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PLAYGROUND MAINTENANCE TECHNICIAN TRAINING The two-day Playground Maintenance Technician Training focuses on practical playground maintenance activities, inspection principles and best practices in making repairs. This program does not focus on play theory or memorizing standards.
Participant Benefits • Learn about materials! Learn how to maintain playground equipment made of metal, plastic, wood and concrete • Learn about safety! Understand how to take damaged equipment out of service safely, keep proper records, and identify potential legal issues related to playground maintenance • Learn about surfaces! Learn how best to maintain unitary and loose-fill surfaces as well as fasteners and connectors • Cost effective! Train front-line maintenance staff at an affordable price • Ensure your equipment lasts through its useful life! Improve playground user safety and prolong the useful life of equipment
Upcoming Playground Maintenance Technician Programs • April 4-5, 2018 - City of Burnsville Parks Department Burnsville, MN • April 12-13, 2018 - Gwinett County, GA • April 18-19, 2018 - Seattle, WA • April 26-27, 2018 - Landover, MD • May, 2018 - Providence, RI
Want to host a PMT program in your area? Contact the Program Coordinator at the Eppley Institute pmt@eppley.org Find out more at
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SPRING 2018 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 3
Contents
Play and Playground Magazine | Volume 18 No. 1 | Spring 2018
8
Features 8
Interview with Julie Boland
of the National Park and Recreation Association
12 Multigenerational Play by Kent Callison
16 Changing Perceptions, Transforming Play
12
18 The New Look of Prefabricated Restroom and Concession Buildings By Hector Garcia
22 You Don’t Have To Beat an Opponent to Be a Winner By Reeve Brenner
24 5 Ways to Get Your Children Outside By: Amy Honigsberg
26 Spring, Hop, and Jum into Play! By Pat Rumbaugh
18
DEPARTMENTS 5 6
4 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE SPRING 2018
CPSI Course Schedule Editor's Notes
www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
CPSI Course Calendar March 27-29
Wheeling, IL
708.588.2280
27-29
St. Charles, MI
573-636-3828
28-30
Mercer Island, WA
888-459-0009
2-4
Valparaiso, IN
317-219-5272
3-5
East Hartford, CT
860-721-0384
9-11
Ashland, NE
www.nerpa.us
10-12
Danville, CA
916-665-2777
11-13
Wall, NJ
609-356-0480
18-20
Novi, MI
517-485-9888
18-20
Rosemount, MN
763-570-1305
23-25
Erie, CO
303-231-0943
23-25
Richardson, TX
traps.org
25-27
Winter Park, FL
850-878-3221
Enjoy the Outdoors ...on the Playground
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April Trash & Recycling Containers Park Benches Picnic Tables
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Planters
May 1-3
Fairbanks, AK
907-488-1655
2-4
Mason, OH
513-204-6000
2-4
South Kingson, RI
401-331-0131
7-9
Las Vegas, NV
702-455-1220
8-10
Cranberry Township, PA
814-234-4272
22-24
Diamond Bar, CA
916-665-2777
22-24
Davie, FL
850-878-3221
Custom Signs
PARK • STREET • CAMP SITE PRODUCTS
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T H I N K I N G T O DAY
June 13-15
A B O U T T O M O R R O W ’S P L AY ™
Magazine Hillsboro, OR
503-534-5673
Raleigh, NC
919-515-7118
Connect With PGP
July 17-19
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SPRING 2018 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 5
Magazine Publisher Design | Webmaster Jake Amen Editor | Advertising Director Sara Bowersox Accounting Nancy Bergman
Contributing Authors Julie Boland Reeve Brenner Kent Callison Hector Garcia Angalena Malavenda Pat Rumbaugh
Copyright, 2018 published by Playground Professionals, LLC, 4 issues per year, sub rates, back copies, foreign, reproduction prohibitions, all rights reserved, not responsible for content of ads and submitted materials, mail permits.
Message From the Editor
Sara Bowersox
AS YOU READ THIS, I will be enjoying the Holy Grail of multi-generational play - touring Walt Disney World with my grandkids. Of course, as I’m writing this, I’m not there yet, or I wouldn’t have the energy or time to write. I am looking forward to this trip for many reasons. I will get to spend time with the girls, and see the joy on their faces. I will get some joy of my own giving in to my inner child as well as pursuing some of my grown-up play goals. I have reservations to scuba dive in the Epcot aquarium! Preparing for this vacation as well as pulling together this issue of Play & Playground Magazine does take me back to my childhood. Reading Amy Honigsberg’s article about playing outside after dinner reminds me of many games of “ghost in the graveyard” during summers off from school. I could take you down my memory lane, but I’ll let you wander through your own as you read this issue. Several articles in this issue bring together the concept of inclusion. Whether you are familiar with Shane’s Inspiration or not, you will love reading how far inclusive playgrounds have come in the past 20 years. Reeve Brenner’s account of two youngsters winning together without an opponent is heart-warming. We focus on some technical aspects of
park management in this issue as well. If you’ve been considering a prefabricated building, check out Hector’s article for some ideas. We spoke with Julie Bolland, Vice President of Membership and Certification at the NRPA, to let you know more about that organization and professional certifications available through NRPA. While many of you read this magazine on ISSUU, the articles are all available on our webpage as well. As we’ve pointed out over the past couple of issues, we are improving that website and our focus on the play and playground industries. You can continue to see that progress when you check out our website and subscribe to our weekly newsletter. We also have daily alerts as we share the archived articles from nearly 20 years of
CORPORATE OFFICE Playground Professionals LLC P.O. Box 595 Ashton, Idaho 83420
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6 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE SPRING 2018
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Play & Playground Magazine issues. You can continue to count on us to bring you news from the industry, upcoming events, and a directory of professionals to help you with your park and playground needs. Pat mentions Yellowstone National Park, which is practically in my backyard. This winter here in Idaho had been warmer than usual with less snow. That is, until late February. In the past two weeks, we have been hammered with snow storms typical of December. We are shell-shocked and begging for warm weather. We have to get through “mud season� before we can enjoy the spring, however. Oh, Florida, here I come!
