Lefebvre’s spatial triad for children: a teaching model for spatial thinking in the classroom

Abstract

This paper considers the teachings of spatial thinking in two Danish school interventions with children, ages 10–13 (2018–2021), by turning Lefebvre’s spatial triad into a research-based exercise. Based on children’s responses, this paper concludes that, first, by allowing children to include their own spatial experiences, they can resonate with the complex ways in which the perceived, conceived and lived spaces, according to Lefebvre, are produced and reproduced. Second, while the conceived space of Lefebvre addresses the difficult premise that every space is always intended, it adds crucial insights into how spaces work conceptually as well as it helps children to work with spatial data. The results indicate that Lefebvre’s spatial triad can be used didactically to develop children’s spatial thinking in the classroom and in urban planning projects.

Keywords:

• Critical spatial thinking
• geo-education
• Henri Lefebvre
• participatory design
• spatial thinking

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Notes

1 This means that “Design your city” is now available to most Danish primary schools. In the first year (June 2020–May 2021), the project had given over 350 logins to schools all over the country, and CLIO decided to offer it to schools for another three-year period (2022-2024).

2 There are two local amusement parks—one with free access—near the schools, and the teachers assured us that all the children had been to one of these at least one time.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by cross-disciplinary funding by Aalborg University (2018–2021).