How Referring for In-Home Services Can Lead to Better Outcomes. Play is so essential for child development around the world that the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights recognizes it as a right of every child. What Makes a Playground Inclusive? A Guide to Accessible Playgrounds "name": "Playworld", Include textured surfaces and features that allow them to make sounds or music. KIT works to help develop systematic changes that will encourage inclusion with regard to policy & professional development, training. Richness of Play 3. Ill be sure to talk to him about finding a professional that can create an engaging playground for his kids. I like that you mention how an engaging playground is important for the kids. Inclusive playgrounds welcome children of all ages and abilities to play, learn and grow together. 4795 Union Park Blvd. Parents in this study also confirmed that their children had low self-esteem. This includes huge steps toward prohibiting discrimination. If a playground is accessible, someone with a disability wont have to bring their own equipment or ask for accommodations. We also carry other site amenities to complete your play area including safety surfacing, shade structures, picnic tables, benches, and more. Children who engage in free play are healthier and have higher self-esteem. In doing so, the community becomes inclusive and connected. The play structure becomes a pirate ship and the slide is a plank into the alligator waters. When all kids are offered opportunities to play together, it opens up healthy behavioral and social skills that are vital later in adult life. For kids living with disabilities, traditional playgrounds exclude them and their families from play that is critical to development and socialization. PRIVACY POLICY | TERMS OF USE, 2022 Year in Review: Union Park by Hillwood Lifestyle Community, New Home Communities Offer Diverse Homes for Every Stage of Life, Can You Buy a House Online? We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Inclusive parks allow 'play for everybody.' Here's where to find one in Thats whyto celebrate Fair Play for Allwere offering a chance to win a trip to Morgans Wonderland, a nonprofit and fully inclusive theme park in San Antonio, Texas. Inclusive playgrounds are a fun set up that mentally challenges the kids and promotes their development. courses and webinars, KIT is your onsite, online, ongoing resource for providing inclusive practices and solutions. It's all about creating equity in access and use. And perhaps the most critical thing that inclusive playgrounds have to offer to children is the fact that they act as educational places, meaning that an inclusive playground will help educate the children that play there. Community Crossroads. Allowing your child to participate in inclusive playground activities helps them learn to accept everyone around them, which will be an important value in their adult life. Cognitive Development: Activities such as swinging, sliding, climbing, spinning, and rocking have both physical and cognitive benefits. This guarantees that every single child, regardless of their abilities or disabilities, deserves a chance to play with children their age, without fear of discrimination and bullying. Maybe you can participate in advocacy efforts to add accessible conversion to your towns planning. Modified climbing frames for blind/partially sighted children. Landscape Structures Inclusive playgrounds, Landscape Structures site and search for the playground that fits your needs, How the Pandemic Showed Parents How to Engage with Learning at Home, 10 Simple Ways to Show Kids You Love Them Everyday! Why Inclusive Playgrounds Matter - Creative Recreational Systems, Inc "@type": "BlogPosting", A childs understanding of the world often starts with play. Here Are Examples of Playgrounds that Encourage Inclusive Play: Ready To Plan an Inclusive Playground? Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility, Reflecting on Freedom for All in the Disability Community, Hitting Inclusion Out of the Park with the Beautiful Lives Project & Triple Crown Sports , Ready, Set, Summer: A Must-Have Inclusion Resource for the Future of Summer Camps, 4 Ways to Build Inclusive Sports and Recreation Programs for Children with Disabilities, How To Create A Safe Space For Kids With Autism In Your Program, Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month 2023: Supporting Kids With Developmental Disabilities, Dispelling 11 Common Myths About Kids with Disabilities. Aside from becoming physically stronger as they play, they learn to communicate with each other hence building their social skills from an early age. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, modernfamilies oftenfelttheydidntspend enough quality time together. Even something as simple as waiting in line to go down the slide can help a child advance their social skills. Want to find an Inclusive Playground close to you? One of our favorite Landscape Structures Inclusive playgrounds is Sims Park in New Port Richey when we are close to home. Inclusive play spaces make it possible for all members of the community to come together and interact. An inclusive playground is an open and safe space carefully designed to promote play among children of differing abilities, ages, and communities. Children with disabilities can now be included in play and develop social awareness. By offering customized equipment that can accommodate both typically abled and differently-abled children, no segregation occurs, and there is cohesive bonding that takes place that would ensure the children have a great time. Accessible and inclusive playgrounds also encourage stronger social development. This is why accessibility isnt enough inclusivity is a more comprehensive goal for playground design. It helps kids get the physical exercise they need to stay healthy, and it helps them develop critical cognitive, emotional, and social skills. Acquiring these skills is important for every child and it is time for every playground in our country to become both accessible and inclusive to all! Many times people with audio or visual impairments benefit from these features because it