By: Jennifer K. Skulski, CPSI, National Center on Accessibility

Introduction:

The public playground is, by far, one of the most important settings for child development. It is one of the few environments where a child has the freedom to run and jump, climb, swing and leap, yell, reign, conjure, create, dream, or meditate. In our complicated world, the playground is a safe place for children to come together, to discover the value of play, to learn about each other, to recognize their similarities and differences, to meet physical and social challenges, to leave comfort zones, and evolve into the young people they are meant to be. It is a microcosm for life lessons, from challenge and risk to conflict resolution and cooperation. When we design for these purposes and apply the Principles of Universal Design, we design for inclusive play where every child, regardless of ability or disability, is welcomed and benefits physically, developmentally, emotionally, and socially from the environment.

To access the full monograph, go to http://www.ncpad.org/529/2456/Designing~for~Inclusive~Play~~~Applying~the~Principles~of~
Universal~Design~to~the~Playground.