Children’s Ideal Images of Homes and Their Characteristics Using Collages of Scenes

Creating environments suited to children’s physical and psychological development is crucial. This study aims to clarify children’s ideal images of housing and their characteristics. The method employed was a “collage” approach, in which children created ideal homes by cutting and pasting photographs, followed by interviews. The results revealed that many children envisioned spaces where they could interact with nature. In addition, they expressed admiration for features absent in current homes, and these preferences appeared influenced by gender and housing type. This method was suggested to be effective in eliciting preferences from children who find verbal expression difficult.