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https://www.kit.org/inclusion-in-playgrounds/

An inclusive playground is an area that provides equipment for students with a variety of abilities. Children with disabilities are able to participate with classmates without special needs. Inclusive play areas and playgrounds support children's development through play by encouraging physical, social, and emotional development. Amenities that separates a typical playground from an inclusive play area may include, "Larger, wider spaces to give access to wheelchairs and other mobility devices, sensory play equipment such as the Little Tikes Braille Panel or Beat Blocks, Modified slides with ramps for additional support, etc." Including students with disabilities on playgrounds will support their physical development by allowing them to use equipment and move around with other students. Emotional and social development occurs on playgrounds by interacting with other students by playing games and solving problems. The link provides some real examples of exceptional inclusive playgrounds.

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All kids want to play. As every educator and child advocate knows, play is so essential in childhood that the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights declares it as child's right.

But the unfortunate reality is that not all playgrounds in America are inclusive or even accessible for all children to play in. Furthermore, many schools/organizations aren't sure how to build inclusive play spaces, or start developing a culture of inclusion in playgrounds.

Children with disabilities should rightfully have access to the same or properly-adapted playground equipment as their peers without disabilities. The playground, after all, is a safe haven for every child. In addition, all children can benefit from inclusive playgrounds. A child's understanding of the world often starts with play. When all kids are offered opportunities to play together, it opens up healthy behavioral and social skills that are vital later in adult life.

Despite its many benefits, though, there are still several challenges concerning inclusion in playgrounds. The good news is that resources and information necessary to create inclusive playgrounds are readily available. With increasing awareness campaigns on inclusion and accessibility for all kids, the tools to create inclusive playgrounds are usually just a click or an online training program away.

Still - the perennial question remains - where and how to begin? And chief among many concerns is the expense it takes to create an inclusive playground in the first place.

For this blog post, we'll talk about the benefits of inclusion in playgrounds for all kids, information on how you can start building an inclusive play space and how Kids Included Together (KIT) can help your organization foster inclusion in playgrounds.

The concept of an inclusive playground is simple - a play area with equipment and resources that meet the needs of children with a diverse range of disabilities; whether these disabilities are visible (e.g. kids in wheelchairs) or not (e.g. kids with hearing difficulties) - parents can count on inclusive playgrounds to offer a fun, inclusive and sensory-rich environment where all kids can develop critical physical, social and emotional skills.

What Does An Inclusive Playground Look Like?

At first glance, inclusive playgrounds don't look any different from traditional playgrounds. That's because any playground, regardless of whether it is inclusive or not, has a few things in common:

It has play equipment, such as swings and climbing structures.

It has areas for running and jumping. It may have toys for sand or water play.

There may be a sandbox and drinking fountains.

​​ There are also picnic tables, restrooms, shelters from the sun or rain, basketball courts, and other features in some playgrounds.

However, inclusive playgrounds (also called "universal playgrounds" or "universally accessible" playgrounds) have some additional amenities and adjusted equipment that may include:

Larger, wider spaces to give access to wheelchairs and other mobility devices.

Calendar of activities and events that cater to a specific disability.

Ramps to make it possible for children in wheelchairs to get on the equipment.

Swings designed to accommodate larger children.

Swings next to benches so that an adult can sit and swing with a child who cannot swing on their own.

Wheelchair-accessible seats for swing sets.

Modified slides with ramps for additional support.

Modified climbing frames for blind/partially sighted children.

Multiple exit/entry points, so children do not have to wait in line to enter or exit the playground.

Play equipment oriented towards the center of the playground rather than around the edge.

Additional staff to assist kids and parents.

Should Playground Equipment Be ADA Compliant?

The ADA requires that playgrounds built after 1993 be accessible to children with disabilities. Many playgrounds were built before the ADA took effect and are therefore not accessible.

The requirements for playgrounds are the same as those for buildings and facilities under the ADA; compliance requires that:

All playground parts must be accessible to children with disabilities, including those in wheelchairs, who must have "full and equal enjoyment" of all aspects of the playground experience.

There should be no barriers between the playground and sidewalks or other routes leading to it.

Slopes should be no steeper than 1:12 (5 percent); spaces no narrower than 36 inches; swings, slides, ladders, and other equipment that children who use wheelchairs can reach; swings and other equipment that can be used safely by children with disabilities.

