A playground intentionally designed for accessibility and inclusion supports outdoor play among males and females and attracts children across different age groupsChildren with disabilities often face barriers to their active participation in play activities on a traditional playground. Inclusive playgrounds are designed to remove such barriers. They are also designed to support diverse play opportunities, including interactive play with peers and adults. To date, the research on who is utilizing these play spaces and if they are adequately supporting inclusive play is sparse. This study addressed this gap in the literature by examining how a newly built inclusive playground is being used by the community and by whom. This study also examined the types of play behaviors, social interactions, and activity levels of children using the playground.
Observations of children using the inclusive playground were conducted by two trained observers using a modified version of the System for Observing Play and Recreation in Children (SOPARC) tool. This tool allowed for the collection of information about children’s age, gender, race/ethnicity, social interactions, play behavior types, and activity levels. A total of 1332 observations were made over a period of eight days. The playground observed was physically accessible and aligned with universal design guidelines. It included elements of sensory play and a “cozy” place to retreat when feeling overstimulated.
Of the 1332 child observations, only one included a child with a visible disability. This child used a mobility aid and was observed engaging in functional play (e.g. climbing, swinging, etc.) with an adult. There was an almost equal number of males and females during the observations. More females were observed in the music/sensory and freestanding play elements sections of the playground than males. Over half (51.80%) of the children observed were coded as being between the ages of 6-12. There were only a few children over the age of 12. These older children were mainly observed in the freestanding play equipment section of the playground, where the greatest percentage of play was non-active. Children in other sections of the playground tended to be engaged in active or very active play. Of the different types of play behaviors, functional play occurred most often (80–88%); dramatic/fantasy play the least often (less than 10%). Peer (child/child) play was the most common social interaction type.
An important finding of this study relates to the intent behind universal design – that is, allowing everyone to use a space to the fullest extent possible without the need for adaptations. The inclusive playground featured in this study appeared to attract a large number of children who did not have an impairment or disability. More research is needed to gain a fuller understanding of how children with disabilities engage with playgrounds designed to be inclusive and accessible. Recommendations for future research include attention to invisible forms of disability.
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