Building a community inclusive playground takes a lot of people, knowledge and funds. The idea often starts with a group of dedicated volunteers and their first step is research. They want to know what is already out there, how to raise money, how to select a site, all of that before they even get to how to make it inclusive.

There is a lot of information out there on the internet but, you need to know what to look for and to determine what resources are worth your time. Today, I am going to narrow your search down by sharing with you some of my favorite sites and resources. Bookmark this page, so that you can come back to this list over and over again.

Getting Started

The best tool kit available for how to build a playground comes from KaBOOM!. KaBOOM provides you information on everything from testing soil, to keeping kids busy during a community build to public relations.

The best resource for inclusive playgrounds is the Inclusive Play Design Guide. To be transparent, I was involved in the development of this guide. However, I have not found anything else as comprehensive. It is published by Playworld, a playground manufacturer, but it is completely manufacturer neutral.

Fundraising

The best fundraising site I have found is Korkat Playground. You can download for free a 29 page book of national and state grant ideas. On their blog, they keep you updated on different grant opportunities and they have links to ideas for di
fferent fundraisers. They keep their information up-to-date and it is easy to read.

Other playground manufacturers also have lists of grants, including Playworld, Landscape Structures, and PlayCore.  All of these require that you sign up for their email list and/or contact a local representative to get the materials.

If you are a school, PTO Today has many good resources to help you plan fundraisers.

Understanding ADA

The Americans with Disability Act regulations for playgrounds are complicated; however, if you are building a playground with any of major playground ma
nufacturers they will make sure that your equipment will be compliant.

My favorite resource for ADA is an infographic from the International Playground Equipment Manufacturers Association called the Checklist for Access.

To get the information directly from the source, visit the United States Access Board.

Surfacing

Surfacing is the biggest decision a group will make when building a playground and it isn’t an easy decision.  Here are the best places to go and learn about your options.

The International Playground Equipment Manufacturers Association has a document about surfacing that is easy to read and understand.

The National Center for Accessibility did a longitudinal research study on playground surfacing. Their final report is available to download. If you don’t want to read the entire study, the Access Board has used this research to put together, “Seven Things Every Playground Owner Should Know About the Accessibility of Their Playground Surfaces”,

SofSURFACES, a playground surfacing manufacturer, has many good articles about surfacing, just keep in mind that they are trying to sell you a product.

Getting Ideas from Existing Playgrounds

Looking at pictures is the best way to get interesting ideas for playgrounds and for pictures, Pinterest is a great resource.

Accessibleplaygrounds.net, which is my website, has a directory of close to a 1,000 playgrounds from around the world. We have tried to put at least one picture with each playground.  You can search for the ones nearest you to go and visit.

Other websites that have directories include, KaBOOM’s Map of Play,Playground Professionals, Calgary Playground Review, NJ Playgrounds,ParkGrades, and Playgrounds for Everyone.

Originally published on Playground Professionals March 2016.

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In the Chicago Area, the Lincolnshire Special Recreation Area help a jumpfest.  They sent up 7 inflatables and kids paid a $10 fee to jump for as long as they wanted.  If you want information on how they did it email http://www.partyhoppersfun.com or call (815) 603-4377. For more information about the Lincolnway Special Recreation Association, call (815) 320-3500 or visit http://www.lwsra.org.

Speaking of jumping, Carly’s Clubhouse in Alabama, held a special Valentine’s Day Parent’s Night Out. Parents could drop their children off at Pump It Up.  The kids got to play in the inflatable area, watch a movie and play games, eat donated pizza and there was plenty of Pump It up employees supervising the event.  It cost $25 per child.

Carly’s Clubhouse also held a concert called “A night of legends”.  Elvis, Patsy Cline, Aretha Franklin impersonators took the stage for the evening.  There was children’s activities, a cash bar, and a great raffle. The concert was free but donations were collected and they raised $10,000.  For more information, visit http://www.carlysclubhouse.org/

A group in Teaneck, NJ are raising money for an accessible sprayground, was the reciepent of the funds raised by the  Teaneck Women’s Soccer League’s annual charity soccer game.  They also have put donation boxes in local stores and have plans for a spring Zumba fundraiser.  For more information, email makeasplash@thegigfoundation.org or visit facebook.com/masteaneck.

Clifford Bowey Public School in Ottawa has rallied the community in a variety of ways to support their new playground.  They won a contest with the highest number of votes.  They also had a swim-a-thon and a community dinner with a silent auction. To learn more, visit boweyfoundation.org. To view Lambert-Tocchi’s video taken the day the school learned it won the Aviva Community Fund prize, visit youtu.be/dzIMYNcuLCg.

