At work I’ve learned a lot about Digital Accessibility and I am creating courses to help others learn, too. Making both real-world and digital environments accessible actually benefits everyone. I pondered this over Christmas break when I took my kids for our first visit to a park where the playground had recently been upgraded inclusive and adaptive equipment.
The park is in a small, rural community. The old playground layout was modest. There were a few tall climbing features for older kids that were wide-open and easy to fall off of and the mulch was constantly getting kicked around and wouldn’t provide much cushion in the event of a fall. There was also a sandbox area with tractor tires of assorted sizes for climbing on and digging around. What country kid doesn’t love a good tractor tire?
My kids enjoyed the old park layout just fine, but I- well, I was a different story. I was either anxiously trying to figure out how to spot them from below when they ventured into high areas they were really too small for, or I was trying to find a comfortable tractor tire to sit on while I watched them dig. (Comfortable tractor tire is indeed an oxymoron. Have you seen those treads?)
Both kids were wide-eyed upon seeing the new playground; the youngest called it a “Super Duper Super Park!” Even my teen, who grew up playing on the old layout, was impressed.
The new playground is wheelchair accessible with a ramp leading right up to the play structure. The structure was higher, but with safety railings all around and stairs to let parents join in the fun. The mulch was replaced with rubber flooring that gives on impact like a gymnastics mat. A paved area offered musical instruments, puzzles, and a Rube Goldberg maze of ball bearings. Swings were added, including an accessible swing with harness and a double swing where an older kid or parent can sit opposite a toddler. Even a few benches with shade umbrellas overhead were provided- essential in a playground that basically sits in an open field.
The novelty of newness aside, I realized that all three of us were enjoying this upgraded playground much more because we all benefitted from the increased accessibility, even though we don’t have physical disabilities.
There’s a considerable age gap between my two kids and so I’m much older for this “second rodeo,” but the stairs make it so I can follow the bold younger adventurer up to the top of the structure pretty easily. The guardrails let me allow him more freedom and I can relax without constantly spotting him. That safety flooring is easy on my knees, too. (He’s a modern-day Evel Knievel, so I can never totally let my guard down, but a few moments to breathe is nice!)
The teen, who enjoyed climbing a little while, got more excited about the instruments, puzzles, and maze and spent a good deal of time working with those, which were intended to be accessible for kids with physical impairments.
Both kids enjoyed the double swing which they could sit on together- and it made this Mama happy to see them giggling together despite that wide age gap.
It’s true. Accessibility really does benefit everyone.