How Landscap e Structures is leading the Inclusive Play movement to get children of all abilities on the playground together. How Landscape Structures® is leading the Inclusive Play movement to get children of all abilities on the playground together.

OUR COMMITMENT TO INCLUSIVE PLAY IS DEEPLY INGRAINED IN WHO WE ARE. WE INFUSE INSIGHTS INTO OUR DESIGN PROCESS SO MORE KIDS FEEL INVITED INTO PLAY. CREATING INTENTIONAL DESIGNS THAT ENCOURAGE INDEPENDENCE. INTEGRATING AN INTUITIVE RANGE OF ACCESS AND ACTIVITIES THROUGHOUT. AND INSPIRING INTERACTION WITH INNOVATION.

Our commitment to inclusive play Who benefits from inclusive play 8 What makes a playground inclusive 12 Inclusive play idea gallery 28 Designing for inclusive play 48 The leader in inclusive play 56

Our commitment to inclusive play ftAll too often people have designed for us, not with us. It’s time that changed. Jill Moore Inclusive Play Specialist Landscape Structures Following founder Steve King's appointment to the Federal Access Board's Recreation Access Advisory Committee in 1993, Landscape Structures launched its quest to go beyond the minimum ADA requirements and create truly inclusive play spaces. From the beginning we sought expert input from a group of individuals with a diverse range of disabilities. Their lived experiences provide us with usable insights, so much more valuable...

They’re not bad words As we connect and collaborate with the disability community, we learn more about varying language preferences. Here you’ll see person-first language (i.e., kids with disabilities) and identity-first language (i.e. disabled kids) used interchangeably.

COL LECTIVE PER SPEC TIVES The word disability isn’t limited to a singular diagnosis or person whose life is touched by disability. That’s why we choose to gather insight from a multitude of highly relevant sources. In addition to our Inclusive Play Specialists, Jill Moore and Ariel Mansholt, we collaborate with the following inclusion allies. Jill Moore Inclusive Play Specialist at Landscape Structures As a person with a disability, I know I have a lot to add. When we design for inclusion, we’re showing people of every ability that their presence is of value. That all are welcome and invited...

Tiffany Harris Co-Founder/CEO Inclusion Matters® by Shane's Inspiration Creating equitable opportunities for children with disabilities to be included in the heart of their communities, in dignity, respect, friendship and joy has been a great honor for us. The gift this is to the greater community is best expressed in this quote from Nelson Mandela that continues to inspire us, “It is for us to adapt our understanding of a common humanity; to learn of the richness of how human life is diverse; to recognize the presence of disability in our human midst as an enrichment of our diversity.” Executive...

Who benefits from inclusive play By considering the lived experiences of all kids, more kids will get to play their way. 7,300,000 the number of school-aged children with disabilities – U.S. Department of Education, 2021 Every child is searching for two things when they get to the playground: Something that interests them and a way to get to it. What happens next depends upon the child and the playground. children aged 3-17 years were diagnosed with a developmental disability – CDC, 2022 adult Americans have a diagnosed disability – CDC, 2

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards primarily require that playgrounds be accessible for those who use a wheelchair or other mobility aid. While the current standards provide a foundation for basic access, there is an opportunity to go beyond this. By expanding these standards, we can embrace a more holistic view of individuals, addressing neurodiversity, diverse visual and hearing needs, and other diagnoses to create truly inclusive spaces. Students with Disabilities There are many types of disabilities, but less than 1% (orthopedic diagnoses) falls within the ADA target on the...

Inclusive play is equitable play. All kids benefit from play. It’s a great source of physical, social, emotional and cognitive growth, not to mention tons of fun! A disability, or a difference in needs or supports, shouldn’t keep anyone from joining in the fun. Play itself doesn’t divide that way. Play is core to the human experience. It is how we get to know the world and each other. An intentionally designed inclusive playground can unite, welcoming children of all abilities along with their parents, siblings and caretakers. It can be a place where players find quiet and energetic activities...

• rtffsp " -star My older brother was overwhelmed by playgrounds as %-< a kid so we never 4 stayed very long. I looked at them 4 from afar. Ariel Mansholt jSft|wgjfcgSibling, OTD, OTR/L, CPSI RBI^^^^^^H^^I^^^^^^Inclusive Play Specialist andscape Structures WHO BENEFITS FROM INCL 11

What makes a playground inclusive? The problem is the not the person with a disability. Historically the stigma of disability has been applied to people. This line of thinking is called the medical model and it’s anchored in the belief that a disability is something that needs to be fixed. In contrast, Landscape Structures subscribes to the social model that says it is the environment that needs fixing. By removing blame from the user, the focus can shift to creating a universal space where all can thrive. This subtle but significant difference opens the door to inspired solutions that may not...

Anytime a checklist is created, it runs the risk of becoming the bare minimum. It can also lead to cookie-cutter results. An ideal inclusive playground is one that reflects the people in your community, not a list. Think about how different a playground designed specifically for kids with autism would be from one that accommodates for blind/low vision users or another that addresses a variety of other diagnoses. Do you know who your potential players are? Or what they'll need to feel supported and welcome at your playground? This line is a rallying cry within disabled communities around the world...