makes them feel comfortable. For example, an inclusive playground might have a section of poured-in-place rubber for wheelchair users and a section of engineered wood fiber for short-sighted children. Swings next to benches so that an adult can sit and swing with a child who cannot swing on their own. As every educator and child advocate knows, play is so essential in childhood that the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights declares it as. One study found thatyouth with ASDself-reported lower levels of self-esteem than their peers without ASD. Inclusive playgrounds encourage play, which leads to a mutual understanding, friendships, and a true feeling of community. Recess and play are an important part of childhood development. No child should suffer with low self-esteem because they dont feel like they fit in. Its important to note that social skills and development do not look the same for all children. Five advantages of inclusive playgrounds | Westplay Canada Blog If your childhood was anything like mine, you will find that some of the most cherished moments of your upbringing took place when playing outside with siblings, neighbors, and friends. It's an opportunity to be an active participant in the fun, instead of watching it from the sidelines. Your email address will not be published. At first glance, inclusive playgrounds dont look any different from traditional playgrounds. Along with being just plain fun, it helps them develop emotional, social, creative and physical skills they'll need in adulthood. Education data sheds additional light on the prevalence of cognitive or developmental differences since14% of students in public schoolsreceive special education services. The good news is that resources and information necessary to create inclusive playgrounds are readily available. Perhaps still, a run through the tracks? The 2010 ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) Standard states that any playgrounds constructed or altered on, or after, March 15th, 2012 must follow 2010 ADA guidelines for accessible playgrounds. Additionally, number or alphabet boards are a fun way to incorporate learning into play. According to Youth.gov, disability inclusion means individuals with disabilities have the opportunity to participate in every aspect of life to the fullest extent possible. These guidelines are: While at first thought one may think that every playground has been altered in the past ten years to fit modern playground standards the truth is that many playgrounds have remained unchanged for decades. THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO Inclusive Playgrounds - MRC Rec Accessible Playgrounds & Inclusive Play Benefits - Union Park The more inclusive the playground, the more it can help families come together. They learn that climbing as high as you can is a lot more fun with someone to enjoy the view with. Inclusive Play is not just focusing on accessibility, itbringsage, developmental appropriateness, and sensory-stimulating activity into the equation which results in social equity and increasingly diverse social communities. If you are looking for something specific, you can explore our other inclusion solutions and resources below. Disabilities are less common among children, but4.3% of children have a disability, according to census data. This is an incredibly important issue to me and my family. All-encompassing environments allow people of all ages and abilities to develop independence, feel included and smart while contributing to meaningful play . Inclusive playgrounds can also provide rich andvaried sensory experiences. However, your organization will get the most benefit if you customize a complete training package. Anything from a physical disability to a learning disability that makes a child feel different from their peers can cause them to internalize negative thoughts about themselves. Visit the. Its been 32 years since the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) passed. Kids learn how to make friendships by working together and helping one another. But the unfortunate reality is that not all playgrounds in America are inclusive or even accessible for all children to play in. 1.Brooklyns Playground Pocatello, Idaho, 2. Throughout July, check out our Facebook page and join us as we explore an inclusive playground and talk about features that make it fun for all kids and their families. So why are inclusive playgrounds important? Along with installing equipment for group play, playground designers can arrange equipment suited to children with different abilities near each other to facilitate more social interaction between children of all abilities. Generally, this means playgrounds must feature pathways, safe surfacing and other practical measures to make the space more physically accessible for users with disabilities. They'll discusshow important it is for care providers to be paid for their services. The requirements for playgrounds are the same as those for buildings and facilities under the ADA; compliance requires that: However, many inclusion and child advocates push for playgrounds to go beyond just accessibility and to fully embrace inclusion. We have the opportunity to go further than accessibility andcreate truly inclusive playgrounds. Im grateful for this chance to make change. Including people with disabilities in everyday activities and encouraging them to have roles similar to their peers who do not have a disability is important for building the capacity of youth, especially youth with disabilities, and making society more inclusive for all individuals. While it is important for playgrounds to be inclusive and encourage those with and without disabilities to play together and become friends a playground must be more than just inclusive in order for everyone to thrive. This term means a change that is made so that a person with a disability is able to fully participate. When children are playing, they are able to progress language, symbolic thinking, social skills, and motor skills. Some inclusive playground designscan even be the perfect place for older adults, including grandparents, to join in the fun and physical activity. This