22 September 2011 • EP MAGAZINE/www.eparent.com

We know what you may be thinking:playgrounds…in November? But,

one of the important things to rememberabout education and government offi-cials is that they plan ahead; and, rightnow, they are planning for spring, whenplaygrounds get spruced up to receivekids returning to outdoor play afterindoor winter activities. Even if you livein a place that’s warm year-round, you’llwant to make requests and suggestionsbefore budgets are finalized in the firstfew months of the New Year. Bottom line:Don’t wait to let budget decision makersknow that you want your child to have aplace on the playground too!

It’s easy to understand that fun is oneof the key ingredients to any playgroundactivity. Spend five minutes at yourlocal park on a sunny day and you’llinevitably overhear the happy sounds ofkids at play.

But what you may not realize is thatplay systems—including slides, tunnels,activity panels and more—encourage alot more than just fun: there’s learning atwork in playground play, as well as theopportunity to include children of allabilities in this social pastime.

“Indoor learning can be taken out-doors,” explains Learning Spaces/Playground consulting expert, Lisa Moore.“Playground products and designs shouldpromote rich opportunities for childrenwith physical, cognitive, social-emotional,communicative and sensory disabilities toplay alongside their peers so that the play-ground is fun for everyone.”

FORUMPlayground Play: Educational and Inclusive

By Lisa Moore

www.eparent.com/EP MAGAZINE • November 2011 23

Even though kids may not realize it atthe time, they are learning a lot aboutthemselves, about life and about how toget along with others when they playtogether outside. “Playgrounds are funfor children and they offer uniqueopportunities for them to make theirown choices through self-directed play,”Lisa says.

Many play systems have beendesigned to provide social and physicalinclusion for children of all abilities,helping them feel empowered in sevenways: to be fair, included, smart, inde-pendent, safe, active and comfortable. Infact, Lisa and her employer PlayCore—adesigner and manufacturer of play-ground, fitness and related outdoor playproducts, in partnership with Utah StateUniversity’s Center for Persons withDisabilities—developed an approach toplay system design that incorporatesthose seven principles. That means that

kids who play on many play systemsreceive multiple developmental and cre-ative benefits when they play, including:

And that’s just to name a few!While sliding and climbing on playstructures is a great way to build motor

skills, implementing some inclusive andcreative stations into play zones can helpwith social learning too. For instance, askplayground officials to install a paint sta-tion—a clear, unbreakable and washablewindow that’s ideal for painting withwater soluble paints from a seated orstanding position. Because children canpaint simultaneously on either side ofthe window, they often find themselvesworking together to design elaborate,visually stimulating creations. Push for

ground-level musical instrumentsdesigned for playgrounds, which allowgroups of kids to make happy musicalnoise in unison. A theater station orpanel is great for putting on plays or act-ing out short stories before friends andfamily. Not only do these activities sparkcreativity the way Lisa says they weredesigned to, but they also offer kids whouse wheelchairs and other adaptiveequipment the opportunity to partici-pate without strain.

Some play system manufacturers havetaken the many physical, developmentaland social needs of children into consid-eration when designing their equipment;so you’ll want to encourage officials to

FlagHouse—a premier global supplier of resources for special needs, education, physicalactivity and recreation—is pleased to partner with Exceptional Parent to bring its readers thisinformational forum. This month’s FlagHouse Forum focuses on the value of playgroundplay. Find out what inclusive options exist for your child, even if he or she uses a wheelchair.Gain awareness of the educational benefits of playground play for children of all ability levels.

24 November 2011 • EP MAGAZINE/www.eparent.com

FORUM

shop the market for key features. Forinstance, since many children take med-ication that prevents them from spend-ing time in direct sunlight, fun stationswith two, four and six panels ofteninclude canopies or visors, which canhelp keep the sun off of exposed skin.Ramps allow for children using wheel-chairs and other adaptive equipment toget to elevated areas on play structures.Benches and swings provide greatopportunities for shy children to observethe playground before joining in groupactivities, or for kids who need a littlebreak from social intercourse to findtime out. Because playground play istruly an inclusive experience meant topromote learning, development and funfor every child, you want your local play-ground to offer as many of these featuresas possible.

Aesthetic considerations have madeplay structures the right fit for many dif-ferent childhood environments: fromcamps, to daycare centers, to churches,

to schools and more. “A variety of design choices, including

stimulating color palettes and morenature based color themes are availableto meet the unique needs and interestsof the users,” Lisa explains. In otherwords, a natural palette works well forwoodsy environments, while a playfulpalette, featuring primary colors, mightsuit a schoolyard or an urban environ-ment. Tell your park or school officialsthat a variety of styles are on the market,suitable for every environment. Ask

them to consider installing a new pieceof equipment each or every other year, ata pace that suits their budgets.

And remember: Don’t wait! Budgetsare being structured to include new play-ground amenities—or not—now. •

Lisa has spent her career working with children ofall abilities and their families as a Speech andLanguage Pathologist and the Director ofEducation and Outreach at an inclusive early child-hood center. She is an EdD candidate with aresearch focus on outdoor play and learning. Lisa iscurrently Vice President of Strategic Services atPlayCore, a leading designer and manufacturer ofplayground, fitness and related outdoor play prod-ucts. She invites you to learn more about inclusiveplaygrounds at www.inclusiveplaygrounds.org.

About FlagHouse, Inc. — With operations in theUnited States and Canada, FlagHouse offers morethan 20,000 products. It has served public and pri-vate sectors for over 50 years, including schools,parks, community centers, healthcare organizations,day treatment and residential care centers, militarybases, and individuals. Catalogs include FlyingStart™ (ages 2-5), Giant Leaps™ (ages 5-20),Going Strong™ (ages 21 and over)