Playgrounds, recreation and outdoor fitness spaces help communities get outside, get moving and develop skills, relationships, resilience, and a sense of adventure and community that transcend the playspace. Making certain everyone not only has access but can also fully participate in an equitable play experience is one of the most important aspects of playground design. We reached out to BCI Burke to get a pulse on a few of the main concepts of designing play for everyone.

Why is inclusion important
in outdoor spaces?

 
At the base level, it's the law. ADA requirements state that access to public recreation is a civil right. It's also important because we know that play is a catalyst for learning, growing, developing and engaging in the community. Creating spaces that bring everyone together requires considering who the "everyone" is and approaching design by listening to the voices, needs and preferences of all people. According to the CDC, ten percent of children ages 6-14 and 13 percent of adults have differing abilities. Having spaces that accommodate the entire community will create an equitable outdoor
experience for everyone.

What should we consider
as we design inclusive spaces?

1. Parallel pathways for play. How children get around the space is hugely important, and access to the most exciting elements is a must for inclusion. Having pathways that allow people of different ages and abilities to play and learn alongside each other and create their own play experiences in and around the play environment is part of fostering understanding and plays a role in decreasing attitudinal barriers people with differing abilities often face.
2. Play variety. Variety is the spice of play, and having different types of play experiences is crucial to inclusion. Variety means everyone can create an experience that meets their needs, abilities and preferences AND that no one is stigmatized into only certain types of play. For example, children who don't transfer from mobility devices should be able to, in an inclusive space, participate in creative play, musical play, sensory play, swinging, spinning and have comfortable places to socialize and rest. Caregivers should be able to engage comfortably with children and participate in intergenerational play.
3. Play equity. Similar play experiences for all children, access to different types of play, spaces that foster comfort, learning, socialization and development are all contributors to play equity. The 360 Loop?,,? provides equity within the "circle of play." Climbing up and sliding down and then doing it again is the most common way we see children playing on a playground structure. In the past, independent play within the circle wasn't accessible to children using mobility devices and caregiver assistance was required. The 360 Loop?,,? changes that with a transfer station, an ergonomically designed climber and a slide with an extended platform that brings the user back to the transfer station where their mobility device waits.

Anything else you would like to share?

Yes, it's also important to not just consider abilities but also preferences. Considering preferences is the next level of inclusion and digs deeper into the needs of the people using the space. Sensory processing, vision, developmental, physical differences and more are all considerations when we design community spaces. Understanding the population and providing a space that everyone feels is designed with them in mind will drive usage, engagement and advocacy around the space.
Learn more at bciburke.com/inclusive.