0844 4990214 · pdf fileat inclusive play we design and provide bespoke fun and educational...

Inclusive Play - Providing safe, educational and fun play spaces and equipment for everyone.

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IP16 - Butterfly

At Inclusive Play we design and provide

bespoke fun and educational play spaces

for all children. Discover our inclusive

playground equipment and find out more

about our play space designs. Our play

equipment and play areas are designed to

ensure that children with all abilities can

play and learn together.

Inclusive Play

All children benefit from being outside, interacting with their environment, learning from nature and developing through play. An inclusive approach to play is critical to the success of every play area. By allowing everyone to socialise and play together, it creates a greater awareness and understanding of the needs of different people. The importance of play in children’s development is much documented. For children with disabilities it can be a lifeline. When there are few areas in their lives in

which they feel they have control, play is one way that many can make their own choices and feel empowered. It is also recognised that play has many therapeutic benefits. An inclusive playground accommodates everyone and challenges them at their own level. Friends should be able to share the play experience regardless of their abilities. For many, how to assess existing play areas for their ‘inclusiveness’ and design inclusion into new play spaces is uncertain. This guide highlights several factors in the design of a play space which can assist in making a child’s play experience as inclusive as possible. We hope this resource will inspire you to create an inclusive space where you live.

How to design for inclusivity

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Sensory play equipment and play environments are crucial to a child’s development. Tactile experiences provided in the play space help develop and exercise the user’s sense of touch, smell, vision and sound. This provides the opportunity for a child to have their whole body involved in play, whether it be rolling down a hill, getting wet or playing in sand. Inclusive Play can help provide the opportunity for a child to feel at least one of the following experiences;

Soft and Smooth materials are able to be compressed when pressure is applied such as rubber or foam. Sand and water can also fall into this category. These tend to be free from projections or unevenness of surface such as a metal pole, slide, mirrors and marbles.

Rough and Hard materials are coarse and have irregularities or breaks when pressure is applied such as rocks and rope. The material is granular in texture such as sand, dirt, rocks or boulders (natural or concrete) Material is solid and firm to touch such as plastic, timber and steel play equipment.

Uneven or bumpy surfaces in play equipment such as slides with bumps built in or various

heights in access ramps can also enhance the play experience. For those in wheelchairs, create pathways that have various textures built in or staggered cambers as a way of allowing for fun wheeled play.

A person’s vision can be stimulated by using primary colours such as red, blue and yellow because they are perceived faster than secondary colours and are therefore recognised faster. It is advised to use these colours with as many types play equipment as possible regardless of the equipments existing colour. Colourful loose materials and manipulative play features are essential in any well planned and designed play environment. Colours can also be used creatively through planting. Using the seasons and certain species of plants help the play environment constantly develop and change.

Sound can be used in many ways and can be a great addition to a play area. Musical play items include chimes, speaking tubes, parabolic dishes, wooden xylophone frames, sound chambers and musical hopscotch panels.

Smell within play spaces can be achieved successfully through plants, bushes and flowers. Rosemary, Peppermint, Lavender and Thyme are great examples of introducing strong pleasant smells into the play environment with a very low risk factor and are easily included at the design stage.

Enhancing the senses

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Types of equipment that should be considered during the design phase that will enhance the play value for children are as follows:

Activities with Sand and Water - Sand and water can encourage creativity by providing sensory and group activities. This activity should enable use by the largest possible number of children by allowing access to children in wheelchairs and providing seats with backrests at various heights.Suitable products: J5001 Proludic Sand Factory and J1706 The Wash House.

Play Panels - Play panels are a fantastic tool for encouraging physical and practical play and can help to develop a child’s concentration skills and improve coordination. Using contrasting colours is also important as it makes it easier for the user to locate each of the different activities. Suitable products: IP021 Exosphere, J3401 Animal Labyrinth, J3402 Flowers Board, J3403 Find The Animal Play Table, J3404 Find The Path Maze and J3405 Flipper.

Roundabouts and Rotating Equipment - Rotating equipment provides great levels of sensorial and motor stimulation for all. Children

experience speed and controlled movement. This type of play equipment can enable children to acquire or improve their body control and synchronize their movements. Roundabouts for children with physical disabilities should be as close to the ground as possible and allow for ease of transfer from a wheelchair. Suitable products: IP12 Wheelspin, IP09 Fusion, IP03 Moonwalker, IP01 Revolve, IP14 IWheel, IP02 Exosphere, J2400 Speed Gyro, J2595 Rotofun.

