We all love to play, and to do fun stuff. Activies may be enjoyable in many different formats, but considered as play by the person enjoying whatever form it may take.
Play is a way in which we learn, it is a way of exploring new ideas, different activities, and experiencing emotions in a safe environment.
It is vital to our development as humans (it’s essential to animals too), yet as I sit here and write this, I am sadly all too aware that disabled children (and adults too) miss out on so much of this.
Play areas, are rarely inclusive. They may think they are, ok so your local playground has a safe surface that a wheelchair or someone with mobility issues can get across or navigate safely, but…… Once we look beyond that, how much of the playground equipment is actually inclusive?
If you can’t walk safely, or climb safely, or you use a wheelchair, what is there available for you to use?
Would it be easy to navigate if you had sight-loss of some kind? What can be reached from a wheelchair? Is there any wheelchair accessible play equipment?
Please, next time you go past a play area, or any other play related activity place, look again and see whether you think its truly accessible and inclusive. The majority are not.
Let’s make it the automatic standard to have accessible play areas, the equipment is out there. If its accessible for people with a disability, then it’s accessible for everyone.
EVERYONE INCLUDED!!
Access, Inclusion, & Other Stuff. 