However, many inclusion and child advocates push for playgrounds to go beyond just accessibility and to fully embrace inclusion.

5 Impressive Examples Of Inclusive Playgrounds

Want to know what the best inclusive playgrounds are like? We listed 5 impressive playgrounds from around the country. Feel free to click the links to learn more about each one .

What Are The Benefits Of An Inclusive Playground?

Both immediate and long-term benefits of inclusive playgrounds are numerous for all children, with the same benefits often extending to their parents and caregivers. So, aside from promoting social interaction between children of diverse backgrounds and abilities, critical skills that are immensely useful later in life are developed through inclusion in playgrounds, too.

Here's a quick list of the most common benefits for all children simply by playing together in an inclusive play area:

Through an accessible and sensory-rich environment, inclusive playgrounds instill a sense of independence and confidence in all children.

Through interaction with peers who have unique abilities and needs, children without disabilities learn how to work out conflicts peacefully and respectfully by listening to their peers' ideas and feelings, and following rules set by the group.

Children with disabilities can now be included in play and develop social awareness.

Because of adaptive and modified playground equipment, children with disabilities are encouraged to try new activities. For example, the inclusion of soft play structures without special access ramps promotes these structures by children with a wide range of mobility needs, including those on wheelchairs.

Interaction in inclusive play settings is essential for children with disabilities who may be at risk for isolation and bullying.

Well-designed inclusive playgrounds encourage friendships between different groups of children, which promotes awareness and acceptance of diversity throughout the community.

How Can KIT Help You Foster Inclusion In Playgrounds?

With over 20 years of experience - working behind the scenes and in the front lines of inclusion - KIT provides early childhood education professionals and caregivers with inclusion training and practical strategies. KIT's goal is to foster a culture of inclusion in classrooms, playgrounds, schools, and childcare centers.

At KIT, we have engaged over 100,000 child & youth development professionals in creating more inclusive environments. We help drive the national conversation around disability inclusion in childcare and education programs by introducing inclusive policy changes and best practices.

Our services and resources are designed to equip teachers with the knowledge and skills to build inclusive spaces where all young children feel safe, valued, and included.

If you are looking for something specific, you can explore our other inclusion solutions and resources below.
Training & Support Packages
From comprehensive onsite professional training to ongoing support, including on-demand online courses and webinars, KIT is your onsite, online, ongoing resource for providing inclusive practices and solutions.

Our services are available individually. However, your organization will get the most benefit if you customize a complete training package.

Connect with our experienced KIT coaches and unlock consultation services that will provide you with fresh ideas on how you can help include children of all abilities in group settings. You can purchase our Consultation Services as a standalone business service or combine it with our other relevant services into a Training & Support Package.

KIT works to help develop systematic changes that will encourage inclusion with regard to policy & professional development, training & technical assistance, research & evaluation, and extensive community engagement.

Visit kit.org/what-we-do to explore more inclusion services that we offer. From speaking engagements, monthly webinars, and coaching & consultation, KIT will teach you how to create inclusive environments where no child is excluded.

Conclusion

It's time to embrace differences and encourage our children to do the same. By encouraging and fostering a culture of inclusion in playgrounds, we can create opportunities for all children to play together and learn from one another. Some schools, organizations, and communities have already embraced this idea and achieved great results. Let's make more playgrounds inclusive and encourage the growth of inclusion in all parts of our community.
Let's talk about inclusion! We look forward to discussing options that best suit your organization's needs. Contact KIT today!

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Inclusion In Playgrounds: Why Is It Important? - Kids Included Together

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Learn how an inclusive and accessible playground is beneficial for all children and their parents. All kids want to play. As every educator and child advocate knows, play is so essential in childhood that the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights declares it as every child's right.

