How to Build an Inclusive Playground in Your Backyard
All children love to play and deserve an opportunity to do it! However, children with disabilities can face additional challenges when enjoying outdoor fun. Parents who build an inclusive playground in their own backyard ensure that the excitement of a playground is safe, satisfying, and always close at hand. In today’s blog, we’re highlighting our ideas for having an accessible playground at home!
At Adventure World Play Sets, we build high-quality custom vinyl playsets that are found all across the country. Due to the safety built into all of our sets and the true custom nature of everything we make, our products have become popular with parents of children with disabilities. Keep reading to see our recommendations for an inclusive backyard playground, based on one of our sets!
5 Accessible Playground Ideas
At Adventure World Play Sets, we have experience building accessible playground equipment and know what to recommend to parents who are starting to design their own set. Some of these suggestions depend on the nature of your child’s disability — while other ideas are just good suggestions for ALL playsets.
- Wheelchair Swing — This is one of the first pieces of custom special needs playground equipment we built. A few years ago, a parent asked us if we could build a swing seat large enough and strong enough to accommodate a wheelchair. We were more than happy to custom-build this, and it has become one of the most popular options we offer for kids with special needs. The swing also features safety straps which keep the wheelchair firmly in place while moving.
- Sturdy Construction — A well-built playset with a sturdy frame is essential for every kid to enjoy safe play. However, a well-built set is crucial when holding the extra weight of a wheelchair and wheelchair swing. That’s why the ultra-tough, ultra-safe construction of Adventure World play sets is essential. All of our sets are built with a durable wooden frame wrapped in a vinyl sheath to prevent rot and mold.
- Side-by-Side Slides — This is an accessibility feature that ends up being fun for everyone! Having side-by-side slides allows a parent to go down a slide at the same time as a child to provide them a helping, guiding hand. However, the more slides the merrier, and having them side-by-side is a great invitation to have a race and all other kinds of fast-paced excitement!
- Mulch for Safety — This is an incredibly important inclusion to guarantee your backyard play area is as safe as can be. We recommend using our vinyl mulch which provides even better fall protection than wooden mulch and will NEVER lead to splinters.
See our comparison between vinyl mulch and wooden mulch. - Quiet Ways to Play — While the goal of our accessible playground equipment is to ensure everyone can get involved in the swinging and sliding, there is also a time for some quieter fun, too. That’s why we recommend outfitting your inclusive playground with some relaxing accessories like a jumbo tic-tac-toe game and a sandbox, too!
The Adventure World Difference
The two traits that make us a good fit for building accessible playground equipment are the two traits we are most proud of. We build ultra-safe playsets and we love working with parents to design custom sets!
Learn more about our safety features and guarantees right here.
All of our inclusive playset features came about because parents just like you asked us to build something unique for their children. So, if you have an idea for something you like but don’t see it here, reach out to us. Adventure World and our dealers would love to work with you to build something that brings the joy of outdoor fun to your family!
Start Building Your Inclusive Playground
If you’re ready to get started, we’re ready to help. Adventure World Play Sets are sold nationwide through our dedicated dealer network. Simply enter your zip code at the top of this page to be paired with an expert dealer near you. Our local dealer will work with you to custom-design your inclusive playground — and give you a quote! Reach out and start the conversation today!