Spring Mounted Equipment - The movements of spring mounted equipment are a very important aspect in providing playing value for children. They enable children to gain further awareness of their own body and can stimulate their senses. Spring mounted equipment can be more important for children with hearing difficulties or partially sighted children as the swinging movement can bring their inner ears into play which is necessary to help control their balance. Spring equipment can include larger spring items such as spring mounted platforms capable of safely holding wheelchairs and buggies.Suitable products: IP13 Vortex, IP05 Orbs, IP07 Mezzo, IP16 Butterfly, J834 Twiny. J836 Helicopter, J3961 Looping.

Play elements to consider

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Swings and Motion - Items of equipment including swinging and active movements are a source of positive and unusual feelings for children. These movements can combine coordination, elevated sensations and awareness of height with fun and speed. The repetition of the movement is immediately stimulating and relaxing. These items can be very beneficial for severely disabled users. Large, basket swings can enable several children to play together and provide room for young children and those with disabilities to lie down and rest their bodies. Suitable products: IP15 ISwing, J440 Pod Swing, 901220100R Nest Swing.

Slides and Mounds - Slides provide sensations of height, movement and speed. This is known as passive movement as it does not require additional effort from the user. Using slides on mounds and the creative use of long grasses and plants alongside slides can give a great sense of speed and motion. Climbing up and down mounds with varying slope heights gives the opportunity for the child to take control of their own route according to their abilities. Using slides side by side can also add extra value to a play space introducing a competitive game. Suitable products: 9022520100 Double Width Slope Slide with Single Step.

“The Exosphere at Inverleith

Park is Josh’s favourite thing

of all the parks we’ve been

to. He loves just watching the

beads spinning. I find it pretty

entrancing myself”

Louise Brown, Parent of Josh aged 9, Autistic

IP02 - Exosphere


The ORB has delightful melodic

sounds and an eye-catching

design....Judging by the wear patch

in the grass this has been one of the

most popular pieces of equipment

we have installed’

Sandra Mousdale, Play Services

Manager, North Lanarkshire Council

IP05 - ORB

[email protected]


Huts and Shelters - Huts provide great places for playing and for meeting and socialising points. They can be used for hiding and imaginary play which is crucial for a child’s development. Shelters must be easily accessible, with fairly large entrances, resting places, and enough room inside to ensure freedom of movement. Suitable products: J262 Bungalow, J263 Hacienda, J264 the Den, 903314100R Playhouse Fredrik, 903319100R Robinia Play Hut.

Multiplay Equipment – These items of equipment include a varied combination of platforms, access points and play elements. This type of play equipment can be un-accessible to children with motor disabilities, however they can offer a high level of play value for others as they provide children with the opportunity to take risks and encourage their own play development. By integrating play panels, shelters at ground level and low slides can enhance the play value for disabled children, especially those in wheelchairs.

Trees and Plants - Trees, plants, bushes and shrubs are very important for all users of an outdoor play space. Touch, smell and managing the colours of various species of plants through the seasons can help a play space constantly develop and change. Long grasses, durable and evergreen species are ideal for natural and sustainable trim trails.

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Children with disabilities should be taken into account right from the beginning of all development projects. Integration is then defined and translated into a desire to ensure the play area is accessible for all. The access paths must be made out of resistant materials that do not have any steep slopes, however, gentle slopes and uneven cambers can be a fun play element. If steps are necessary, there must also be an access ramp. The limits of the play area must be clearly marked out. The access points to the play area must be protected to prevent any children from leaving the area unsupervised but also enable children in wheelchairs to go through them easily. The paths around the play area must be clearly marked out, providing natural access to play equipment and rest areas. A surface colour code can be used to make the paths easier to locate. This allows for freedom of movement

without meeting any obstacles. It can also be useful to add areas where users can pause to rest, either on seats or play accessories. Consider including a hand rail along the paths so that those children with visual impairments may move around the play space independently.

Surfacing - Where possible, surface solutions should hold intrinsic play value. Such surfacing is loose and can provide rich opportunities for experimentation for younger children who will transport, collect and play with the materials. It is important to note that wetpour is the best surfacing for wheelchairs and also easily shows up litter, glass and other hazards. Wetpour can also come in different colours and patterns making it more visually appealing to those with poor vision. Surfaces can play an integral part in breaking falls, because a child’s reduced ability can makes falls all the more likely.

Surfacing types can also be seen as a source of play for wheelchair users by creating changes in levels or introducing a camber. Tactile or grooved paving can also be a source of play activities as it can aid the blind and partially sighted to help find their way around.

Designing play areas for children with disabilities in mind

“The revolve roundabout is very popular indeed!”Emma Kane, Save the playground campaigner


Types of surfacing

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Type Pros Cons

Grass Cheap, attractive, vandal resistant and good for the environment

Requires maintenance, poor impact absorbency in extreme weather conditions. Wears easily in high use areas.

