What is an inclusive playground?
The Johnson County Park and Recreation District offers many different ways to spend time outdoors with the whole family. Among these are three inclusive playgrounds designed to enable children of all abilities to play together.
JCPRD’s third inclusive playground at Meadowbrook Park held a ribbon cutting on Earth Day this year, April 22. The speakers in attendance included representatives from the Johnson County Board of County Commissioners, Prairie Village, the Board of Park and Recreation Commissioners and JCPRD. The message they shared was pride for this park and the park system as a whole.
“One of our core values here at JCPRD is making sure our park facilities and programs are welcoming and open to everyone in our community. This park is evidence of that dedication.” -Bob Carlson, Chair of the Board of Park and Recreation Commissioners
In the most recent community survey, JCPRD tied with Johnson County Library for top county service with an 87% satisfaction rating. It is clear that the community values parks and that they contribute to the quality of life here in Johnson County.
Meadowbrook Park’s inclusive playground opened for public use in late December before this ribbon cutting, and in that time, the playground has grown in popularity. It joined the other two county-owned inclusive playgrounds at Stilwell Community Park, which opened in 2018 as a partnership between JCPRD and Stilwell Community Organization, and Shawnee Mission Park, which opened in 2019.
Meadowbrook Park welcomed over 900,000 visitors in the past year and has two other playgrounds, a clubhouse, pickleball courts and multiple shelters in addition to the new inclusive playground. This new playground was a part of Meadowbrook Park’s Phase 2 updates which also included a new picnic shelter, restroom and additional parking on the Roe Avenue side of the park.
Each inclusive playground in the county offers unique amenities. This variation encourages visitors to visit multiple parks. Among these are access ramps, adaptive swings, low platforms and various opportunities for sensory experiences. All with the goal of allowing kids to play and explore in ways that other playgrounds may not provide.
Access can mean many things to JCPRD’s wide variety of park patrons. Sensory play can catch the attention of children of all ages and is likewise entertaining for children with visual impairments or on the autism spectrum. Having play options for children with mobility aids, like wheelchairs, makes a huge difference in their ability to play with their peers.
The attention to detail continues beyond the play equipment. For parents and caregivers, these parks took extra care to include plentiful seating and shaded areas for hot summer days. The fenced-in playground has one entrance/exit, which can also provide more peace of mind for parents of children who may wander. Other playgrounds may have landscaping that makes it difficult for wheelchairs or strollers to navigate effectively, high curbs, wood chips, etc., but the terrain of these inclusive parks was designed with smooth surfacing to reduce obstacles.
Nearby restrooms are conveniently located and include changing tables sized appropriately for both infants and older users who need them. Access was the primary goal, so the inclusive playgrounds’ restrooms were also sized to that goal.
In the southern part of the county, the Stilwell Community Park was the first inclusive playground project for JCPRD. Its development has been in partnership with the Stilwell Community Organization. JCPRD funded the park’s land acquisition and first phase of development, and the community organization has launched a capital campaign to fund future improvements.
Shawnee Mission Park’s inclusive playground was planned at the same time as the one in Stilwell. At 1,675 acres total, Shawnee Mission Park has a wide variety of things for the community to do and enjoy, from the lake and trails to archery and disc golf. Adding this inclusive playground made sure that accessibility was part of that equation.
Another example of inclusivity within these parks is that play equipment appropriate for different age groups is located together. Toddlers can play with older siblings in a way that is safe for everyone involved or be nearby enough that no one gets bored by play equipment outside of their skill range.
“We absolutely love all of the inclusive playgrounds that Johnson County (Park and Recreation District) is building. They are great places for all kids of all ages and abilities to come together to play” -Chelsea Roush, Lenexa resident and mother to Zoe (age 5) and Quinn (age 3)
More than anything, inclusive parks are for everyone. Park patrons should feel welcome regardless of whether they have children with a disability. They make accommodations for children who may not have access at other parks, but these changes and play equipment are welcoming, fun and safe for children of all abilities and ages.
For more on JCPRD’s parks, visit jcprd.com/Parks.