Maintaining your parks and playgrounds just got a lot easier.
877.984.0418 www.playgroundguardian.com info@playgroundguardian.com
An Interview with
Julie Boland This issue of Play & Playground Magazine focuses on parks and recreation. What better issue to include an interview with Julie Boland, of the National Park and Recreation Association. Julie joined NRPA in 2008 and serves as the Vice President of Membership and Certification. In this role, she develops and oversees the association’s membership and certification initiatives. Julie received her Bachelors of Science in Forestry from Purdue University and has been working in the field of parks and recreation since 2000. Prior to her time with NRPA, she served as the Parks Director for the City of Crown Point, Indiana. Julie is a Certified Park and Recreation Professional (CPRP) from the National Recreation and Park Association and a Certified Association Executive (CAE) from the American Society of Association Executives.
P&PM: What is the NRPA and how do you interact with the various state agencies?
Julie Boland
JB: NRPA is the leading non-profit organization representing parks & recreation nationwide. We represent Park and Recreation agencies from municipal, through county and regional up through state and sometimes national. We work with agencies in varying sizes, in varying locales, from rural and urban areas. We impact park & rec professionals nationwide, as well as represent the field
8 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE SPRING 2018
of parks & rec in many different aspects: promoting awareness of parks & rec and appreciation of what we have in the United States. At NRPA, we believe everyone deserves a great park. P&PM: Does NRPA actually lobby for parks & rec? JB: NRPA is proud to advocate on behalf of parks and recreation nationwide. In doing so, we provide our members with the tools and resources necessary to advocate at the local and national level. www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
As part of our Park Champions initiative, our member agencies host events where U.S. representatives, senators and their staff have a unique opportunity to learn about their local park and recreation department and the programs and services offered. We encourage park and recreation agencies everywhere to join this exciting effort.
ple of the difference between the CPRP & the CPRE is the professional will cover the core competency of programming as compared to the executive that will cover the core competency of planning. The CPRP has approximately 5400 certified professionals and the CPRE, a newer program, has a little over 200 certified executives.
P&PM: What certifications does NRPA offer / recommend?
In addition, we have our two Occupational Certifications. The Certified Playground Safety Inspector (CPSI) program is designed for professionals who maintain playground facilities. That may be playground operators, health inspectors, daycare staff, maintenance personnel, waste production managers or installers. We have approximately 7500 Certified Playground Safety Inspectors. That’s a two-day course with an exam on the third day. The Aquatic Facility Operator (AFO) program is designed for individuals who operate aquatics facilities nationwide. So that might be an aquatic director, school operator, recreation directors, waterpark directors, homeowner association staff. Anyone who is operating a
JB: We offer two professional certifications and two occupational certifications. The Certified Park and Recreation Professional (CPRP) is more for the entry-level to mid-manager professional. It covers a broad spectrum of topics that the entry level CPRP should be familiar with when they enter the field and as they progress through their career. The Certified Park and Recreation Executive (CPRE) is for middle-manager to executive level professionals and covers the topics at a bit higher level for Park and Recreational professionals and the information that they need to have. An examwww.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
pool or any aquatic facility. That's a twoday course with exam on the second day. One difference between the professional and occupational certifications is that the professional is more self-study where occupational have classroom courses. P&PM: Where would a playground operator go to get started toward an occupational certification? What training is required? JB: Visit the NRPA website www.nrpa. org. There is an entire section regarding certification. Click on certification, then they can find what program you are looking for as well as a wealth of resources regarding what the examination covers, any study & research tools, and information on the courses that are offered. There is a course calendar that shows the dates and locations for the courses and exams. They can narrow it down where the closest offering would be for the course they want. We work hand in hand with Park and Recreation agencies or state associa-
SPRING 2018 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 9
tions throughout the United States that offer educational opportunities. Our goal is to try to have sites that are within a reasonable distance to travel for anyone throughout the United States. We’ve offered classes in Alaska and in Hawaii. Most states try to offer one class and exam each year, but not all can do this. We do highly recommend that people, especially in the business, take the course as well as the examination. I highly recommend that a professional seeking occupational certifications check out the website and go to the course calendar. P&PM: What are the benefits of getting certified? JB: Obviously potential employment advancement depending on your agency. Sometimes an agency or employer may be interested in seeking someone that has a certification. So as soon as you have that certification, it demonstrates your desire to learn and to stay educated. Some agencies provide salary increases with certification. If you step outside your everyday position to obtain a cer-
tification and sit for an examination to achieve that certification, you are demonstrating your ability, confidence, and professionalism to your community as well as your employer.
department as well as that risk reduction and management that occurs when someone is certified as a playground safety inspector and completes those inspections within the field.
P&PM: What are the benefits to the organization of having certified professionals?
P&PM: One of our most read articles is on hints for taking the CPSI exam. Do you have any favorite tips for exam preparation to offer?
JB: Depending on the agency you work for, laws may come into play. You have the ability to try to minimize the impact of the injuries on the playground. So, therefore, you could be minimizing the risk that involves with play. This is extremely valuable for the recreation agency and the community that these professionals might be serving. Personally, I think the risk management aspect is very important. And just having the community's awareness that your organization employs certified professionals shows that your playgrounds are being inspected and brings a higher level of confidence in your agency by the community. I think a lot of it comes around just a level of professionalism for your
10 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE SPRING 2018
JB: First-time CPSI students should take the in-person course as opposed to the online course so that they can ask questions. Make sure they do the prereading that's recommended before the course. It will help them retain more information. We do provide a table of dimensions in the candidate handbook that's provided during the exam. That will definitely help them see what they need to know without having to memorize more than necessary. It's a lot of information. However, we need to make sure our kids are safe. Prepare and study! P&PM: Who can join NRPA? www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
JB: Anyone can join NRPA. We have membership opportunities varying from advocates who may have a passion for or an interest in Parks and Recreation to those who may be on a park board. In addition, we have membership options for students, young professionals, retirees and industry suppliers. We also have membership packages for agencies depending on their size. If interested, check out the website or give us a call. P&PM: What are the benefits of membership? JB: With more than 60,000 members, connectivity and networking are great benefits. We have online networking activities that allow an advocate to reach out nationwide and receive feedback and share stories. or try to gain insight regarding challenges they may be currently having. That connectivity is a great benefit. Certification, professional spotlights, education and training opportunities are huge benefits. Having a national association in place to set standards and guidelines helps to improve the quality of Park and Rec offerings nationwide whether it’s through University or Agency accreditation or Professional Certification.