Wetpour Low maintenance and great for wheelchair access. Colour variety makes it easier to spot potential hazards such as glass and also provides a heightened visual experience for those with poor sight.

Expensive and costly to repair. Once laid it is difficult to access equipment foundations. Some concern regarding injury if a child should have a hard fall however it meets current standards. High environmental cost

Sand High play value, attractive with good impact absorbing properties when dry. Material is great for sensory and inclusive play. Equipment foundations can be easily accessed.

High short-term maintenance costs. Abrasive effect will speed the wear of some equipment. Loss of impact absorbing properties when wet or frozen. Poor choice for wheelchair. Can make hazards such as litter and glass difficult to spot.

Loose bark fill High play value, attractive look, very low environmental cost. Excellent impact absorbing properties, vandal resistant.

Higher short-term maintenance costs. Material will degrade over time and will require top-ups. Larger grades of bark are unsuitable for wheelchair users.

Recycled soft wood

Similar to bark in look and texture. Wheelchair and pushchair accessible.

May splinter.

Rubber tiles Similar to wetpour in look and texture. Easier to replace sections of tiles that have worn or been damaged.

Can be expensive.

Grass mats Low cost synthetic surface. Can easily be laid on slopes and uneven ground. Excellent surface underneath cable wires when mud and stones are used to fill in holes in the mats which increases impact absorbency.

Once laid it can be difficult to inspect equipment foundations. The grass does not always grow through and therefore areas can look patchy. Not suitable for high use areas.

Gravel Excellent impact absorbency in all weather, offers great play value, is easy to maintain and allows for easy access to equipment foundations.

Can be expensive and once laid is difficult to inspect equipment foundations.

Sand filled carpet

Similar to wetpour but also fire resistant. Great surface choice for smaller areas in a controlled environment such as nurseries.

Can be expensive and once laid is difficult to inspect equipment foundations.

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Signage - Ideally, a generic sign should be

placed at the entrance to a play area to show

the supervisors the thought process behind

the area layout with regard to disabilities

(especially the suitability of each of the

items of equipment for the various types of

disability).

It is advisable to use a range of methods

for the users to understand the levels of

difficulty and the requirements of each item

of play equipment. The symbols used should

be simple and show a suitable colour code.

Highly visible colour contrasts are to be used

wherever possible.

It is important to note that children on the

Autism spectrum respond well to information.

A well signed play park is one way to make

a play space less daunting. Signs should

welcome differently able children. Key

information might be in Braille and may

include pictograms showing how equipment

may be used or colour coded depending on

the ability needed to use certain equipment.

Additional items

IP11 - Timber ORB

“We have now had our

inclusive play units for over

a year. The Inclusive Play

Revolves have been both well

received and extremely well

used by the local communities”

Alan Brown, Playground Development Officer, Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust.


Furniture - The main purpose of having furniture installed within play spaces is to enable children and accompanying adults to rest. Preferably any seating arrangements provided for the children should be placed at varying heights as not all users will have the same ability to stretch their legs. Seating and rest areas should be located at regular intervals so that there is always a rest area close by. Choosing seats or benches with ample space for wheelchairs is very important as is the access towards them. Children with Autism or Asperger’s syndrome often play

autonomously and need quiet areas where they can play on their own. Seating designed within the play space to help accommodate this is generally good practice.

Children with Attention Deficit Disorder can also benefit from isolated play, relaxing and seating areas. A playground should have a quieter area where children may relax to read or talk, such as a willow dome, or well designed natural space area that is partially enclosed yet open to view by adults.

[email protected]

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Additional items

IP14 - I-Wheel

Inclusive Play Products

Contact us and ask for our Inclusive Play price list. If you require further information on Inclusive Play, our play space designs, products and services

please call us on 0844 4990214 or email [email protected] Alternatively please visit our website at www.inclusiveplay.com

IP01 - Revolve IP02 - Exosphere IP03 - Moonwalker IP05 - Orb

HDPE

IP16 - ButterflyIP14 - IWheelIP13 - Vortex

IP15 - ISwing

IP07 - MezzoIP09 - Fusion IP12 - WheelspinIP11 - Orb

OAK


Inclusive Play - Providing safe, educational and fun play spaces and equipment for everyone.

[email protected] 4990214Ca

ll us

on

Inclusive Play (UK) LtdUnit 14 Swanston Steading 109 Swanston Road EdinburghEH10 7DS

Company Registration No: SC 301254 Find us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter

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