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Outdoor Experiences/Play in the Curriculum

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Outdoor Experiences/Play in the Curriculum

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Outdoor experiences can support children's learning development by improving students social skills and civic responsibility. When completing tasks outdoors, students tend to have to work in groups. For example, painting a mural or collecting data. Getting students outside is a change of scenery from the typical classroom lesson. Incorporating activities outdoors gives students a more hand on experiences. For example, having a cleanup day in the school yard. The link gives ideas for experiences to provide students outside of the classroom.

https://www.ecologyproject.org/post/11-ways-to-incorporate-outdoor-education-in-your-curriculum

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11 Ways to Incorporate Outdoor Education in your Curriculum

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The benefits of outdoor education are extensive and well-documented. Learning outdoors improves academic performance, health, and childhood development. It can also instill a sense of civic responsibility and empathy and build ties within the community. Finally, getting outside is fun! Students who venture outside during class time cherish these opportunities and remember this part of their education fondly.

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Integration of Games into the Curriculum

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Integration of Games into the Curriculum

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Games support children's learning across the curriculum by improving participation and engagement. Students are more likely to take risks during games because it is a less stressful and criticized environment. Research has found that Kahoot has given studen't a more positive outlook on leaning which ultimately increased academic scores. Focus may be improved for student's with ADHD because the student is completing a hands on activity and is involved. The link provides a variety of games to integrate into the classroom and the benefits of incorporating games into the curriculum.

https://www.edutopia.org/article/how-use-gameplay-enhance-classroom-learning

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What happens when a gorilla goes into a battle with a brown hyena in an Australian rain forest?

Tanya Buxton's high school biology students could find out as they embark on March Mammal Madness (MMM), a virtual game modeled after the annual NCAA basketball championship that aims to educate U.S. students about the importance of biodiversity and endangered species.

This is the second year in a row that Buxton has enrolled her Atherton, California, students in the tournament to deepen their understanding of global ecosystems while building community and camaraderie among peers.

Gameplay in school isn't just about having fun though, say Buxton and other teachers, who are increasingly using games and gaming principles to enhance instruction. From Minecraft to the Game of Life and Werewolf, effective games like March Mammal Madness link content with low-stakes competition and can provide a more collaborative, engaging classroom experience-especially for students who may struggle to focus or find their niche in learning. During the pandemic, games have also provided an important outlet that keeps kids connected and motivated remotely.

These claims aren't just anecdotal. According to research, using games in teaching can help increase student participation, foster social and emotional learning, and motivate students to take risks. One study of the popular multiple-choice quiz game Kahoot found that it improved students' attitudes toward learning and boosted their academic scores. In addition, studies have found that virtual games can improve focus and attention for students with ADHD and help students with dyslexia improve spatial and temporal attention, which can translate into improved reading.

But games aren't substitutes for other forms of learning. Like any educational tool, they need to be well-planned and integrated only when they're relevant to the learning objectives.

Think of games not as Band-Aids to fix what's broken in the classroom but as "a pedagogical approach that might help people think differently about what's possible... limited only by a player's imagination and by what a gaming set of rules allows," says Antero Garcia, an assistant professor at the Stanford Graduate School of Education who studies the impact of technology and gaming on youth literacy and civic identities.

Want to integrate well-developed games or just a few gaming principles into your lessons? Here are some approaches to consider to make games a valuable teaching tool.

Test and Learn

In many games, players encounter scenarios that involve making in-the-moment decisions that let them quickly see the impact of their choices in a low-risk setting and then try (and try again) if they falter-skills that are valuable as they go through life, says Garcia.
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Teachers, for example, can use role-playing games in the classroom to help students inhabit different perspectives and understand them as part of larger, holistic systems of thought, explains Matthew Farber, a former teacher and assistant professor at the University of Northern Colorado who studies the intersection of game-based learning and SEL. This system of thinking can become a good entry point for students to learn about their own agency as they weigh possibilities and consider alternate plans of action.

Because games are interactive-unlike books or movies that involve more passive consumption-they may also encourage students to explore new topics and approaches to learning that they otherwise would not consider, he says.

In the virtual game Alba: A Wildlife Adventure, for example, players launch mini-missions where they discover and protect species of endangered animals. Though students might not consider themselves adventurers or conservationists when they play the game, the low-risk setting can get them thinking about larger-scale impacts they could have in the real world, adds Farber. As a follow-up activity, students could conduct further research on animals they encountered or even take local nature walks to identify smaller ecosystems of local wildlife.

