Children's Playroom

Synonyms / Other Terms Used

Playroom, Play Room, Indoor Play Area, Children's Corner, Kids Corner

Category

Public Facilities, Tourism

Message / Function

To indicate the location of a facility or area where children can play indoors

	Source	Description
	ON Testdesign	Side view of child playing ball and child with jumping cord, inverted “V” above
	ON Testdesign	Side view of children on seesaw, inverted “V” above
	ON Testdesign	Side view of child on children's slide, inverted “V” above
	KSA pr	Side view of child on rocking horse, inverted “V” above
	ISO 7001	Two children (one boy, one girl) viewed from the side, on their knees, toy truck, inverted “V” above
	SIS	Side view of child on its knees, toy truck, inverted “V” above
1)	Sand	Side view of child at table and child on its knees with toy steam engine
	GTAAC	Side view of girl with two objects and child on its knees, playing with car
	ÖNORM A 3011	Side view of child on its knees, toy steam locomotive
2)	Unknown	Side view of child on its knees, toy truck
3)	González	Side view of small child playing with stacking cubes
	Unknown	Side view of child on rocking horse
	Schiphol	Side view of child on children's slide
	Unknown	Side view of rocking horse
	Marche Mövenpick	Side view of rocking horse
	ÖBB 2007	Side view of rocking horse
	HSSS	Teddy bear and ball
	Erco	Teddy bear and ball
	OP 82	Teddy bear and ball behind
	R7 Laundry	Front view of teddy bear
	NHW	Side view of head of teddy bear in outline

Discussion

The range of pictograms shown in the table above gives a good impression of typical images used to indicate the location of a facility or area where children can play indoors. Renderings show quite some variation, from simple depictions of one or more toys like a teddy bear, a ball, a rocking horse, or even a children's slide or a seesaw, to more complex pictograms showing children playing. In quite a few cases an inverted “V” above is used to indicate that an indoor facility is signified using such a pictogram.

Studies from two countries present research covering several concepts found in pictogram variants for this referent:

Ten pictogram variants from the selection above were studied in an Appropriateness Ranking Tests conducted in Austria (Brugger, 1984). Results revealed that variants showing a child playing on the floor are judged as better comprehensible than variants primarily designed for indicating a playground, but with an inverted V above to signal that this is an indoor facility. Pictograms displaying just one or two toys usually used indoors mostly were ranked as rather inappropriate. These results were confirmed in a similar study conducted in Hungary with fifty respondents (Magyar Szabvanyügyi Hivatal, 1985).

Based on these findings Brugger (1990) reviewed the three graphical symbols labeled 1) to 3) in a follow-up study on basis of a Comprehension Test. With 33 % the test design provided by Walter Sand labeled 1) elicited the highest proportion of responses related to Kindergarten, followed by the pictogram by González labeled with 3). The still significant number of responses for Playground found in variant 2) were ascribed to the fact that the toy shown in this pictogram is a truck, typical for playing in the sand. Therefore it was proposed to replace the truck by a toy steam locomotive, a toy usually not found outdoors, resulting in the design of symbol No 120 of ÖNORM A 3011.

Besides the test results available, it has to be regarded that renderings of toys, like the Erco pictogram above for example, often are used to signify departments or shops for toys.

Recommendations

Playroom

Based on data available we recommend the use of pictogram No 120 from ÖNORM A 3011 part 7.

Tests of pictograms of referent Children's Playroom

Brugger, Ch. (1984): Reihungstest 1984. Report to the Austrian Standards Institute, Vienna, 1984-10-05.

Brugger, Ch. (1990): Abschlußbericht über den Verständnistest. Report to the Austrian Standards Institute (ON) dated 10/90, Vienna.

Magyar Szabvanyügyi Hivatal (1985): Ranking Test. ISO / 145-26/85, Budapest: Magyar Szabvanyügyi Hivatal.