Play For All

Play for All

Play for All: Supporting a Higher Level of Inclusive Play

Landscape Structures is excited to collaborate with the STAR (Sensory Therapies And Research) Center and the Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) Foundation, drawing on their unparalleled experience and progressive knowledge to truly understand the developmental benefits children gain while playing on inclusive playground equipment.

“When children of any ability walk onto our playground they are instantly engaged. The Landscape Structures playground speaks to every person, no matter what his or her ability level. It says, ‘I am here especially for you. Come try me out.

We will have fun together! You will challenge yourself, and you will succeed!’”

— Lucy Jane Miller, Ph.D., OTR, Founder of STAR Center

Play for All: Supporting a Higher Level of Inclusive Play

Sensory-rich play experiences are a key ingredient in a truly inclusive play space. A well-planned inclusive playground will allow children of all abilities to develop the strong sensory and motor systems that are so vital for their futures.

Consider including elements that focus specifically on a variety of senses: tactile, proprioception (muscles and joints), vestibular (movement), visual, auditory, motor planning and social/imaginative play experiences.

Allowing every child to experience the joy and thrill of sensory-motor play transforms playgrounds into amazing spaces where children can develop their bodies, brains and self-esteem, laying the groundwork for healthy, fulfilling lives.

7 senses

Through sensory play, children discover their world and how to be successful in it. They develop behaviors based on what they touch, see, hear, taste, smell, how they move and position their body in space.

The broad play experiences from sensory-rich playgrounds allow children to integrate and develop their senses. The more they play, the more they develop skills necessary to engage, change and impact the world around them.

Social / Tactile Proprioception Vestibular Visual Auditory Motor Planning Imagination

Mobius® Climber

• Unscripted climbing routes • Omni-directional hand/foot grips • I nnovative “flowy” design is available in four configurations •C an meet a range of developmental goals e.g., place one foot on a step or balance on top of the structure

WHICH SENSES ARE ENGAGED BY THE MOBIUS® CLIMBER?

Proprioception: •A ctivates core muscle groups (trunk) and distal muscle groups (arms and legs), improving endurance and strength • Balances flexion and extension muscle groups as children climb Vestibular: •M ovement through different spatial planes during climbing stimulates the brain’s vestibular system Motor Planning: •F lexible thinking is improved through planning climbing routes •S equencing thoughts on where to place hands and feet enhances cognitive ability Social/Imagination: •M ultiple children can climb at one time, creating opportunities for social engagement, encouragement of each other and pretend play

OmniSpin® Spinner

• Transfer height of 18" • Back/trunk support • Speed control •G entle slope interior assists in seating and exiting •S eat placement encourages social interaction

WHICH SENSES ARE ENGAGED BY THE OMNISPIN® SPINNER?

Proprioception: •C hildren can self-determine amount of force needed to go slow, medium, or fast—and adjust their muscle contractions accordingly •S eated position provides support to those with limited core strength •M ovement simulates weight shifting and balance, activating core muscle groups Vestibular: •D ifferent speeds and directions of rotary motion increase vestibular tolerance •A bility to change positions (back to stomach) stimulates the vestibular mechanism on multiple planes Motor Planning: •E ntering/exiting requires motor planning and patterning • I nitiating and maintaining spinning requires planning and sequencing of pushing from the outside •V isual planning is enhanced with the introduction of a game e.g., catching a ball, while the OmniSpin is in motion Social/Imagination: •T he circular shape encourages face-to-face social interaction while children are seated •E njoyment of social games e.g., a ball toss, is increased by sitting as a group •K ids and parents can sit comfortably together for a multigenerational experience

Cozy Dome®

•C urved outer surface with a variety of openings •D ifferent tactile concave and convex circles on the outside •Q uiet and cozy on the inside, yet has good sight lines

WHICH SENSES ARE ENGAGED BY THE COZY DOME®?

Tactile: •T extured surface invites exploration and expansion of children’s tactile discrimination skills e.g., the ability to interpret smooth vs. rough Proprioception: •C ore muscle groups are engaged through climbing the exterior Motor Planning: •S equencing thoughts on where to place hands and feet enhances cognitive ability Social/Imagination: •C ozy interior encourages self-regulation techniques: calm, focus, or “regroup” during play •P erfect for social development activities such as peek-a-boo and hide-and-seek • I ncreases understanding of body-focused phrases: inside/outside, over/under, between, top/bottom, etc.

Saddle Spinner

• Angled design facilitates movement •A llows children to explore gravity, body position, and cause and effect • Child controls spin • Varying heights •S addle-shaped seat with handhold grip supports children of all sizes

WHICH SENSES ARE ENGAGED BY THE SADDLE SPINNER?

