Play for all

Inspiration for inclusive playgrounds

Children playing on a wheelchair carousel on a playground

Inclusive playground ideas

Inclusive playgrounds are built upon the principles of universal design. These principles ensure playground designs facilitate not only physical inclusivity, but also cater to cognitive, sensory, and social needs, providing children of all abilities the opportunity to play. If you're considering building an inclusive playground, this page offers you different inclusive playground ideas and examples to help you start planning.

Why are inclusive playgrounds important?

Inclusive playground examples

Get the full story and find inspiration from the inclusive parks below.

Acorn Park SEN School

Acorn Park School is for children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) to an extent that makes it too demanding for them to join their local school.

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A boy an girl playing on a playground carousel

Buccaneer Bay, Central Park

Central Park in Dartford lives up to the city’s mission of having an offering that appeals to all children, including children with various disabilities.

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Timmeler Meer Recreation Centre

Stück zum Glück: One of 50 inclusive playgrounds in Germany, by Aktion Mensch, Procter&Gamble and REWE. Built on the idea to show good examples of playgrounds for all children.

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Magazine

Universal Inclusion in Playgrounds

A peek at what you get:

A walkthrough of the best-in-class design principles behind an inclusive playground
A thorough checklist to get your inclusive design right
Inspirational inclusive cases from around the world
Our recommendation for the best inclusive playground products

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Why are inclusive playgrounds important?

Playgrounds are an integral part of cities and communities as they are some of the few places where children can roam and play freely and securely. This is why all children should be considered, including children with disabilities, when great playgrounds are designed.

A playground is never better than how the individual child feels seen, heard, and included. An all-inclusive park can encourage or inhibit play with its location, design, and play equipment. Ensuring that inclusive playground equipment meets stringent safety standards is paramount for fostering a secure environment. Inclusive playground designs must also cater to various abilities, intentionally integrating tactile, auditory, and visual elements.

The concept of "universal playground design" and "adaptive play" must always underpin decision-making to truly embrace inclusivity in play spaces designed for diverse abilities and preferences. If you're looking to build an inclusive park playground, check out your inclusive playground funding options.

Playground planning