Childesign The National Center On Design For Children Inc

The founder and CEO of this nonprofit, Sandra Edwards, was utterly passionate and devoted to two things: 1) advocating for children's well-being especially through the creation of CHILDESIGN and 2) her son who she loved with all her heart! I didn't think it was possible for her to be more dedicated to anything than she was to CHILDESIGN, but when her son came along, he was her first love for sure. She was a genius at design and an expert on child development, coming initially from an education background. With her expertise on children and her natural gifts she apprenticed with the dean of the environmental design program at Yale. Unlike so many architects, designers, and planners her work went well beyond just artistic design, to the information needed on how good design is so essential because it can help optimize children's development, make parenting a whole lot easier, and keeps children safe (& from what I've seen of what's done for children it's far too rare).

When I was in her 1st designed space, (after her classroom at Yale preschool and child study center), as winner of "chosen best design" having her design selected over many New Haven architects and Yale art and architecture graduate students, I realized how good she was: in a very small rectangular space that became a drop-in daycare for a food co-op, there were 17 children in that space that day and it did not feel crowded!... I was amazed. As I continue to be about the diversity of her projects and her creativity: including design projects highlighted in Home magazine, the New York Times magazine, Elle Decor, and others. Designing from an expert knowledge of child development and designing only after ascertaining the specific unique needs of both the children and parents in a home. As well as advocating for children to be integrally included in Community, businesses and centers. Sandra made a world of difference for so many children and so many parents! I would like to see her information kept alive and shared with as many parents, designers, and architects as possible because I have seen how it helped actions and interactions of children with their environment and with others, and what a difference it made in supporting the ease of parenting!

I live near the family home that was highlighted in Home magazine. I went there about once a year and even after 9 years I noticed details I hadn't seen before, thought, "wow how does she think this stuff up!", & marveled at her talents, genius, and designs! I see how needed it is when I go into buildings, playgrounds and watch parents faces when they hear about it. And especially often when watching parents of 2 year olds, including today with three parents talking about their kids in"terrible twos". CHILDESIGN created a better situation and had a much better slogan, "Terrific twos by Design!" And those lucky enough to live in her design spaces were!