Special needs playground swings ahead

What could well be the largest special needs play area in the region is underway at Michael Dowling School, Urban Environmental Magnet, 3900 W. River Pkwy.

When renovations on the ramps playground are completed next summer, the 1-acre area will boast play equipment for all abilities, including a zip line, swing set, climbing dome, music area with outdoor musical instruments and sensory garden. Phase one of the project is complete, including grading and drainage of the site, along with a few more fun features such as a wheel-chair accessible swing set and an area with outdoor musical instruments.

Created in partnership with Flagship Recreation, the renovation is intended to help special needs children, including those with development, cognitive, physical and health disabilities. The equipment, garden and music therapy are designed to help these children overcome the challenges they face by providing play experiences that promote socialization, while accommodating mobility and motor skills issues.

In addition to developing basic skills, another challenge for special needs students is engaging with their environment. To this end, the renovation will create an outdoor classroom, garden areas and a music therapy area with a suite of outdoor musical instruments.

Wheelchair friendly surfacing throughout the space ensures access, and every activity and play event is designed to engage the children while connecting them to their surroundings.

Another key feature to the design is strengthening connections between play and learning while still allowing the children to explore, invent and define their play for themselves.

The play equipment chosen for the project reflects those goals. Pieces like the Cozy Dome engage large muscle groups in climbing, and support social games such as hide and seek. They also provide a sanctuary for children with disorders like autism who need a retreat after becoming over-stimulated. The children can observe the activity of the playground while working on self-regulating their emotions. The OmniSpin Spinner is wheelchair accessible, promotes cooperation between peers while providing stimulation to the vestibular and proprioceptive sensory systems.

The interactive play panels that define circulation include movable elements that develop fine motor skills. Graphic examples of local phenomena connect the space to the nearby Mississippi river and cultural landmarks along with local flora and fauna, illustrating the school’s relationship to the surroundings at a variety of scales. Finally, the double ZipKrooz zip line allows wheelchair-bound children the chance to fly with their friends.

The site also contains a fascinating example of early efforts to support children with special needs. A multi-level structure of concrete, wood and steel, constructed in the late 1970s, has a dramatic presence in the playground.