Proprioception: •C ore muscle groups are activated during spinning while the child holds the saddle •A djusting to weight shifts improves postural stability Vestibular: •C hildren can choose to spin quickly or slowly to increase their comfort with rotary movements and spinning in space Visual: •V isual localization skills are developed by focusing on a single point during spinning Motor Planning: •C hildren learn how to move and shift their weight to perpetuate the gravitational spin Social/Imagination: •E ndless ways for children to interact, create games and pretend play during spinning

Chain Ladder

• Solid rungs for hand and foot placement • Chain allows ladder to move in different directions • Variety of heights for increasing levels of challenge

WHICH SENSES ARE ENGAGED BY THE CHAIN LADDER?

Proprioception: •C limbing rungs require use of distal muscle groups to pull up (arms) and push off (legs) •B ilateral coordination is improved through reciprocal and symmetrical movement patterns •S light swaying movement of the rungs increases challenge and feelings of success Vestibular: •S light swaying movement of the rungs encourages vestibular awareness, ability to shift weight, stay upright, resist the pull of gravity and be aware of their body in space Motor Planning: •O pportunity for alternate climbing routes, requiring children to think and plan their path Social/Imagination: •E ncourages turn-taking with peers and creation of games e.g., finding hidden toys at the top or bottom of ladder

Rollerslide

• Non-static slide • Unique roller design creates multi-sensory experience • Speed is faster than on a typical slide of the same slope due to the roller action • 30" wide, variety of heights and lengths available

WHICH SENSES ARE ENGAGED BY THE ROLLERSLIDE?

Tactile: •R ollers provide exaggerated tactile input with their vibrational movement and texture •D evelops body awareness Vestibular: • The pull of gravity is enhanced through the rotation of the rollers along with differing speeds and differing positions, allowing for a variety of vestibular stimulation Auditory: •T he rotational sound of the rollers adds a comforting sensory component while sliding Motor Planning: •T he wider slide allows for a variety of sliding positions Social/Imagination: •T he generous width of the slide allows for children and/or adults to slide together and share enjoyment

Wood Plank Wiggle Ladder

• Recycled wood planks provide solid hand and foot positioning • Alternating angled planks add challenge • Chain allows ladder to move while children climb

WHICH SENSES ARE ENGAGED BY THE WOOD PLANK WIGGLE LADDER?

Proprioception: •E ngages core muscle group (trunk) in order to maintain balance, and distal muscle group (arms and legs) to ascend and descend Vestibular: •S ubtle swaying movement necessitates weight shifting and balance, which requires coordinated use of both vestibular and proprioception systems Motor Planning: •D iffering orientation of planks requires children to plan where to place their hands and feet during ascent and descent

Double Swoosh™ Poly Slide

• Encourages sliding with a friend • 49-degree slope creates speed while sliding • 12" high sidewalls and longer exit for safety

WHICH SENSES ARE ENGAGED BY THE DOUBLE SWOOSH™ POLY SLIDE?

Vestibular: •P rovides the thrilling pull of gravity, requiring use of the body to control speed Motor Planning: •M otor planning is required for climbing the ladder, getting body into position to slide, and repeating the pattern or deciding something different Social/Imagination: •D esign allows children and/or adults to slide together creating opportunities for social interaction, encouragement, support and mutual enjoyment •C hildren can create a variety of stop/go and racing games on the double slide

Visual Sensory Play Panels

• Combination of visual panels: Marble Panel®, Optigear Panel®, Kaleidospin Panel® • Each panel has a visual component • Movement of components adds to the sensory play experience • Two-sided design allows children to play on both sides

WHICH SENSES ARE ENGAGED BY THE VISUAL SENSORY PLAY PANELS?

Visual •P anels encourage visual exploration increasing understanding and perception Tactile: •P anels provide differing textures offering a multisensory experience Motor Planning: •M anipulating and moving the panels provides a full sensory experience and requires the coordination of both visual and motor systems •C hildren control how slow or fast they receive visual input Social/Imagination: •C hildren play “through” most visual panels with peers on the other side allowing self-regulation of eye contact as they feel comfortable

Auditory Sensory Play Panels

• Combination of auditory panels: Bongo Panel®, Rain Sound Wheel Panel™ and Xylofun Panel® • Each panel has a different auditory component • Movement of components creates a sensory play experience

WHICH SENSES ARE ENGAGED BY THE SENSORY PLAY CENTER – AUDITORY PLAY?

Auditory: •P anels allow exploration in a variety of ways including discrimination of sounds Motor Planning: • Manipulating panel components provides a full auditory experience • Children control how slow or fast they receive auditory input Social/Imagination: •P anels encourage cooperative and collaborative play offering opportunities for sound patterning that can be developed and imitated

Clubhouse

• Simple design allows children to define how they want to play •S eating for small groups of friends •F acing bench seats with table in between •P ersonalized sign panel to “name” the Clubhouse

WHICH SENSES ARE ENGAGED BY THE CLUBHOUSE?

