Survey on playground use in children with disabilities

Children with disabilities have diminished access to playgrounds, survey shows. Play between children with disabilities and typically developing children supports the areas of self-efficiency, tolerance, and empathy in both user groups. This survey from the KOMPAN Play Institute shows that 71% of wheelchair users found their nearest playground to be inaccessible. Additionally, the survey points out the activities the children prefer. Playgrounds are well-known motivators for effectively getting children to be physically active, in a fun way. However, in order for this to be true for children of all abilities, playgrounds need to be equally accessible and interesting to both groups.

White Paper

Equality in play - Survey on playground use in children with disabilities

4 Considerations

4 Considerations for equality in play

  1. For increasing the frequency of use, local playgrounds should be accessible.

  2. Playgrounds generally should have accessible surfacing. This additionally helps caregivers or grandparents with mobility impairments who bring children to the playground.

  3. Playgrounds should have accessible play equipment that is usable for children with disabilities. A KOMPAN Play Institute study shows that this means ground-level based activities.

  4. The variety of play activities and activities for the whole family make playgrounds additionally attractive to visit and use.

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