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Come see us at the NRPA Conference Booth #1141
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P&PM: What do you see coming in the future for NRPA and the certifications that they offer? JB: The 2018 NRPA Annual Conference is being held September 25–27 in Indianapolis, Indiana. There are always new and exciting things for the conference. Along with that, there's a really cool opportunity called Parks Build Community. It's a project we take with us from conference to conference. Each host city will identify one park that needs some revitalization. Then NRPA, along with a significant number of vendors and industry suppliers, will build a brand new park for that community and for that area. It’s a really exciting project that we do from year to year, and this year we are excited to work with the Indianapolis Parks Foundation and Indianapolis Parks and Recreation on the revitalization of Sandorf Park. We also have something new coming out this spring relating to Playgrounds a new opportunity for professionals. So keep your eye out. www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
Your Dog Park Experts! www.dog-on-it-parks.com
1-877-348-3647 SPRING 2018 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 11
Multigenerational the playground will find something to enjoy. It’s no small feat, but when it comes together it creates a space that is entertaining and valuable for the entire community.
by Kent Callison MULTIGENERATIONAL PLAY has been driving playground design for the past several years, and this “trend” won’t be going anywhere anytime soon. I hesitate to call it a trend because the functionality and benefits of playgrounds thoughtfully designed to encompass the entire community just makes sense. A multigenerational playground doesn’t focus solely on the child, but on people of all ages and abilities, so that anyone who visits
Benefits of Multigenerational Play
Play is transformative. Not only is playing together fun but when families play together everyone benefits. Multigenerational play provides significant physical, emotional, and social benefits. Research shows that children who play with adults demonstrate greater creativity and higher levels of language and problem-solving skills. Research also shows that adults who engage in play with children experi-
12 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE SPRING 2018
ence dramatic psychological and health benefits such as reduced stress, improved mood, greater cognitive skills and enhanced relationships.1 While it may seem obvious that adults and children play together, a study2 from the United Kingdom suggests that’s not the case. Renowned psychologist Tanya Byron surveyed parents and children across the U.K. and discovered: • 1 in 5 parents say they have forgotten how to play with their children • 55% of children desire more play time with parents and grandparents • 1 in 3 parents feel like video games are appropriate multigenerational activities • 75% of children prefer outdoor play with parents or grandparents over video games www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
With so many benefits, and a generation of children and adults who are not engaged in play with one another, it’s critical that communities provide a place for children and adult caregivers to play together.
Designing a Multigenerational Play Space
A successful multigenerational playground considers the needs of everyone in your community. By incorporating best practice design strategies in the areas of nature, inclusion, and fitness, communities can bring adults and children together, create parks that are neighborhood centerpieces and help families reconnect with the outdoors and with one another.
Nature
According to the National Institutes of Health, 80% of Americans utilize local public parks for recreation and physical activity. 3 That makes parks an obvious choice for creating multigenerational play spaces. Naturalized play environments are more attractive and comfortable for adults, encouraging caregivers to spend more time outdoors with their www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
SPRING 2018 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 13
children. The following guides developed by the Natural Learning Initiative at NC State University in partnership with PlayCore should be considered to incorporate nature into your playground. NatureGrounds is a program that brings nature to the play environment. It represents a dramatic shift in the playground design process and encourages unstructured, free play in nature. Integrating native plantings like trees and shrubs into a manufactured play space meets the needs of a broader range of children and families in parks. It encourages grandparents, parents and children to visit outdoor play areas more frequently. Pathways for Play is a breakthrough design concept that brings play to trails, greenways and walking paths. By positioning pockets of play along a path, communities can attract families to underutilized trail systems, encourage physical activity and increase the diversity of play value.
Inclusion
Inclusive play used to focus on accessibility. Specifically, the effort was to ensure a play environment was accessible by children with a physical disability. This is important, and it is required by DOJ Accessibility Guidelines for public parks and play spaces, but access alone does not guarantee inclusion. Truly inclusive play includes access, but it also considers a much wider range of needs – beyond physical disability. The idea is
to create a space that allows every child to play together, and to participate fully in a variety of activities in a mutually beneficial way. And while the primary audience of a play area is children, an inclusive play space should be a multigenerational environment that allows people of all ages and abilities to play and recreate with friends and families. Out of 1,000 children between the ages of three and 21, approximately 85 will have some type of disability. For example, one of those children will have a physical disability and 41 will have a cognitive disability. But numbers like one or 41, or even 85 out of 1,000 don’t really give a full picture of the population of children affected by a disability. According to the US Department of Education, there are approximately 6.6 million children in the United States who are affected by some type of disability (physical, sensory, chronic health condition, social-emotional, communication, cognitive). What makes a play space inclusive is creating a space that addresses the needs of those 6.6 million children, as well as every other child in the country. We think about the environment first, and how to make it usable and beneficial to all people to the greatest extent possible. We use the design guidelines found in Me2: The 7 Principles of Inclusive Playground Design, created in partnership with Utah State University Center for Person with Disabilities and our parent company, PlayCore. Me2 is a comprehensive design philosophy based on
14 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE SPRING 2018
proven best practices. One of the most innovative commercial play products that promotes multigenerational play in parks is Expression Swing®. The patented face-to-face design positions an adult and child at eye level and allows a parent and child (or grandparent and grandchild) to interact visually and verbally while at play. When a parent and child's eyes meet while playing in this way it creates opportunities for significant emotional bonding (also called attunement), and enhances the cognitive and decision-making centers of the brain in both the child and the adult. Expression Swing® is now available with an Adaptive Swing Seat so parents and caregivers can swing with children and young adults who need additional support.
