Inclusive Play... coming soon to a playground near you!

Nowhere is accessibility more important than in the design of playgrounds. As a community begins the planning process for the creation of or the revitalization of their playgrounds, examining the principles of inclusive play experiences should be the first step. The Me2 program is a phenomenal resource that was developed for just this reason. The programs contains 7 Principles of Inclusive Playground Design that will increase the “playability” for people of diverse abilities, age, race, gender, ethnicity, culture, and socioeconomic status. These principles have been tailored to what all children want to feel and experience during outdoor play.

In the state of Alabama there are very few completely accessible playgrounds – many public parks have areas of the playground that are accessible - such as the splash pad at Brahan Spring Park in Huntsville or the Riverwild Playground at Delano Park in Decatur. RLA has been working with the city of Hoover on the design for the first completely Me2 accessible park in our state. The park is nearing completion and we are eagerly anticipating the grand opening weekend. In the meantime, here are some pictures from the site, nearing the final stages of completion.

Resources for playground accessibility:

Search for accessible playgrounds in the United States here:

http://www.playgroundsforeveryone.com/

Checklist for access put together by IPEMA (International Play Equipment Manufacturers Association):

http://voiceofplay.org/resources/

Me2 Program overview:

http://www.inclusiveplaygrounds.org/me2/overview