Inclusive Design: Playgrounds for children using wheelchairs

Background: Well-designed playgrounds promote healthy development in children. While the Americans with Disabilities Act adopted requirements regarding the accessibility to playgrounds for children with disabilities in 2000, mainstream playgrounds often do not accommodate children using wheelchairs. “Boundless” playgrounds, built in a limited number of neighborhoods, are meant to provide productive play opportunities for all children. Methods: One public “boundless” playground located in Griffith Park, Los Angeles, was assessed using observations of the design and the play behavior of 18 children using wheelchairs and 60 children not using wheelchairs. Observations were used to record the presence of wheelchair-accessible paths, any obstructions to free flow, and maneuverable flooring. The behavior of children was scrutinized by documenting play and non-play activities for ten to twenty minutes at each section of the playground on each day of observations. Findings: Wide concrete and rubbery accessible paths allowed for the free flow of wheelchairs and side-by-side play in most sections of the playground. Children in wheelchairs primarily engaged in explorative and functional play. The play of other children was more varied and included chase games as well as functional, explorative, and dramatic play. Social play between children in wheelchairs and others was not common; no anti-social behavior or bullying was observed. Conclusion: Thoughtful design can provide accessibility to playgrounds for children using wheelchairs. Improvements are needed to increase the variability of play of children using wheelchairs.