As accessibility in playground design has become standard, playgrounds themselves have gained new purpose as spaces for recreational therapy. Ranken Jordan Pediatric Bridge Hospital Therapy Garden in Maryland Heights, Missouri, and GEM Village Socially Inclusive Playground in Kakiri, Wakiso, Uganda, show how this trend is spreading across the globe.

Ranken Jordan Pediatric Bridge Hospital Therapy Garden
The primary focus for Missouri-based landscape architecture firm SWT Design in crafting the new Ranken Jordan Pediatric Specialty Hospital was to help children recover from their injuries and illnesses by allowing them to experience the great outdoors. The campus design purposely devotes various site amenities to enhance the child-centered experience for the patients, their families, and the staff by surrounding them with sights and activities that create a nurturing environment.

 

By embracing the healing power of nature and the therapeutic benefits of play, the garden provides a transformative experience for patients and their families while expanding the hospital's legacy as a regional leader in transitional pediatric care. The space also serves as a tribute to Mary Ranken Jordan, the hospital's founder, whose belief in the outdoors as a catalyst for healing continues to inspire the hospital's mission.

The design centers around three primary thematic elements: Expanding Nature's Toolbox, Discovering New Abilities, and Stimulating the Senses. Features such as an accessible turf ball field, a six-hole putting green, and an outdoor nurses' station - a world-first, according to SWT Design - were introduced to ensure that children could safely engage with the outdoors while simultaneously receiving medical care. The nurses' station, under a butterfly-shaped canopy, includes essential equipment that enables uninterrupted play and therapy sessions. The garden's plant palette contributes to its sensory richness, featuring native and ornamental species that attract pollinators and create a dynamic, ephemeral environment. Unique elements, such as a whimsical Contorted Filbert (Corylus avellana 'Contorta') tree and a grove of Aspens (Populus tremuloides) whose rustling leaves mimic the sounds of gentle rain, offer therapeutic sensory experiences. The design also features therapy zones with inclusive equipment, sensory gardens, and horticulture areas. Every element of the space - from stamped pathways and tunnels to oversized percussion instruments and wheelchair-accessible play structures - reflects a commitment to inclusivity and innovation. This thoughtful integration of natural and crafted elements fosters a joyful, restorative atmosphere for children and families alike, ensuring the hospital's mission extends beyond its walls.

GEM Village Socially Inclusive Playground
In the serene countryside of Kakiri, Wakiso, Uganda, the GEM Village Socially Inclusive Playground stands as a pioneering model of compassion and innovation in play design. The GEM Foundation, which cares for more than sixty orphaned and abandoned children with special needs, relocated from its central urban facility to the countryside to create a quieter, healthier environment for children with disabilities, free from the overwhelming noise, strangers, and chaotic surroundings of city life. For the first time, the focus shifted from simply meeting these children's survival needs to nurturing their mental health and happiness. The playground design was a collaborative, pro-bono effort between U.S.-based multidisciplinary firm Westwood, EMI, and other providers. Each element focuses on accessibility, sensory enrichment, and cognitive simplicity to create a nurturing environment that promotes physical and emotional well-being.

Considering most children at GEM Village use mobility devices, the walkways within and leading to the playground are designed with less than 5% slopes to reduce the effort required to ascend to each play area. The playground surfaces are covered with artificial turf with a sand sub-grade, and all raised play elements are designed to minimize fall heights and exceed standard accessibility requirements, allowing children in wheelchairs to enjoy all the playground has to offer barrier-free. The playground features a variety of elements such as spinners, rockers, a water play area, a sensory wave walk, a sensory wall, a manipulable wall, and musical instruments to help engage the children's sensory systems and encourage exploration.

As cognitive simplicity is crucial for children with autism and intellectual disabilities, the playground is designed to be open and easily navigable, with clear sight lines, recognizable landmarks, and consistent patterns and textures that help children understand their environment. Play activities are designed to encourage exploration and repetition, fostering physical and cognitive development. Similarly, integrating natural elements like stone and plant life into the playground design beautifies the space and provides natural play elements for children to explore, supporting creative play and offering mental health benefits associated with outdoor spaces.

The GEM Village Inclusive Playground is a testament to the belief that every child deserves the right to play and experience joy. It challenges prevailing stereotypes and prejudices against disabilities in Uganda, showing that these children are valuable members of society who deserve every opportunity to thrive.