What is it?
Accessible playgrounds and outdoor play environments are designed or adapted so children with a wide range of physical, sensory, communication, and developmental needs can participate in outdoor recreation. Accessibility can include physically accessible routes and surfaces, transfer or ground-level play options, inclusive swings and equipment, sensory-rich play features, quiet spaces, visual or tactile information, and opportunities for different types of movement, exploration, and social play.
How to use it?
Look beyond whether a learner can physically enter the playground and consider whether they can meaningfully access the play experiences available there. Identify accessible routes, equipment, seating, communication supports, sensory spaces, and ways to participate in common playground games. Bring needed AAC or mobility equipment outdoors, adapt games and materials when necessary, and teach peers multiple ways to include one another in play. Whenever possible, offer a range of active, social, sensory, and quieter options without assigning particular spaces or activities only to students with disabilities.
Why use it?
Being present on a playground is not the same as being included in play. Physical, sensory, and communication barriers can limit opportunities to explore, make choices, interact with peers, and participate in shared recreation. Accessible outdoor environments support movement, independence, social connection, belonging, and play by ensuring that more learners can actively participate rather than experience recess and outdoor activities from the sidelines.
