This study focuses on gathering data about children's experiences outside home. The aim is to compare survey methods with writing and drawing activity, and proposed screen-based mapping methods with auxiliary visuals. The study includes 154 children aged nine to twelve from Aliağa and Menemen districts of İzmir metropolitan area in Türkiye. The face-to-face surveys at schools asked children about their neighbourhood attributes, places of likes, dislikes, and where they spend time outside home and school, focusing on their activities, and daily environments. One method requires all children to write or draw. The second method involves GIS based mapping with researcher guidance. Results compare the two methods. The discussions aim to find ways to encourage young children to talk more about their daily surroundings and how this relates to their spatial orientation and perception of their neighbourhood. The results have the potential to contribute to planning practices for including children in plan making processes.
Keywords: Children, neighbourhoods, mapping, methods for child studies, geographic information systems