In snowy and cold region of Hokkaido, where playing outdoors for long periods of time is constrained, open field-type indoor playgrounds that allow children to play in an outdoor atmosphere have important meaning. In the present study, the significant space characters were clarified through the research of 7 indoor playgrounds with detailed analysis of 3 selected cases. The indoor playgrounds serve as gathering points for people from a diverse range of generations, including infants, elementary and junior high school students, parents, grandparents, and child rearing circles. These playgrounds provide an advanced vision of space that encourages rapport and communication between various people through children's recreational activities. Attractive play points and surrounding plaza, and close relationship between play area and rest area which allow easy visual contact are important characters of space structure. As children can use the indoor playground as a starting point to warm their bodies, close relationship between the indoor playground and outdoor play area such as sledding slope is effective in promoting winter play activities.
