Inclusive play

At Three Rivers District Council, we want every child and young person to feel welcome, included and able to enjoy our play areas. Our approach to inclusive play focuses on creating fun, safe and welcoming spaces where children of all abilities can play together.

We aim to provide play equipment, tactile features and layouts that are easy and safe to move around, while ensuring inclusive equipment is part of the main play space rather than set apart. This helps children with additional support needs take part in the action, enjoy shared play experiences and feel part of the wider play environment.

When planning and improving play areas, we take guidance from PiPA (Plan Inclusive Play Areas), including its themes of accessibility, sensory play and dynamic play. This helps us consider how children can travel to, move through and enjoy a play space, as well as how different senses and types of movement can be supported.

For more information on what we ask designers to consider, click here.

Many of the leading suppliers of play equipment, specialise in making play equipment that is accessible without being exclusively for those with additional support so that they do not feel cut off from the play area action and can join in. This is key to ensuring that a child or young person with additional support requirements for play, does not feel isolated whilst enjoying the play area.

These include the preference of a basket swing as they could use it with their friends and not be on their own and you may notice that in play areas, there are pieces of equipment that encourage use in a variety of ways for a variety of people. For example, the basket swing can be used by those who can sit, or lie in it, either supported or unsupported, so that they can achieve the same sensation of swinging.

All accessible equipment is placed as near to the entrances and pathways as possible, but not isolated from the entire play area, so that play is integrated. Other areas we ensure are reflected in the design are that :

• The design break down barriers of play
• The space welcoming for children of all abilities
• It incorporates different spaces for children of all abilities to explore
• It incorporates challenges into this play space with children of all abilities
• It includes play heights of over 600mm, weight bearing activities