Even if teachers aren't using a fully developed game in their class, they can use a process known as gamification, or weaving components of games such as points, leaderboards, and badges into lessons to boost students' motivation. Because students get excited about the competition from earning badges or embarking on a quest, they tend to take more risks-and, in turn, learn from their mistakes, says Manju Banerjee, an associate professor and vice president of educational research and innovation at Landmark College in Putney, Vermont.

When students are researching a topic and conducting a literature analysis, teachers can design curricula to send them on a quest-instead of framing it as a typical assignment-or rethink assessment and "tell a student that he is at a 'novice' level rather than a grade of C-" to reduce academic pressure and encourage participation," says Banerjee.

Learning in Disguise

Though it's not the only reason to play games, the fun of gameplay is a critical part of why they are so successful with children, according to educators, who say that games can help disguise the learning of essential but challenging skills that kids might otherwise resist.
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Teachers Joe Dillon and Marina Lombardo, for instance, created a poem-writing activity using Minecraft: Education Edition, in which students move through a maze and visit rooms to learn how to make their writing more descriptive. This game, inspired by Georgia Heard's Six-Room-Poem activity, guides students through specific writing prompts, such as describing an object by focusing on the ambience of its surroundings.

Many games involve a compelling storyline that can quickly hook kids, which is what makes teaching with them so effective, explains Kendra Cameron-Jarvis, an instructional technologist for Buncombe County Schools in western North Carolina. In a game she designed called Discovering the Ancient Pyramids Adventure, sixth-grade students use Google Maps Treks-which provide a 360-degree view of the ancient structures-to go on a quest inside the Great Pyramid and solve a mystery while they explore. The game reinforces what they're learning in class about ancient Egypt, she says.

"It's kind of sneaky-they don't realize they're learning," she says. "Kids are going to have a really good time, and they're going to learn along the way."

Teachers are also increasingly using apps and interactive game platforms like Kahoot and Quizizz -Kahoot says that more than 6 million teachers in 200 countries use its app to date-as fun formative assessment tools to ensure that students are on track with their learning, especially during the pandemic. Cameron-Jarvis says teachers are reporting that the platforms are so engaging, students frequently request to play them as part of their learning.

To increase the likelihood of all students participating, teachers can scaffold the difficulty levels of a game, calibrated to the current ability of the student. For students with special needs in particular, games can be beneficial because they disrupt traditional learning approaches and introduce opportunities for them to succeed where they have often struggled, says Banerjee, who has more than 29 years of experience in the field of learning disabilities.

Banerjee recommends that teachers use a myriad of low-stakes leaderboards-scoreboards that show the names and scores of participants-to highlight often-overlooked activities or skills in a way that recognizes contributions from students who typically do not perform well on traditional assignments. Teachers can give credit to the student with "the most creative calculation error" in a math class, for example, which not only makes learning more entertaining but acknowledges that all students can contribute meaningfully within a classroom.

Bringing Students Together

Though students can play games alone, most education games encourage players to collaborate effectively in teams-a building block for creating strong relationships and skills like cooperation that will be valuable as they progress through school and life, studies show.

These social interactions have been crucial during distance learning, according to Douglas Kiang, a high school computer science teacher at the Menlo School. Since schools went virtual last spring, Kiang has used Minecraft to give students a chance to interact with each other while learning social skills such as teamwork, negotiation, and respect for others. He also plays Among Us with his advisory group of about 10 students.

"I think games are useful in that respect for bonding and for allowing kids to socialize and communicate with each other," says Kiang, who is a nationally recognized expert on game-based learning and technology integration.

Integrating more community-building elements into your classroom doesn't always require playing a multiplayer video game, though, says Cameron-Jarvis. She suggests posting questions in the stream of popular tools like Google Classroom, Flipgrid, and Nearpod, and letting students respond, interact, and debate ideas. Other teachers have used Google tools to make their own versions of traditional games like Connect Four or Tic Tac Toe so that students get a brain break from academic learning.

The important part of using games in the classroom is trying not to gamify everything and to start small, using games with rules that students understand, says Cameron-Jarvis. The mix of games also matters, adds Farber, who says teachers should aim for variety. If you do let kids play games in class, he says, "think about the emotions those games evoke besides strategy and procedure."

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How to Use Gameplay to Enhance Classroom Learning

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Research shows that using games in teaching can help increase student participation, foster social and emotional learning, and motivate students to take risks.