One of my favorite things to do is go with my son to the playground. We’re very lucky that one of his mom’s friends doesn’t live too far and picks us up every week so that he can go and have some fun with his friends. As a child, I remember going to the park in Brooklyn and playing on the swings but, not much else. I also had a swing set at home and my friends used to come to my house and play for a little while when they could.
Last week, it occurred to me that most places don’t have accessible playgrounds where everyone has the opportunity not only to play but also interact with each other. Then, I heard something on the radio about accessible playgrounds so, I did a bit of research. There are some playgrounds in different parts of the country that are specifically constructed for kids with disabilities. While the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires that public places, like public playgrounds be accessible, these modifications only need to be made to playgrounds already in existence if they’re undergoing renovations. Accessibility of playgrounds also applies to those playgrounds being newly constructed.
Then, another thought occurred to me. Accessible playgrounds allow for disabled parents to play at the playground with their kids too. That’s a wonderful idea since some of the best memories we have as kids are the times we spend having fun with our parents.
What do you think about the idea of an accessible playground?
To find out more information, you can go to:
http://www.npr.org/2013/08/27/213827534/for-kids-with-special-needs-more-places-to-play
Thanks for reading..
cr