Children Quote by Enrique Penalosa
“Children are a kind of indicator species. If we can build a successful city for children, we will have a successful city for all people.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Urban Planning Conference, Enrique Penalosa, 2015
Children serve as a measure of a city’s livability; if a city meets their needs, it likely meets the needs of all residents.
In simple terms: Kids indicate a city’s success; good for kids means good for everyone.
Key Takeaway
Design cities for children first.
Themes
urban design
livability
family welfare
social equity
Mood
hopeful
inspirational
optimistic
Type
policy
philosophical
When to use this quote
- housing policy
- public spaces
- education
- transport planning
Key Concepts
human‑centered design
sustainability
Questions to Reflect On
- What amenities benefit both children and adults?
- How can planners balance diverse age groups?
A Different Perspective
Focusing only on children may overlook other demographic needs.
![“[Children should contribute] to a family's essential survival and happiness. [In] an urban society, children are ... robbed of the opportunity to do genuinely responsible work.” quote by Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e7d/dwight-d-eisenhower-499_children_children-should-contribute-to-a-family-s_2838598.jpg)
![“A premise of the new city is that we want a society to be as egalitarian as possible. For this purpose, quality-of-life distribution is more important than income distribution. [And quality of life includes] a living environment as free of motor vehicles as possible.” quote by Enrique Penalosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/6dd/enrique-penalosa-32010_cities_a-premise-of-the-new-city-is-that-we-wan_2357839.jpg)
