Wheelchair Accessible Playground

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Wheelchair Accessible Playground: Allowing Every Kid To Play

Children who have to spend their lives in wheelchairs are basically no different than children everywhere. They have dreams and aspirations, they want to be accepted by their peers, and they want areas where they can play and be active just like everyone else. One of the ways they can do this is by getting to play in a wheelchair accessible playground. The trouble is that such facilities are few and far between, because when most organizations build playgrounds, they don't even think about children who have accessibility issues.

Due to the Special Olympics, we all know that many handicapped individuals don't consider themselves to be disabled when it comes to participating in sports. There are plenty of very talented disabled swimmers, skiers, basketball players, racers, and many other types of athletes. The way they get to be so good at their chosen sports is by being given opportunities to be active, to build muscles, and to be just like everyone else. With a wheelchair accessible playground, children will get their first taste of these things, and they'll grow up liking to be active. Playground equipment is a wonderful stimulus for both body and brain.

All it takes is a bit of imagination to incorporate wheelchair accessible construction into a playground's plans. Swings for handicapped children are simple to add to any playground. After erecting the swing's framework, it's a simple matter to put up, say, two regular swings and one that will meet the needs of children with disabilities. This may be a specially-molded swing that gives more body support, one with extra safety harnesses to keep the child secure, or a platform swing designed to house the entire wheelchair while the child swings. Swings give children who aren't able to walk the sensation of flying, and the feeling of freedom is priceless.

There are other types of equipment that make playgrounds more accessible to children in wheelchairs. Ramps allow children to get around more easily, wheel through arcades let them pull up on their arms and develop strength, and large wheelchair accessible playground structures use ramps and large platforms to allow wheelchairs to maneuver to various play panels and accesses to slides.

Even though wheelchair accessible playgrounds can be expensive to build, they are valuable resources for children who want to play like other kids. By giving them chances to join in the play, we encourage them to be everything they can be in life.