Giving Tuesday

Creating inclusive playgrounds in our community gives all children the opportunity to learn life skills and boost their health by playing on playgrounds. When children are at their community playground, they get to interact with more children than their usual social circle, and create and play games that require cooperating and communicating with new friends. Children are able to carry these skills into adulthood when they are in the workplace and other social settings. Playgrounds provide free opportunities for children to be healthy and active. Climbing and playing on playgrounds build more muscles than most sports while allowing children to work out at their own pace, and because children have so much fun playing, they don't realize that they are exercising.

Studies show that children perceive those who play with them are "contributors", and those that are not able to play on playgrounds, other children see them as not equal. Making sure playground equipment and surfacing is accessible for kids of all abilities is a key way to ensure all children are able to learn skills and achieve critical peer status on equal ground.