Fitness
Studies show that adults who exercise outdoors, and children who play outdoors, are active more often and for longer periods of time. By combining outdoor fitness equipment for adults, with a playground that is designed to keep children moving, communities can help people of all ages achieve their health and wellness goals. Using the Outdoor Adult Fitness Park program guide from PlayCore, communities can design a fitness park that combats obesity through well-rounded workout opportunities for people of all abilities and fitness levels and increases interest in related community services, www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
such as nutrition education and health screenings. Outdoor fitness products are great ways to encourage people of all ages to be more playful together. Our Challenge Course® is a cross between a ninja obstacle course and a pro sports combine. With the addition of the mobile phone app and the professional tim-
www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
ing systems, it’s a social and competitive experience for the entire community. Challenge courses appeal to a wide range of users, from all walks of life, play styles and socioeconomic backgrounds. Through incorporating best practice design strategies, communities can create opportunities for children and adults to interact in a meaningful way through play. Play is inherently social, and as communities create multigenerational recreation areas that promote interaction between adults and children, the benefits of play increase exponentially. By implementing best practice design strategies, and by utilizing neighborhood parks, you can create a more enjoyable living experience today and for generations to come.
4 “New Type of multigenerational Community Being Planned in Lawrence,” by M. Shields, 2013. Retrieved March 2015, from http://www. khi.org/news/article/new-type-multigenerational-community-being-planned/
Footnotes
Kent is an award-winning writer and speaker with nearly two decades of experience helping organizations craft dynamic marketing content that captures the eye and inspires the imagination. He is a passionate advocate for play and community recreation initiatives, including outdoor fitness parks and inclusive play areas.
1 Play from Birth to Twelve, Fromberg and Bergen, 2006. 2 “Parents are Forgetting How to Play with Their Children, Study Shows,” by A. Hill. August 26, 2010, The Guardian. Retrieved from http:// www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2010/ aug/26/parents-children-playtime 3 Cohen, Deborah A. et al. “Contribution of Public Parks to Physical Activity.” American Journal of Public Health 97.3 (2007): 509–514. PMC. Web. 8 June 2015.
KENT CALLISON
Kent Callison is the Director of Marketing Communications for GameTime, a PlayCore company, where he serves as a company spokesperson and oversees advertising and communications for its global distribution network.
Read more at
gametime.com
SPRING 2018 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 15
Rocket's Universe Playground, photos courtesy of Shane's Inspiration
Changing Perceptions, Transforming Play THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAYGROUND is an environment where families create community. But for decades, an entire group was missing from these vital hubs: caregivers and children with disabilities, who make up 19% of the US population. Two families changed that, transforming play forever. In 1996, Amy Barzach opened Jonathan’s Dream, the first accessible playground in the United States. This ground-breaking legacy in West Hartford, Connecticut inspired Catherine Curry-Williams, Scott Williams, and Tiffany Harris to form the non-profit Shane’s Inspiration in Los Angeles in 1998, resulting in the first fully-accessible playground in the Western United States. “Families of children with disabilities were ostracized and not invited to be a part of their communities,” observes Brad Thornton, Senior VP of Project Development with Shane’s Inspiration. “When Shane’s Inspiration opened in 2000, I met these families and saw children having a wonderful time on equal footing. I got to see the parents light up and see their children accepted for who they were. All the differences melted away.”
The Evolution Of Access
Diane Scanlan, Shane’s Inspiration’s Sr. VP of Design has created more than 50 award-winning playgrounds since
joining the organization. “Before 1998, the public had no idea what defined an accessible playground. Shane’s found their own definition of accessibility and the key to engaging a child in the playground. Most of the newly constructed playgrounds that fulfill the minimum ADA guidelines still did not benefit children with disabilities. Hence, the birth of ground level and sensory play, where children with disabilities could be challenged but not threatened while experiencing the benefits of social play.”
Changing Hearts Drove Demand
Despite the many benefits of inclusive play, Shane’s Inspiration had to persuade communities to establish these play spaces in the beginning. “Sometimes the public responses were challenging and shocking. This was new. At some community meetings, we were told that they didn’t need an inclusive playground because there were no children with disabilities in the community, which wasn’t true,” remembers Thornton. “Or some believed that they carried contagious diseases. They were afraid of integrating their children.” But persistence paid off one community at a time. “Once we opened a playground, those who previously resisted saw children with disabilities come to the playground. It would shift them. They would have an aha moment,” Thornton shared.
16 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE SPRING 2018
“There was an increased understanding of the play needs of children with disabilities. Those who saw that these children were being denied their right to play became activists for a changed world for their children,” Scanlan commented. This new awareness and activism fueled the demand. “Inclusivity has come to the forefront of the playground industry. Instead of simply updating playground equipment, communities ask for inclusive playgrounds. Those interested are finding the funds through municipalities and private donors,” commented Scanlan. “I give parks and recreation departments across the nation a lot of credit. They took a seed of an idea and grew it powerfully. That’s a huge paradigm shift that was not there back in 1996,” stated Thornton.”
