- Have the playground as close to the parking lot as possible to reduce the energy used just
getting to the playground.
- Have accessible parking spots available.
- Have a smooth walkway leading to and around the playground.
- Provide many opportunities for spinning, bouncing, and swinging. Besides being great fun,
they are wonderful sensations for children who have sensory processing issues.
- Keep the slope of any walkway 1:20
- Have a fence or natural boundaries to ensure that parents know where their children are.
- Include as much tactile sensory experiences as you can: water, sand, rocks, plants, etc.
- Bring nature into your playground
- Include a playground for 3-5 year olds and a playground for 5-12 year olds so that every child
can be challenged in their play.
- Make the pathways wide enough for a two people to move side-by-side (including two people
using wheelchairs).
- Incorporate transfer stations. Use different unique transfer stations that allow a child with
upper body strength to climb it up themselves.
- Provide multiple ways for children to play on the equipment to accommodate different
cognitive levels.
- Provide play equipment that is based on the ground so that all the play value is not happening
on platforms.
- Provide rest areas along ramps as well as around the playground.
- Have benches that have backs and armrests. This is important for the children as well as the
adults that may bring them to the playground. If the parent is comfortable the chances are the
children will have the opportunity to play longer.
- Where appropriate incorporate ramps. Make sure you don’t have ramps to nowhere. There
should a different ramp to get down from the one they got up.
- Use surfacing that makes it easy for someone use any mobility devise (a cane, walker,
wheelchair) to move easily through your playground.
- Include different types of slides. Use a Stainless Steel Slide because children who have a
cochlear implant cannot use plastic.
- Include swings. They provide excellent sensory input. Use a variety a seats included a
molded bucket swing.
- Create quiet spaces. This could be under the play structure, inside a piece of playground
equipment, or designed with landscaping.
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General Design Ideas to Create an Universally Designed Playground
that enables ALL children to Play to the Best of their Ability
that enables ALL children to Play to the Best of their Ability
General Design Considerations
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