The primary target group of Play Streets are children of primary school age, who are given the opportunity to experience their everyday environment free from cars, to play, cycle, and move safely in front of their schools. The initiative directly supports pupils, parents, and teachers, encouraging them to explore alternatives to car-based school travel and to imagine safer and healthier streets around educational facilities.
A second important target group are local communities in the neighbourhoods where Play Streets take place. By bringing together residents, families, and volunteers, the events strengthen social cohesion, support intergenerational encounters, and create space for neighbours who might not otherwise interact. Play Streets also intentionally include families from diverse cultural and social backgrounds, such as newcomers to Bratislava and children from migrant or refugee communities, offering opportunities for integration and shared activities in a welcoming environment.
At the same time, Play Streets are designed for wider audiences, including local decision-makers and the general public, who are invited to see how urban streets can be reclaimed for people rather than cars. In this way, the project addresses not only children and families, but also those responsible for shaping mobility habits and city policies in the future.
Objectives: The main objective of Play Streets is to reclaim school streets from traffic and return them to children and communities, at least temporarily, in order to demonstrate how public space can serve people rather than cars. By closing streets in front of schools and opening them for play, sports, and creative activities, the initiative aims to raise awareness of the importance of safer, healthier, and more child-friendly urban environments.
Another objective is to promote active mobility among children and families. By experiencing streets without cars, pupils and parents are encouraged to consider walking, cycling, or using public transport as everyday options for travelling to school. In this way, Play Streets support a long-term shift in mobility behaviour and help reduce car dependency in school zones.
The initiative also seeks to strengthen community ties and inclusivity. Each event is created together with schools, parents, residents, and local organisations, ensuring that it reflects the specific needs of the neighbourhood. The format allows children, families, and neighbours from diverse cultural and social backgrounds to meet and interact, building stronger social cohesion and a sense of belonging.
Finally, Play Streets aim to inspire long-term change in urban planning and policy by offering a visible demonstration of how streets can be redesigned to prioritise people. As part of European Mobility Week, the project serves as a practical example of how playful interventions can shape public opinion, support decision-makers, and contribute to more sustainable and child-friendly cities.
Partner: The Metropolitan Institute of Bratislava (MIB) implements Play Streets in close collaboration with a range of partner organisations, including primary schools, local municipalities, neighbourhood associations, and community groups. Schools play a central role as hosts, helping to plan the activities, mobilise students and parents, and provide space for the events. Local municipalities support the initiative by facilitating temporary street closures, ensuring safety, and coordinating with city services.
Community and neighbourhood organisations are essential partners in organising and running the activities, providing volunteers, equipment, and workshops, and helping to engage families and residents. Additionally, MIB cooperates with local cultural, sports, and educational organisations that lead creative and recreational workshops during the events. These collaborations ensure that each Play Street is tailored to the needs of the specific neighbourhood, inclusive, and engaging for children and families of all backgrounds.
Through these partnerships, the initiative strengthens social cohesion, civic participation, and local ownership of public spaces, demonstrating how multiple stakeholders can come together to promote active mobility, child-friendly streets, and more sustainable urban living.
Slovakia