Increased Demand Inspires Creativity
“The mandate for inclusive design has forced designers to be more creative. No longer are we providing the simple function of a swing or slide but designing an environment with multi-sensory experiences that forms a thematic world,” reflects Scanlan. “The use of the sand table is one example. If we isolate a raised table away from other activities, a child would likely feel alone while their peers played elsewhere. But if it were located facing www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
a sand pit, children could interact with their peers on the other side, enhancing the social aspects of play. We don’t just place elements on the playground that comply with the guidelines. We massage them, which results in more unique and thoughtful playground,” observed Scanlan. Who are the key drivers of this evolution in design? Children. By implementing school and family programs at their playgrounds, Shane’s Inspiration staff learn as kids play. “I learn from watching kids interact with play equipment. I come away with information: why is it working for them, why is it not, how can we make it a more sensory experience?” Scanlan shared. “That’s how a roller slide turned into a roller table: someone let us know that a child with a disability was fearful of being put on their back and going down the slide. If one piece of equipment isn’t working for one set of needs, then we choose to adapt it.” As more and more students and families with Autism and sensory processing disorders participated in their programs, Shane’s Inspiration’s designs shifted again. “Back in early 2006, we really started focusing specifically on the play needs of children with sensory processing disorders. That was a lightbulb moment. We created the first sensory walls that engage the whole child,” Thornton recalls. “Sensory processing is a challenging accomplishment to bring to a playground,” Scanlan admits, “because of noise, lack of space, and the fact that you aren’t dealing with a single child’s sensory needs. With creativity, you can combine multiple play and sensory opportunities into one play element.” “An example is the sea serpent sculpture we designed at a play space in Los Angeles, which incorporates climbing, crawling, sliding, tactile/visual opportunities and theme all in one element,” Scanlan stated.
And while the designs and industry have changed over time, one thing has not: children with disabilities still drive the inclusion movement. And the legacy they will leave? “The next twenty years are going to be influenced by those children who grew up on inclusive playgrounds and experienced Shane’s Inspiration’s inclusion programs. They will be guiding those who follow. There’s no box limiting them on what is possible,” shares Thornton. “When you think about a future playground, there will likely be more sensory, interactive play through technology that won’t be possible without today’s generation capturing the opportunities, creating a better understanding of what all children experience and feel.”
Co-founders L to R: Catherine Curry-Williams, Scott Williams, & Tiffany Harris
Shane’s Inspiration, the world's leader in creating inclusive playgrounds and educational programs for children with disabilities celebrate their 20th Anniversary in 2018. Shane’s Inspiration has reinvented the paradigm of play with education and community outreach programs that socially, physically and emotionally integrate children of all abilities to foster acceptance, friendship and understanding for children with disabilities.
shanesinspiration.org
Inclusive Play Moving Forward
Twenty years ago, no one saw a movement. They saw a unique playground that allowed all children to play. Today, Shane’s Inspiration has created 70 inclusive playgrounds and currently has 50 more in development worldwide. www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
SPRING 2018 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 17
The New Look of
Prefabricated Restroom and Concession Buildings by Hector Garcia TIMES HAVE CHANGED and so have modern prefabricated facilities. In the past, the typical prefabricated restroom or concession building would have had an institutional look and feel. With new processes and higher-grade materials on the market, the modern prefab building is much more aesthetically pleasing and can be built to truly fit into its surrounding environment. That's great news for both the building's owners and it's future users as well. Modern manufacturers of prefabricated buildings have the flexibility to design buildings that do not have to fit into specific molds. With buildings now being constructed using time-tested materials such as wood framing, steel framing, or CMU block, an in-house architect can custom design both the layout/floor plan of a building as well as the exterior look. The result is a building that fits the specific needs of their clients. From basic
restroom layouts to buildings housing restrooms, concession rooms, offices, and storage space the opportunity is available to make changes or additions as needed. The option to add exterior features such as gables, arched roofs, natural or cultured stone, brick, natural wood and timbers and so much more lends itself to designing a building that "fits" into
18 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE SPRING 2018
its new environment. The advantage of custom designing a building along with the ease of the construction process has drawn more parks departments, landscape architects, and golf course owners to take a serious look at prefabricated buildings for their new projects. Tough buildings are the result of the
www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
nature of the manufacturing process. Prefab buildings are engineered to meet the demands of in-plant construction, lifting with heavy cranes, and delivery by heavy haul trucks. The end result for a new owner is a building that is built to a much higher standard with higher strength and shear values, stronger foundations, and more bracing than a typical on-site constructed building which in turn typically delivers a longer lasting facility. As parks and recreation professionals research manufacturers of prefab buildings they will find that many modern fabricators are specialized in the types of buildings they produce. A manufacturer that solely builds restroom and concession buildings has an acute understanding of what the day to day use and abuse of such a facility endures. The builder, through years of research, will have found and will be using materials that are made to stand up to years of use and are easy to maintain. In addition to ADA compliance, a prefab builder will also comply with building, energy, health, as well as regional codes. Keep in mind that a prefab builder will deliver buildings across the country. No matter where a building is delivered, it will be built to both federal and local building code. Transferring that burden over to the manufacturer saves not only hours or days of time researching code, but also the worry of impending inspections. What can an owner expect when moving forward with a prefabricated buildwww.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
ing? Expect ease - ease of installation, and maintenance. During the construction process of a prefab building, its new owner has peace of mind knowing that they do not have to deal with a messy and dangerous construction site that will close down a part of their park or recreation area and increases their liability. They also know that their building is being built in an enclosed plant out of the damaging effects of mother nature, vandals, and thieves. Typical on-site construction lends itself to many pitfalls that can lead to construction delays and budget overruns which can be mitigated by off-site construction. Preparing for delivery is easy. As delivery of a new building draws near, a new owner will be required to prepare a pad site for their new facility. The typical pad preparation will consist of grading down a few inches and compacting the soil, and in some cases, dependent on the condition of the soil, footers or imported fill may be required. Next, a team from the prefab company will arrive on site and, with the help of the owner digging trenches, will install a prefabricated plumbing kit that has been specifically designed and built for their new building. After the trenches have been backfilled with the plumbing kit installed, sand will be spread creating a 2" layer which allows the building to settle into place. The company installers will ensure the pad is level, flat, and ready for the building's placement. Delivery and set day is an exciting time for everyone involved. A large crane
shows up on site and sets up, and shortly after, the building arrives on a semi-truck ready for its new home. The professional installers will direct the building as it is off-loaded and set up on the prepared pad. Care is taken to ensure the plumbing kit's lines enter the building through knockouts in the 8" thick concrete slab foundation. Once in place and free from the crane, the building is almost ready for service. The interior building plumbing is connected to the underground plumbing kit, and the new owners connect utility service via the stub outs set 6' from the building. After the installers complete their finish work the building is tested, and a final walk through with its new owner is conducted the beautiful new building is ready for use. Imagine the families showing up to a park or recreation area a week after their previous visit to find a fully functional, beautiful new building! A building that not only looks great but is easy to maintain. Prefabricated buildings are not what they used to be, and that is a great thing.