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The  Sensory Play Roller Table provides kids much needed sensory stimulation, through the application of deep-muscle pressure, from the steel rollers.   It helps kids develop “skin map” of tactile sensory receptors throughout the body.  There are siderails for safe sensory play and most importantly curved overhead hand rails allowing for varied arm lengths and abilities.

FP – Roller Table

The Roller Slide has a wide, roomy slide bed and therefore, can be used by multiple kids side-by-side at one time.  It is placed at 22 degrees to maintained a controlled ride.

PB – Rollerslide

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FP – Pulse

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According to Stuart Schleien, Fredrick Green, and Charlsena Stone (1999) it takes three things to create a truly inclusive experience.

1. Get to the activity  NEOS must be installed on a durable, stable surface to ensure that all people can access the game and play safely.

2. Ability to function in the space On the NEOS 360, the game buttons are placed at the optimal reach range for a child using a wheelchair. The installation recommendations suggest that the NEOS be placed away from the rest of the playground equipment. This extra space  helps children with a variety of disabilities to function in the space by providing room for service animals and equipment.  It also helps a child with autism familiarize himself with the game before jumping in.

3. Create Social Inclusion or the ability to gain social acceptance in positive interactions with peers. Because NEOS attracts people of all ages from toddlers to grandparents, it helps build this social acceptance. People gather around and cheer for the players regardless of their playing ability.

In my experience, it is rare that a child with a disability gets cheered by their peers in a typical setting; making NEOS an even more positive experience. When given the chance and the right environment, children are creative in figuring out ways for everyone to play.

In one instance at a playground in Ohio, a group of 8-year-olds were playing NEOS when they noticed a girl, Angela, not playing.  Angela has cerebral palsy, which affects her ability to move most of her muscles, and requires she use a wheelchair to get around. The other children asked Angela if she would like to play. Her eyes lit up and she nodded yes. The kids pushed her right into the middle of the game.  Angela added more challenge to the game as the children needed to get around her wheelchair to hit the buttons.  Angela watched and laughed and the kids circled around her.  It was a case of true inclusion and it was wonderful to watch. –

Originally published by Play by Playworld

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After fences, the number one request that parents who are raising children with autism ask for in a playground is the opportunity to jump and bounce.  I don’t know of any American companies that provide this opportunity.  But Elephant Play does.

With a durable bouncy center of textile-enforced rubber, ElephantPlay’s Bouncing Play structures allow kids not only the freedom to climb, but to fly. Bouncing Play structures combine a unique jumping and rebounding experience that is not common in commercial playground equipment.

Beyond fun, research has shown that rebound bouncing play equipment can strengthen the heart, joints, and legs, while boosting metabolism, circulation, and lung capacity. With child obesity on the rise all across North America, the idea of instilling healthy play into kids’ every day activities is as important as ever.

Imagine a surprise buried in a sandbox – it’s the Bouncing Mat. The bed of the mat is made of reinforced rubber and attached to heavy duty springs which limit the jumping height to 18” (45 cm). The edge of the Bouncing Mat is built out of recycled rubber and thus it absorbs impact like a cushion.

By combining the Bouncing Mat with a versatile exterior rope structure, the Mini Bouncing Net maximizes activity on the playground. Not only do kids get to climb through an intricate net, its design enables young kids to reap their rewards by bouncing. The Mini Bouncing Net is a versatile structure that designed specifically for young children.

As the bigger brother of the Mini Bouncing Net, the Full Bouncing Net is a very similar play structure. However, it is bigger, higher, wider and designed for older children and higher capacities. The excitement of bouncing after climbing through the exterior net structure creates fun and challenging play.

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Accessible playgrounds tend to only offer children who are working on the simplest skills the ability to practice.  Children who have more advanced motor skills are often bored. Designers try to address this issue by adding challenging activities  separate from the easier ones; in effect, creating an area for children with motor disabilities and an area for children without motor disabilities.  While this may create an accessible playground where all children are engaged, it does not create an inclusive playground. 

A truly inclusive playground allows  all children to play together while at the same time enabling individual children to play at their  developmental level.

Playworld Systems’  Triumph Climber breaks the mold.  Unlike any other climber, it offers three levels of challenge in one piece of playground equipment.  As the challenges increase in difficulty it requires a child to use more motor planning skills. Motor planning is the ability to perform a new or skilled motor task.  One of the best ways for a child to learn a new motor skill is to imitate someone. The Triumph Climber is an ideal place for this type of learning to take place. 

Originally published on Play by Playworld

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