Opening Day: Inclusive Play for All!
Saturday’s Magical Bridge Grand Opening was everything we could have hoped for: sunny skies, musical acts, happy families and most importantly, children of all abilities playing together! Our stage served as a focal point for the entertainment as the audience gathered beneath a large, majestic tree.
Above the stage in the upper-level of the playhouse, children came together at the Clubhouse Cafe for excitement, play, and a cup ‘o tea (flavor: imaginary).
Along with the Cafe, we also unveiled two other whimsical sections: the Bakery and the Wood Shop. Complete with wooden delicacies, menu and old-fashioned cash register, the Bakery is ready to satisfy any customer. At the Wood Shop, a selection of hand-crafted tools invite children to dive right in to the building process. The height and placement of these table makes them uniquely accessible to all children, whether in wheelchairs or on foot.
To document the day, Barbara met with a 12-year-old volunteer photographer and videographer who captured the excitement and warmth that pervades Magical Bridge Playground. Here, she has asked Barbara to pose in the Community Cafe. To see her work, head to Instagram #barbarabutler.
Children also converged at the slide mound, where various types of slides means that there’s one to fit every body.
The swings were another big hit, providing both good times and therapeutic benefits to children on the autism spectrum, as well as those with ADHD and learning disabilities.
This unique merry-go-round is designed for maximum accessibility as it combines critical input for growing brains and plain old fun.
At the Laser Harp, families created music together with the wave of a hand.
We are so proud to have been a part of this project and we are looking forward to stopping by in the months and years to come to see how this playground becomes a vital resource for the community. Hopefully, the movement for inclusive play will spread throughout the nation so that Magical Bridge Playground will no longer be one-of-a-kind but rather the first of its kind.