helps to build community and relationships that last the test of time. Empathy promotes social harmony and can reduce bullying. For the past decade, fun abounds has been helping individuals and communities achieve their dream play spaces. Pinterest Tables and seating areas with wheelchair access. "@type": "Organization", Required fields are marked *. That also includes thenow more than 11% of students who are homeschooled. Copy Shortcode, 8 Commerce Drive, Unit 801Atkinson, NH 03811. Heres a quick list of the most common benefits for all children simply by playing together in an inclusive play area: With over 20 years of experience working behind the scenes and in the front lines of inclusion KIT provides early childhood education professionals and caregivers with inclusion training and practical strategies. It means that an inclusive playground will offer wheelchair ramps, custom playground equipment that will enable differently-abled children to be able to play, and so forth. In the coming years I look forward to seeing more towns and cities in New Hampshire and beyond recognize that playgrounds positively impact a childs physical wellbeing, social and emotional skills, and cognitive functions, and with those realizations make their playgrounds accessible to all! 53% of children with special needs lack friendships and part of the problem is that their disability excludes them from certain activities. The Benefits of Inclusive Playgrounds - Growing Up Bilingual Even playgrounds that meet the requirements of accessibility often fall short of the broader goal of inclusion. There are several reasons to take your child to an inclusive playground. What Makes a Playground Accessible & Inclusive? Inclusive playgrounds allow all children to engage and play so everyone can be included in the fun. A community playground provides the perfect place for them to make friends and enjoy playtime with other children in their town. KITs goal is to foster a culture of inclusion in classrooms, playgrounds, schools, and childcare centers. Kids learn so many life skills on the playground and the foundation of those skills begins at an early age so it is extremely important for children of all abilities to participate in an inclusive play space. } Engaged communities are generally happier and more trusting and share common goals and a vested interest in the well-being of their neighbors. If you are in the process of planning a new playground or renovating an existing play space, you can start by asking a big-picture question: How will this play space encourage children of all abilities to interact and share play time together? Sensory play equipment such as the Little Tikes. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This is the result of following the letter of accessibility but not the spirit of inclusion. The activities kids engage in on the playground can help them build their confidence further. These cookies are used to collect information about how you interact with our website and allow us to remember you. If a parent has a physical disability, for example, they should still be able to spend time with their child at the playground, whether that includes joining them on a swing set or watching from a nearby picnic table while they chat with a spouse or other family member. The goal with both of these playgrounds is to ensure a playground design that gives all children . We help drive the national conversation around disability inclusion in childcare and education programs by introducing inclusive policy changes and best practices. City and State Officials Celebrate Ribbon - City of Philadelphia Keep in mind that a parent or other adult may have a disability. Social Opportunities 4. Childhood obesity is a serious problem for children and adolescents in the U.S. Which I also believe wholeheartedly making Inclusive Playgrounds so important. Why Inclusion for Kids and Communities on the Playground Is Important July 14, 2022 Self-direction Podcast Holly Carmichael, CEO It's been 32 years since the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) passed. "datePublished": "2021-11-15", Lets look more specifically at some of the wonderful benefits of inclusive playgrounds. Whether a child uses a wheelchair for mobility or has autism, the playground should be a welcoming space where they can be themselves and enjoy active play with their peers. & technical assistance, research & evaluation, and extensive community engagement. Many public playgrounds make token efforts to appear accessible. Each body system can benefit from regular exercise, from the circulatory system to the cardiovascular system. Installing ground-level equipment. When the community truly understands the need and why an inclusive playground is important, you'll receive better buy-in and support for your project. Signal Centers Therapeutic Playground for the Arts Chattanooga, Tennessee. The ADA Standards for Accessible Design were implemented in 2010, and playgrounds must comply with these guidelines. [custom-facebook-feed feed=1] An inclusive playground design has no barriers. Playground designers should prioritize inclusivity because it's beneficial to many children and families. In many cases, children that act out in negative ways are experiencing low self-esteem. Required fields are marked *. Feel free to click the links to learn more about each one . Remember that inclusive playgrounds should go beyond physical accessibility. Would they be able to ride a bike? Support Features Benefits of Inclusive Community Spaces Learn More About Playworld's Inclusive Playground Equipment Playgrounds Have Changed Miles yelled . Well be celebrating my daughter Maggies 9th birthday there in September. Your email address will not be published. It took me six months to gain approval to present my idea for an inclusive playground to the school board, and many, many more months to put funding for the project to the voters. Inclusive play in the early years helps children learn that other people have thoughts and feelings, too. For the past decade, fun abounds has been helping individuals and communities achieve their dream play spaces.
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