HECTOR GARCIA Hector is a consultant and advocate for high end restroom, concession, storage, and other pre-fabricated buildings at CorWorth. Customized to their clients specific wants and needs, our architect, design, and build teams construct some of the most beautiful and durable facilities on the planet. Developed with structural integrity our facilities are built to withstand most anything nature or the public has in store. Designed with an artistic and architectural eye, our buildings will aesthetically flow with any environment, from deep in a National Forest to the streets of San Francisco, our designs are meant to be looked at. We may not be the "cheapest", but we are the Right Choice for High Value and Lasting Quality!
www.corworth.com
SPRING 2018 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 19
US Play Coalition presents
This annual conference brings together leading play researchers, park and recreation professionals, educators, health scientists, landscape architects, designers, planners, business and community leaders, psychologists, physicians and parents from across the country. The three-day event includes keynote and featured speakers, PLAYtalks, PLAY institutes, research symposium, educational sessions, roundtables, grant opportunities, networking, and opportunities for play.
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• International/Global Play • Multi/Intergenerational & Adults at Play • Accessible & Inclusive Play • Health, Recreation & Play • Nature Based & Outdoor Play • Education & Play • Designing for Play • Emerging Trends in Play • Nuts & Bolts
@usplaycoalition
Learn More and Register for the Play Conference online at usplaycoalition.org Contact us at usplaycoalition@clemson.edu or 864.656.2525
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SPRING 2018 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 21
REEVE'S PEEVES AND OBSESSIONS
You Don’t Have To Beat an Opponent to Be a Winner by Reeve Brenner COMPETITION! There is no necessary correlation between play and competition, between challenging activities and “Opposition” – play which requires participating opponents to defeat “at play.” Play doesn’t necessarily mean having to defeat a rival. And yet, when I went out to play ball as a youngster, I went out to score more than my opponents. No denying that there were opponents. When I defeated my opponents in the sports I played as a youngster I got to continue to play. For one thing, my team stayed on at the court longer. The team that got defeated sat down. So you want to defeat others. And winning didn’t mean self-improvement necessarily. Getting better was incidental to defeating others. You didn’t play alongside others; you played against others. Teammates cooperated to defeat others, not for the sake of cooperation as a goal worthy of attainment in and of itself. It is not difficult to remain unconscious of discrimination and exclusion as issues that all of us should have been conscious of as participants in sports and as members of the community. Children and kids who were not athletes simply didn’t play. The competition was too tough and the non-athletes, including children with different abilities, were invariably marginalized. They watched. We played. The differences between recreational sports and competitive sports were not then recognized. We were there to compete not to recreate. Our sense of empathy, or the lack thereof, was never brought to our attention. We never considered reaching out to children with different abilities to include them in our competition. A playground is an area where competition is not the essence. Children don’t show up to defeat others at play on the playground. Passing strange it is to note that in our society, once children outgrow the playground they are ushered
into the defeat-others, opponent based, contact and collision playfields of heavy duty competition. We do not offer many self-competitive or noncompetitive intermediate transition options or opportunities. No cooperative ball-play is provided - bowling and golf the awkward exceptions and entirely inappropriate in neighborhood parks, schools, and playgrounds. The benefits of competition are now being seen as highly overrated and seriously questionable as well. A number of significant thinkers including Emily Bazelon, Barbara Coloroso, and Alfie Kohn have helped trace the downside of competition. Healthy competition is an oxymoron. Rather, competition as a concept can be detrimental when seen from the perspective of the harm to members of Western society. Aggressive sports like football, soccer, baseball, and tennis at which defeating rivals is at the core of the play can lead to dehumanization, bullying, gender discrimination, age and disability segregation. Teaching cooperation rather than competition is the better idea. Now with the introduction of Playcourts, designed for youngsters who have outgrown the playground, there exist recreational facilities providing ball-playing sports designed for non-opponent, s elf-comp etitive
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participation. No offense; no defense. And speed, strength, stature, and gender are irrelevant because one doesn’t play an opponent. Participants take on the challenge of the course. In that way, people with disabilities, with mobility impairment, or positioned on the autism spectrum are provided with self-competitive socialization and integration. Participants improve their sports skills for themselves without having to defeat others. We need more of these play courts and games providing play in which participants interact companionably, not competitively. Think of a swimming pool and bowling, golf, and bankshot. Everyone can thrive at
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independent, individual, sports playing alongside others, not against others. And the integration and socialization achieved are enormously beneficial. On occasion the win-win cliché is made real as in the following anecdote: Now that I’m in my 80s I am blessed with many memories of unforgettable scenes of inclusion and integration on the Bankshot courts that I have visited over the years. In this context one particularly stands out. My favorite photograph shows an African-American boy of about 10 and a Caucasian girl of about 17 who happen to cross paths playing on the Bankshot court quite by accident. The young lad caught up with the young woman at one of the more difficult stations and the photograph shows the young lad pointing to where on the backboard must the ball strike according to the required physics so that the difficult shot might have a chance. Because they landed on the same rather difficult station together, they began to rebound the ball for each other and, alternating, tried several times to meet the challenge and make the shot which they finally did with smiles and fist raising gestures of pride. They congratulated www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
each other and then decided that they would start the game again and play a round together, strangers no longer. I drifted close enough to them to hear them talking about school and likely other subjects as well. Even if they hadn’t improved their scores the second time around, the participants were winners on every level of socialization, integration, and inclusion. Collaboration made both of the participants winners, and yes they did improve their scores the second time around. I enjoyed watching for the while, as their play alongside one another in concert, supporting one another, giving each other a helping hand in friendship, not as rivals or opponents, made both of them winners regardless of their final scores.