Motor Planning: •P retend play activities e.g. setting the table, eating food, washing dishes create many opportunities to practice daily motor patterns Social/Imagination: •P rovides endless options for pretend play, turn-taking, sharing and role playing with peers •A comfortable, cozy space to self-regulate and regroup following play

Developmental Range of Climbers

• Simple-to-complex climbers offer opportunities for challenge and mastery • Includes stable climbers and climbers with movement • Different colored steps or hand-foot grips

WHICH SENSES ARE ENGAGED BY THE DEVELOPMENTAL RANGE OF CLIMBERS?

Proprioception: •C ore muscle strength is developed through a variety of simple-to-complex climbing structures Vestibular: •V ariety of climbing structures enables children to experience gravitational pull and different positions of the head in space •S hifting weight and maintaining balance helps postural strength and endurance Motor Planning: •M ovements need to be sequenced and organized when navigating the climbing structures •S kills are developed as children move from simple climbers to complex ones Social/Imagination: •M astering each climber increases self-confidence and self-esteem, enhancing a child’s ability to engage with others while they play

Oodle® Swing

• Multi-user swing • Easy transfer height • Variety of seating positions • Back and trunk support • Playful design

WHICH SENSES ARE ENGAGED BY THE OODLE® SWING?

Proprioception: •D evelops upper body strength through the pushing motion Vestibular: •P lacing the body and head in different positions while swinging, fast or slow, stimulates the vestibular system Motor Planning: •M ulti-seat design requires motor planning for entering and exiting as well as pushing the swing Social/Imagination: •M ulti-seat design offers opportunities for social interaction, cooperative play, turn taking, collaboration and pretend play scenarios

We-saw™

• Multiple seating options with back and trunk support • Gentle rocking motion • Easy access or transfer into seats • Handholds and footrests for stability • Space age look • Optional 3-point seat strap

WHICH SENSES ARE ENGAGED BY THE WE-SAW™?

Proprioception: •C ore muscle groups are engaged while moving the We-saw •M aintaining balance, weight-shifting, holding posture develops strength and endurance Vestibular: •C hildren can regulate their movement/vestibular input based on where they choose to sit (more movement on the ends, less in the middle) Motor Planning: •M otor sequencing and patterning are required, activating weight shifts Social/Imagination: •M ultiple seats allow for group play, requiring communication to coordinate movement and creating opportunities for pretend play

Sway Fun® Glider • Inclusive rocking glider • Room for wheelchairs and/or strollers • Seating and standing room for all • Table position allows those using wheelchairs to move the Sway Fun® Glider • Stable hand support

WHICH SENSES ARE ENGAGED BY THE SWAY FUN® GLIDER?

Proprioception: •C ore muscle groups are engaged in order to move the Sway Fun® Glider •B enches and wheelchair accessibility allow for various levels of involvement Vestibular: •E xperience linear movement, back and forth, at different speeds based on number of riders Motor Planning: •C oordination of movement with their peers is required to stay in motion •P lanning, organizing and problem solving is part of the fun of group swinging/swaying Social/Imagination: •S eating design encourages social engagement and interaction •P rovides opportunities for pretend play scenarios and group participation

ZipKrooz™ and ZipKrooz™ Assisted

• Inclusive side-by-side design option: ZipKrooz Assisted can be paired with ZipKrooz • Ultra-smooth, two-way ride • Built in elevation helps riders gain momentum at the beginning and slow down at the end • Molded bucket seat with lock-in-place harness provides stability and security for children with limited upper-body or lower-body strength

WHICH SENSES ARE ENGAGED BY THE ZIPKROOZ™ AND ZIPKROOZ™ ASSISTED?

Proprioception: •P od seat requires core muscle engagement to stay in the seated position • Children

with limited core muscle control have the option of riding in a fully supportive bucket seat Vestibular: •C hildren experience a variety of speeds during linear movement Motor Planning: •P od seat teaches children to sequence and pattern their movements for take off and landing as well as holding on during the ride Social/Imagination: •D ual-track design allows children of all abilities to play together with opportunities for turn taking, cooperative play and games

Better playgrounds.

Better world.® Since 1971, Landscape Structures has been committed to enhancing children’s lives by fostering and creating inspiring play experiences while honoring the environment. We create innovative playground equipment to inspire children to grow strong bodies and minds so their futures remain bright. And to further ensure a better tomorrow, we are sensitive to the environment through manufacturing practices that minimize our impact on the earth.

Our goal from day one has been to foster healthy children playing in healthy communities year after year, generation after generation.

Contact your local playground consultant today to learn more at 888.438.6574 or 763.972.5200. Or visit playlsi.com.

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