Children's play spaces in 48 reality works were examined by means of content analysis and were compared with the primary landscapes in memory of the writers of juvenile literature and actual children's play spaces surveyed in Tokyo as a step toward improvement of children's play spaces. Outdoor spaces, particularly nature spaces were dominant in reality works. Well-used spaces tended to be complex, incorporating various space types. Approximately 1/3 of play spaces became the locus of evolving or traveling play, suggesting a pressing need for multi-functional play spaces together with continuous links among play spaces.