REEVE BRENNER See more from Rabbi Reeve Brenner at www.playgroundprofessionals. com/contributors/reeve-brenner
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5 Ways to Get Your Children Outside by Amy Honigsberg HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT to yourself how nice it would be to go back to the time when technology wasn’t the central focus of our children’s lives? Do you remember when children were playing outside until dark with the neighborhood kids? In this day and age, you may find it difficult to pull your children away from phones, tablets, and TV screens. Take the initiative this spring to get your whole family outside and enjoying the fresh air with these five tips!
Take Walks After Dinner
One of the easiest tips we have for how to get your family away from the screen is to start taking a walk after dinner. To ease into this new activity, we recommend going once a week or making it part of your weekend traditions, when you may have some more free time. In the summertime, you can increase the frequency of walks after dinner since there is no worry of finishing up homework before the next school day. This is also a great time to get your kids to use their bikes, scooters, rollerblades, and skateboards some more!
messy! Move the party outside by playing in the rain! Have a puddle jumping contest, create a relay race in the backyard, play some football, or do a slip and slide! You may have some extra laundry to do once you get back inside, but you’ll also have some great memories for your children to look back on.
Explore Nature
Take a step on the wild side! You don’t have to go as extreme as going on a safari, but you can explore nature locally and have it be an active, educational, and fun experience for the family. Not sure where to start? There are more natural preserves and conservatories around you than you think! Consider making a checklist of all the parks in your area and visiting each of them. Make sure you do your research
before you go to figure out what is available at the park. Each park is different so you may find yourself walking, hiking, biking, or enjoying other activities or events. Regardless of what activities are available, sometimes it’s nice to just enjoy nature. Make sure you take time to collect any documentation the parks or conservatories have so that you can learn more about the history of the park and of the area.
Add a Playset to Your Backyard
While going to a park is a great way to get your family outside, sometimes it’s easier to stay at home. Adding a playset to your backyard can be a convenient way to get your children off of their devices and playing outside without having to leave. A playset can be used all year-round,
Play in the Rain
You know the saying, “April showers bring May flowers!” Springtime often means plenty of rainy days, which are usually viewed as perfect TV bingewatching days. Take a break from that new Netflix series or Disney movie marathon and pull out some old sneakers or rain boots. You know kids love to get 24 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE SPRING 2018
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30 Years of Technical Excellence! GOLADRD
STAND
PROVLETNS RESU
but the real fun starts at the beginning of spring! By having a swing set in your backyard, you are giving the children a chance to make childhood memories and enhance their gross motor skills. Introduce your children to the simple game of cops and robbers or buy extra accessories to increase the number of activities on your swing set. The extra additions can help to keep the kids entertained and can also extend the life of your playground. If you’re installing your swing set yourself, we encourage you to make the process of building it a family event. This will help the children see the fruits of their labor and make them value having a swing set much more.
Plant a Garden
Planting and maintaining a garden is the gift that keeps on giving! Get together as a family to figure out what kind of vegetables or flowers you would like to plant and buy the seeds at the store. When it comes time to finally plant, you can place the seeds in your flower bed if you do not have space for an actual garden in your yard. Your children will love watching the plants grow and your wallet may even thank you too! It may be hard to get your children outside and moving with all of the different types of entertainment available these days. By adapting a few of these activities, your family will be up and moving in no time! www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
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Spring, Hop, and Jump into Play! by Pat Rumbaugh WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT SPRING? Do you love the blossoms on the trees or the crocuses popping up out of the ground? Do you feel as if you have more energy because of the warmer temperatures and added daylight we have each day? Do you breathe in the fresh air with a smile on your face? I love all these spring delights, and I get super excited about playing outside in the spring.
National Parks for Your Pleasure
The spring season is a wonderful time to check out our national parks. When you have some downtime on your laptop or desktop, or even for those of you with Internet access on your phones, you may want to visit the National Parks Service (NPS) website: https://www.nps. gov/aboutus/history.htm Congress established Yellowstone National Park in March 1872 in what were then the territories of Montana and Wyoming "as a public park or pleasuring-ground for the benefit and enjoyment of the people." When Yellowstone National Park was founded, it sparked a movement for national parks across the globe. Today, more than 100 countries boast more than 1,200 national parks or preserved areas, 400 of which are in the United States. How fortunate are we to have our national parks? I love the quote above that it is worth repeating: “as a public park or pleasuring-ground for the benefit and enjoyment of the people." Anytime I have the opportunity to visit a national, state, county or local park, I jump at the opportunity. One of the national parks about a half-hour drive from me is located in Greenbelt, Maryland. Greenbelt has some great hiking trails and you can camp there, too. Maryland has other national parks worthy of exploration, as well. I urge you to research national parks located near you and make plans to visit. Three out of four of the entrance fee-free days remain in 2018 for the national parks. I know I am marking my calendar! • Saturday, April 21: First Day of National Park Week
• Saturday, Sept. 22: National Public Lands Day • Sunday, Nov. 11: Veterans Day
The Many Faces of Play: U.S. Play Coalition Conference
In 2011 I attended the first U.S. Play Coalition Conference at Clemson University in Clemson, S.C. I found Fran Mainella, one of the conference’s co-founders, to be one of the most inspirational persons I have ever met. She was the first woman to become an NPS director. I can only begin to imagine how many people Fran encouraged and inspired during her tenure as the 16th director of the NPS. This will be my eighth consecutive year attending the conference. This year it will be held April 8 to 11, again at Clemson University. Open to the public, this year’s event is called “The 2018 Conference on the Value of Play: The Many Faces of Play.” The U.S. Play Coalition website - http://www.usplaycoalition.org – provides information about the conference as well as membership, which is free. U.S. Play Coalition members received a conference discount.
