Playground equipment-Inclusive Play Stands Out
Playground equipment-Inclusive Play Stands Out
It's not just adults who are extra busy and often over-scheduled these days. Our society's push for success and desire to keep everyone safe (and avoid lawsuits) means more and more kids have lots of organized activities and less time to just, well, play. Several of the experts we spoke with for our feature story on inclusive play weighed in on why this is a problem and their hopes for the future of fun:
Play is a right, not a luxury. As academics become most important, recess and play are put on the back burner, even though countless studies show how play is a critical part of development, from cognitive and physical to social and emotional. There are also social factors limiting play: helicopter parents and broader concern about crime. But we've talked to several people who say that the ability to critically think and problem-solve among kids coming out of college is not what it used to be. There may not be a direct correlation to less play, but there are potentially some linkages—less play means less time for socializing and problem-solving. Those focused only on academics have fewer valuable skills of negotiation. That has a lasting impact.
We've moved all the way to preschool academics. So many scientific studies call for play for social and academic reasons, but our culture is negating the scientific studies. I only hope we can move back in that direction. It's so important to children. Play advocates need to stand and raise their voices.
Schools look for high test scores, so they eliminate PE and recess. But kids need PE to get high test scores. It's a hard argument because people don't see the direct correlation. Everyone says schedule kids to give them all the opportunities—dance, soccer, classes—but that leaves no time for free play. And especially when kids are younger, those activities tend to be adult-driven. Kids younger than 5 or 6 are not ready to be in those activities. Just go play! And the situation is certainly worse for children who have disabilities. They have to be in structured activities and in therapies that take time. Starting at age 3, most kids with disabilities start going to school full-time.
Building Brooklyn's Playground
Brooklyn Fisher and her parents, Jonny and Melissa, live in Pocatello, Idaho, but they learned before she was born that she had spina bifida. They went to Salt Lake City, Utah, where specialists could provide prenatal care and assist with her birth in 2006, and while they were there, they spent time in Liberty Park, which had been built for the 2002 Olympics. The local Rotary had built an inclusive playground there, "and we fell in love with that idea," said Jonny Fisher.
After Brooklyn was born, the family returned to Idaho, and life got busy. Then when Brooklyn was 3 and was starting to become more independent, she had an accident on a swing and got a concussion. "That spurred my wife into action," Fisher said.
The couple began researching in 2009 and after six months, they'd put together an educational presentation about inclusive playgrounds. They spent the next six months giving that presentation to just about anyone who would listen: the Rotary, the Chamber of Commerce and other local groups. They also invited people to join their committee, and they began gathering input and ideas from kids and therapists and professionals and other parents of children with disabilities. They worked with a playground design firm, Leathers and Associates, and in February 2011 presented their plan to the community: They wanted to start building in September and they needed to raise $500,000, of which they currently had just $50,000.
"It was ambitious and scary, but we knew if we had a deadline that would help make it happen," Fisher said. And happen it did. When the dust settled, they'd raised $575,000. The final playground cost $550,000, so they have $25,000 available for maintenance costs. The community was a huge help, Fisher said. "People want to help, and when you give them an opportunity to do so, you see the good come out. But they need to be empowered and given those opportunities. Show them what to do, and they'll sacrifice and volunteer for a good cause." The people of Pocatello got involved with online contests and helped the project win a grant. "And everyone who voted now felt ownership and wanted to be part of the project. They were very proud and excited," he said.
In September 2011, that excitement translated into action when 4,000 volunteers over seven days bolted the playground together and put it in place (lots of prep work had been done at the site in advance). Brooklyn's Playground, named for the Fishers' daughter, opened on Oct. 15, 2011.
Built on a soft, poured-in-place surface, the playground features six-foot-wide sidewalks and double-wide ramps leading all the way to the highest point on the playground. The slides have transfer points for those getting in and out of wheelchairs, and the playground includes several cove areas that allow overstimulated children to relax for a moment. Adaptive swings with safety straps and wide backs are available, as are a variety of fine-motor panels and textured walls for sensory play. The play area is broken into three age-appropriate areas to ensure that there's something challenging for everyone, as well as encourage children to play within their age group, Fisher explained.
"The idea is to include everyone, for all kids to come together," he said. "It's a great environment that fosters learning and gives kids an opportunity to ask questions." He uses his own daughter as an example. She's 6 now, and she uses a wheelchair, and people often wonder why and stare, he said. But Brooklyn has lots of cousins in town, and they've been playing with her since she was little. "These cousins don't think of her in a wheelchair. She's just Brooklyn because they know her. They've asked all the questions, and now they can just play," he said. "We want all children to get past that stage, so this is giving kids who don't have siblings or cousins with a disability an opportunity to associate with them and accept them."
