How children are rethinking mobility

03/23/2026 | Science & Education

Group photo from Richterstraße Nursery — Climate Alliance Upper Austria presents the prize – a woom bike – for the most imaginative car park-turned-playground to the Richterstraße nursery in Leonding. From left to right: Norbert Rainer (Managing Director, Climate Alliance Upper Austria), Nicole Walter (Head of the Richterstraße nursery), Armin Brunner (Leonding City Councillor). | Photo: City of Leonding

The Upper Austria Climate Alliance is part of a Europe-wide network that has been campaigning for active climate protection and sustainable development since 1991. In Upper Austria, it brings together over 300 local authorities, around 350 educational institutions and more than 1,000 businesses. Together, they pursue a single goal: to safeguard quality of life in the long term through climate-friendly mobility, efficient energy use and the future-proof design of public spaces. In doing so, the Climate Alliance places particular emphasis on raising awareness – starting with the youngest members of society.

Child with a prize Woom bike — Photo: Town of Leonding

Leonding takes the lead: a car park becomes a play area

This year’s winner of the Austria-wide campaign “PARKplatz – Platz statt Parkplatz” comes from Leonding: the Richterstraße nursery school came out on top among more than 60 participating institutions and brought the victory to Upper Austria.

The task was to rethink parking spaces. Together with the children, creative ideas were developed on how a car park could be used as a play area, a nature space or a meeting place. Using simple means, imaginative spaces were created that demonstrate just how versatile public spaces can be designed.

Learning early on to use space consciously

The initiative was specifically designed to give children a playful understanding of mobility and land use. By designing and experimenting themselves, they develop an early understanding of how valuable public space is and how it can be used fairly.

The #schongeniale initiative “PARKplatz – Platz statt Parkplatz” is part of the “klimaaktiv mobil” programme, was implemented as part of European Mobility Week and demonstrates that big ideas can emerge even among the youngest children.