Playground equipment-A Playground For Everyone
Playground equipment-A Playground For Everyone
A Sydney playground designed to cater for all ages and abilities is being replicated all over Australia.
When landscape architect Ben Richards was asked to design a playground at Five Dock suitable for all children, including those with disabilities, he spent six months staring out the window wondering how he could make that happen.
The brief from the Canada Bay Council was also for a playground that suited all ages including parents and grandparents.
"I spent thousands of hours in special schools watching how kids with autism move in space", he told Linda Mottram.
"When I started the process what I believed was that autistic children reacted negatively to people but I think they react negatively to space because the space is unpredictable".
Creating colour-coded spaces and areas of high activity and low activity was part of how Ben created a playground that any child could feel safe in.
"Not all equipment will be suitable for all children," he said.
But many activities have been designed so a parent can take part with their child.
One example is the "tandem bullrider" where typically two kids sit behind each other and swing backwards and forwards.
The second seat has been made big enough for an adult.
"That way the adult provides the physical and emotional support, " said Ben.
The playground was built with the support of The Touched by Olivia foundation in 2009 and the plans are freely available to any community interested in building a similar facilty.
Forty four "all abilities" playground have since been built all around Australia.
"I go to [the playground] a couple of times a week even now," Ben told Linda.
He's keen to see how new visitors react - and how the regulars are adapting to the space.
"While I haven't see a lot of autistic kids engage with other kids which is what you'd hope for in the end, they do become more comfortable with the space."
The playground is known as " Livvi's Place" and is located at Timbrell Park, Five Dock.
A Sydney playground designed to cater for all ages and abilities is being replicated all over Australia.
When landscape architect Ben Richards was asked to design a playground at Five Dock suitable for all children, including those with disabilities, he spent six months staring out the window wondering how he could make that happen.
The brief from the Canada Bay Council was also for a playground that suited all ages including parents and grandparents.
"I spent thousands of hours in special schools watching how kids with autism move in space", he told Linda Mottram.
"When I started the process what I believed was that autistic children reacted negatively to people but I think they react negatively to space because the space is unpredictable".
Creating colour-coded spaces and areas of high activity and low activity was part of how Ben created a playground that any child could feel safe in.
"Not all equipment will be suitable for all children," he said.
But many activities have been designed so a parent can take part with their child.
One example is the "tandem bullrider" where typically two kids sit behind each other and swing backwards and forwards.
The second seat has been made big enough for an adult.
"That way the adult provides the physical and emotional support, " said Ben.
The playground was built with the support of The Touched by Olivia foundation in 2009 and the plans are freely available to any community interested in building a similar facilty.
Forty four "all abilities" playground have since been built all around Australia.
"I go to [the playground] a couple of times a week even now," Ben told Linda.
He's keen to see how new visitors react - and how the regulars are adapting to the space.
"While I haven't see a lot of autistic kids engage with other kids which is what you'd hope for in the end, they do become more comfortable with the space."
The playground is known as " Livvi's Place" and is located at Timbrell Park, Five Dock.
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