Behold: toys larger than the children who play them.

Whether it’s supersized chess and checkers in Buffalo or giant Scrabble at The Wharf in Washington, D.C., giant games appeal to children and the young adults who have flooded into cities in recent years, and whom developers and businesses are eager to court. They’re part of a larger push for “playable” cities, and for urban public spaces to be active rather than contemplative.

Though life-sized games might seem like a trivial pursuit, they are a low-stakes way to get people of all ages to linger in parks or plazas—especially if these spaces are new and not familiar to the public yet, as is often the case with big urban redevelopment projects. But not every city knows exactly how to get people to play. Does yours? ➡️ https://trib.al/jgj4mPc (📷: Ryan Muir)

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