Cars drastically changed the urban landscape for young people. Faster, more dangerous streets as a result of cars took away the largest playground that children used up until that point in history. Further, the danger of automobile accidents greatly reduced children’s independent mobility. As cars became more ubiquitous, streets that were once vibrant spaces for games, social interaction, and physical activity began to prioritize traffic flow over pedestrian life. Sidewalks and roads that had been shared by all ages transformed into dangerous environments for children, who were often no longer able to safely play or roam freely. The introduction of cars led to a significant loss of public spaces where children could engage in unstructured play, a shift that has changed the way America shapes childhood to this day.

Given more time I would have liked to look deeper for more primary source material. It felt as though I was only able to find the tip of the iceberg for what could be used in this project before I ran out of time. Also, I think there is lots of work to be done looking at the intersectionality between gender roles and the transition to domestic play spaces.