Adapted Playground Project

Vital Stats

Teresa Z

Spencerport, NY

  • people helped426
  • People Doing It 15

The Problem

We are building an adapted playground! Our current playground equipment is not functionally accessible to students with disabilities: the steps are steep; the monkey bars are too high; there are no ramps for students in wheelchairs; it is difficult to push a wheelchair through the woodchip ground cover. Our goal is to add on to our existing playground structure to provide an inclusive space for everyone to play together. A universally inclusive design will help to build every child’s physical strength, balance, and coordination. Opportunities such as sliding, swinging, touching, and climbing develop sensory processing abilities, a necessary skill in order to cope with various environments. Peer interaction within this space will help foster social skills including conversation, asking for help, taking turns, winning and losing, maintaining personal space, gaining confidence and independence, and accepting differences in others.

Plan of Action

Fundraising for this playground project will occur throughout the remainder of the 2010-2011 school year. Our goal is to have an inclusive play structure for all students built for use in Fall 2011. It will be constructed with a supervised installation and community volunteers. The adapted playground will be linked to the existing playground. The new adapted design includes one sliding and four climbing opportunities. There are nine other activities including play panels, extended steering wheels, and a pull along. The new structure will also include a ramp to two different covered play areas. The existing swing frame will be extended and will now house a therapeutic swing. Playground surfacing has also been taken into consideration. Our existing engineered woodchip ground cover, although technically ADA approved, does not allow for independent wheelchair propulsion. It is also challenging for ambulatory students with balance issues to negotiate. Rubber surfacing (poured in place or tile) is necessary to make this area fully accessible.
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