"Boundless" Playground

Recently there were a series of articles in the Mail Tribune concerning a new “Boundless” playground at Hoover Elementary School. “Boundless” means the playground is accessible to all children, including those in wheelchairs or with other disabilities. The idea for the playground came from a local mother. To quote the article:

“When the Hoover Elementary School Parent-Teacher Organization met with the principal nearly two years ago about raising money for a new playground, one image came to parent Tracy Dillard's mind: children in wheelchairs sitting on the edge of the school's playground watching other kids play.”

The new playground is to be fully wheelchair accessible “with wheelchair ramps to all five levels of the main play structure, engineered wood-fiber bark and sensory activities for children with autism.”

“The playground also includes two bucket-seat swings, six regular swings, three climbing walls, slides, monkey bars and a sidewalk with surfaces that rock back and forth.”

OK, I know where some of you think this blog is going…don’t sell me short here. Honestly, I have great empathy towards those who are disabled, particularly those confined to wheelchairs. I can’t imagine what that would be like. A playground where these kids could enjoy fanciful freedom and all children could play would be tremendous.

When I first read about the playground I wondered how children in wheelchairs are going to benefit from this? What sort of play activities can they participate in?

So, I paid a visit to the playground. Obviously, I went when there were no kids; middle of an afternoon on a weekend. I didn’t need the tense glares of mothers who were guarding their cubs as I took photos of the structures. Sans kids was a better alternative.

As the photos indicate this is a great looking playground. I love the rubber matted play area. I’d like to have this stuff in my bedroom so I won’t get so banged up falling out of bed.

There’s a ramp that goes to the top level of the play structure. I searched for other indications of how a child in a wheelchair could really play here. My investigation led me to this conclusion: that was it, a ramp leading to the top of the tower. The Boundless Playground has taken the kids and their wheelchairs from the sidelines watching other children play to a lookout post where they now can watch children play from a different perspective.

The other playground equipment, such as monkey bars, climbing walls and slides, I doubt any of those are wheelchair accessible.

If I was a child in a wheelchair I’d want to have real fun. It wouldn’t cut it to just be pushed up a ramp into the middle of the structure. Whirl me, twirl me, thrill me…so I can have real sensory experiences.

What I’m about to share are a few of my ideas on how to help these children have similar playground experiences as healthy kids. I hope you don’t think this is meant to be funny or mocking those with disabilities. I think these are great ideas and the children would cheer with excitement at the play opportunities.

Most likely these ideas can never be implemented, given the laws and regulations on preventing true childhood adventures. But, I’m throwing these out there. If you have additional ideas let me know.

Swings: this is basic playground equipment. However, the swings would need to be bucketed and enclosed with lots of straps and restraining belts. Sounds like a torture device but safety concerns come first. The swing wouldn’t be attached to a low cross bar that limits altitude but to a bar as tall as other swings, giving full pendulum experiences to these kids.

Merry go round: the merry go round that kids push in circles until their guts explode is another sensory opportunity. Deep grooves would need to be cut into the floor to accommodate the wheels of the chairs. The chairs would be backed into these ruts and secured. Then an adult or other child could spin to dizzy oblivion.

Slide: Using the same futuristic technology developed for pinewood derby ramps, wheels on the chairs fit into groves. The slide sides would be chair high to prevent falls. The end of the slide slowly declines easing the chairs to a gradual stop.

Coaster: The other kids will be jealous and ask their mom’s if they could be handicapped if this last suggestion was ever created. This is similar to the slide idea but a small roller coaster track, complete with modest climbs and descents would whirl kids around the outskirts of the playground. Now, the able bodied kids will be standing on the sidelines, staring at the wheelchairs, wanting to be included but can’t.

This could be a valuable life lesson for these kids and greater compassion for the handicapped.