It's not just adults who are extra busy and often over-scheduled these days. Our society's push for success and desire to keep everyone safe (and avoid lawsuits) means more and more kids have lots of organized activities and less time to just, well, play. Several of the experts we spoke with for our feature story on inclusive play weighed in on why this is a problem and their hopes for the future of fun:
Play is a right, not a luxury. As academics become most important, recess and play are put on the back burner, even though countless studies show how play is a critical part of development, from cognitive and physical to social and emotional. There are also social factors limiting play: helicopter parents and broader concern about crime. But we've talked to several people who say that the ability to critically think and problem-solve among kids coming out of college is not what it used to be. There may not be a direct correlation to less play, but there are potentially some linkages—less play means less time for socializing and problem-solving. Those focused only on academics have fewer valuable skills of negotiation. That has a lasting impact.
We've moved all the way to preschool academics. So many scientific studies call for play for social and academic reasons, but our culture is negating the scientific studies. I only hope we can move back in that direction. It's so important to children. Play advocates need to stand and raise their voices.
Schools look for high test scores, so they eliminate PE and recess. But kids need PE to get high test scores. It's a hard argument because people don't see the direct correlation. Everyone says schedule kids to give them all the opportunities—dance, soccer, classes—but that leaves no time for free play. And especially when kids are younger, those activities tend to be adult-driven. Kids younger than 5 or 6 are not ready to be in those activities. Just go play! And the situation is certainly worse for children who have disabilities. They have to be in structured activities and in therapies that take time. Starting at age 3, most kids with disabilities start going to school full-time.
Building Brooklyn's Playground
Brooklyn Fisher and her parents, Jonny and Melissa, live in Pocatello, Idaho, but they learned before she was born that she had spina bifida. They went to Salt Lake City, Utah, where specialists could provide prenatal care and assist with her birth in 2006, and while they were there, they spent time in Liberty Park, which had been built for the 2002 Olympics. The local Rotary had built an inclusive playground there, "and we fell in love with that idea," said Jonny Fisher.
After Brooklyn was born, the family returned to Idaho, and life got busy. Then when Brooklyn was 3 and was starting to become more independent, she had an accident on a swing and got a concussion. "That spurred my wife into action," Fisher said.
The couple began researching in 2009 and after six months, they'd put together an educational presentation about inclusive playgrounds. They spent the next six months giving that presentation to just about anyone who would listen: the Rotary, the Chamber of Commerce and other local groups. They also invited people to join their committee, and they began gathering input and ideas from kids and therapists and professionals and other parents of children with disabilities. They worked with a playground design firm, Leathers and Associates, and in February 2011 presented their plan to the community: They wanted to start building in September and they needed to raise $500,000, of which they currently had just $50,000.
"It was ambitious and scary, but we knew if we had a deadline that would help make it happen," Fisher said. And happen it did. When the dust settled, they'd raised $575,000. The final playground cost $550,000, so they have $25,000 available for maintenance costs. The community was a huge help, Fisher said. "People want to help, and when you give them an opportunity to do so, you see the good come out. But they need to be empowered and given those opportunities. Show them what to do, and they'll sacrifice and volunteer for a good cause." The people of Pocatello got involved with online contests and helped the project win a grant. "And everyone who voted now felt ownership and wanted to be part of the project. They were very proud and excited," he said.
In September 2011, that excitement translated into action when 4,000 volunteers over seven days bolted the playground together and put it in place (lots of prep work had been done at the site in advance). Brooklyn's Playground, named for the Fishers' daughter, opened on Oct. 15, 2011.
Built on a soft, poured-in-place surface, the playground features six-foot-wide sidewalks and double-wide ramps leading all the way to the highest point on the playground. The slides have transfer points for those getting in and out of wheelchairs, and the playground includes several cove areas that allow overstimulated children to relax for a moment. Adaptive swings with safety straps and wide backs are available, as are a variety of fine-motor panels and textured walls for sensory play. The play area is broken into three age-appropriate areas to ensure that there's something challenging for everyone, as well as encourage children to play within their age group, Fisher explained.
"The idea is to include everyone, for all kids to come together," he said. "It's a great environment that fosters learning and gives kids an opportunity to ask questions." He uses his own daughter as an example. She's 6 now, and she uses a wheelchair, and people often wonder why and stare, he said. But Brooklyn has lots of cousins in town, and they've been playing with her since she was little. "These cousins don't think of her in a wheelchair. She's just Brooklyn because they know her. They've asked all the questions, and now they can just play," he said. "We want all children to get past that stage, so this is giving kids who don't have siblings or cousins with a disability an opportunity to associate with them and accept them."
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