What is inclusive play?

Inclusive playgrounds provide play opportunities for all and ensure disabled children are included, not isolated.

Understanding Inclusivity

Inclusivity is not just about physical access. It's about recognising that people are disabled not by their impairment or difference, but by barriers in society. This perspective drives the design of an inclusive playground, where each aspect is purposefully crafted to remove these barriers and create a welcoming environment. In an inclusive playground, all play areas, pathways, and equipment are intended for everyone to enjoy, promoting true integration rather than segregation.

What Inclusion Looks Like – And What It Is Not

When we talk about inclusive playgrounds, it's important to understand the different concepts that relate to how children with disabilities interact with their peers. These concepts—Inclusion, Integration, Segregation, and Exclusion—shape the experience and accessibility of play spaces.

Exclusion

Exclusion is the absence of accessible design, leaving children with disabilities unable to participate in the playground experience. In an exclusive environment, barriers prevent children from joining in the play, resulting in their isolation from the space entirely. True inclusion ensures that no one is left out due to design limitations.

Segregation

Segregation separates children with disabilities from their peers, often in specialised areas or equipment zones. Though these spaces may be designed to be accessible, they create a division within the playground, isolating children based on their abilities rather than promoting shared play experiences. Segregation can reinforce barriers rather than removing them.

Integration

Integration involves placing children with disabilities in the same space as their peers but often in a designated area within the playground. While children may share a common space, integrated settings may inadvertently highlight differences rather than celebrating diversity. True inclusion requires more than just proximity; it involves designing play opportunities that genuinely engage all children together.

Inclusion

Inclusion is the goal of creating a truly unified environment. In an inclusive playground, all children, regardless of abilities, play together throughout the same space. There are no separate areas or special zones for children with disabilities; instead, they are seamlessly part of the playground's design, engaging with their peers naturally and equally.

By aiming for inclusion, playgrounds become spaces where every child can play, learn, and grow together, fostering understanding and friendship across abilities.

Inclusivity: The Heart of Design

At the heart of an inclusive playground is the commitment to integration over isolation. By designing spaces and play structures accessible to everyone, children can play side by side, forging friendships, building understanding, and learning together. St Roses Playground shows how thoughtful design can break down barriers, creating a community space where everyone belongs.

Pathways Designed for All

Wide, accessible pathways are essential in any inclusive playground. This thoughtful design allows for easy wheelchair use and ensures there’s ample space for all visitors, creating a more integrated and welcoming experience for everyone.

Points of Rest for Recharging Together

Inclusive design also means understanding the needs for rest and socialisation within the playground. Thoughtfully placed rest areas, such as Picnic Benches, Hexagonal Shelter with benches and a sunken timber deck, which allows wheelchair users to join friends and family comfortably. These “points of rest” offer everyone a chance to recharge, socialise, or simply enjoy a break, making the playground a place to build community as well as play.

Accessible and Sensory Surfacing

A playground’s surface should be as inclusive as its design ensuring that every child can approach and play without needing extra assistance. Multiple surfaces, from rubber to gravel, add sensory variety while blending with the surroundings. This not only promotes physical access but also offers a sensory experience, stimulating senses and enhancing the play experience for everyone.

Inclusive Play Equipment for All Senses

An inclusive playground should offer diverse equipment that stimulates all the senses and supports physical and mental development. It is important to incorporate equipment that appeals to touch, smell, sound, and sight, along with fostering proprioception (coordination) and vestibular (balance) development. 

This multi-sensory approach allows children to play in ways that meet their individual needs and interests, supporting physical and cognitive growth through play.

Final Thoughts: Inclusive play is about more than just physical access

Inclusive play is about more than just physical access—it’s about nurturing a community where every child, parent, and carer feels welcome and valued.

Ready to transform your playground? 

Whether you're designing from scratch or looking to enhance your current playground, our team is here to help you create a space that’s safe, fun, and built for exploration. Request a consultation today and discover how we can tailor your playground to your school or nursery’s needs.