Tenth Annual Play Day
On September 22 the 10th Annual Play Day will be held by Let’s Play America and the City of Takoma Park Recreation Department. Those residing in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia should join in on the fun! See http://www.letsplayamerica. org for details.
Increasing Play in Montgomery County Parks
Recently I was introduced to Casey Anderson, the director of Montgomery County Parks in Maryland, and two of his colleagues: David Vismara and Kokia Tarik. They want to increase the play opportunities for Montgomery County residents. Just imagine if we all welcomed new play ideas so we could give our communities more opportunities to play? Here’s the website: https://www.montgomeryparks.org These folks gave me the chance to share the history of the play committee I founded in March 2009. At that time
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our group also wanted to offer more play opportunities to people of all ages in our community. We began planning and implementing fun and free play days, obtaining permission to close streets for play events and joined in on events that were already organized by others by adding the play aspect to them. In 2014 we became a nonprofit, Let’s Play America. The website, http://www.letsplayamerica. org, provides information about upcoming events, past events, media coverage and more. For folks who want to volunteer click on, GET INVOLVED on our website. Takoma Playground Map Describes Amenities on the back for of the Guide for all the playgrounds. In past columns, I have shared that I am a resident of Takoma Park, which is located in Montgomery County, Md. As you may know, Takoma Park borders Washington, D.C. and Prince George’s County. The recreation and public works departments of Takoma Park together maintain half of the city’s playgrounds while the other half are maintained by the Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission. One year ago, in the spring edition of Play and Playground Magazine, I shared the middle of the Guide, a playground map of Takoma Park, which can be found here on our website: http://letsplayamerica.org/takoma-park-playgrounds/ What you didn’t see at that time was the reverse side of the map which includes a question I personally love: “Want to explore a new playground with your kids?” In addition, the back side includes a description of each of the playgrounds shown on the front of www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
the map. Families have told me that they absolutely love this “Guide to Takoma Park Playgrounds” and use it regularly.
Hopscotch, Anyone?
Recently, Let’s Play America received a grant from the Takoma Foundation, a local organization that raises money for non-profits in the Takoma area. We are calling this grant “The Hopscotch Project.” Ten hopscotch boards will be painted, one on each of 10 playgrounds in Takoma Park in the next two months. Just imagine the hopping, jumping and playing that will result because of these additional hopscotch boards in our community! Last summer my assistant, Mikentha Bobo, from the summer youth employment program, and two other fantastic helpers, Michelle Morris and Jacquelin Mendez, painted a hopscotch board on my driveway. As soon as the hopscotch board was painted, people started stopping by my driveway and hopping on the hopscotch. A couple of times I saw kids play games on it. I really enjoy seeing preschool teachers and their students walk by my house because the teachers know I allow everyone to stop, then hop, jump, and play on my hopscotch board…and they do! Want to know more about The Hopscotch Project? Just email theplaylady@gmail.com
Play Added to Washington, D.C. NBC4 Health & Fitness Expo
The 25th Annual NBC4 Health and Fitness Expo in Washington, D.C. was on Saturday, March 10 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday, March 11 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Washington, D.C.’s Walter E. Washington Convention Center. Twice before, I’ve attended and have come away brewing with an idea. While the Expo featured many health booths and some fun fitness activities, and while I found the overall experience beneficial, I thought it was lacking good oldfashioned play opportunities. So, I acted on my idea and contacted NBC4, then shared my idea with the coordinator, Angela Miles, and the director of strategic planning, Lisa Feldman. These ladies loved my idea to add some play activities. I am personally inviting you to come to future Expos. Wear your play clothes, and come play with us. I promise you it will be a blast! www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
Donors, Fundraisers, and Volunteers Keep Play Growing
Let me take a minute and talk about funding. As we all know, almost everything costs, which means funding is necessary. Since I began the Play Committee, my wonderful volunteer friends have said to me, “Pat, we need money, and we have an idea of how we can get it.” I said, “I am all ears, tell me.” They suggested a yard sale. So, in 2009, we had our first of many Playful Yard Sales. Since that time we have been trying a variety of ways to bring in funds to Let’s Play America with the goal to expand the program so that we could help everyone play. We are looking for ideas for funding, volunteers to help us with fundraising, and donors, too. Suggestions for fundraising and/or new volunteers can contact me at theplaylady@gmail.com or, to donate, go to www. letsplayamerica.org and click on “donate.” Another organization that could benefit from more sponsors is the Play and Playground magazine. The publication has a global readership with readers from places like Israel, Malaysia, and Malawi to name a few. If you are affiliated with a company or organization that values play, consider sponsorship of the magazine.
Spring Outdoor Organized Sports
When outdoor spring sports begin, many of you will be heading out to cheer on your children, grandchildren, and friends who participate in organized sports games. When you climb the bleachers you will be sitting on, take a look to see if you can see what company constructed the bleachers. Consider sending them an email thanking them for the well-made seating structure that enables you to enjoy watching others play. Organized sports have become a regular pastime these days for many families. Remember you are cheering on children, so strive to be a positive role model by applauding good shots and skills for both teams. When you make verbal comments ask yourself whether you would want to hear someone say that comment about your kid. Most of all, keep the atmosphere light and fun. Children and adults who have positive organized sports experiences, who get to play as often as their teammates and who have an enjoyable time are more likely to want to play the next season. We want to keep kids playing. For lots of information on
kids’ sports, go to http://www.aspeninsitute.org The Aspen Institute holds an annual spring Play Summit at which experts on play from around the world are brought in to participate. I attended its first summit and was blown away by all of the professional organizations from around the world that are “giving back” so children have the opportunities to play organized sports.
Putting Appreciation into Words and Action
For more than a year now I have been writing this column, “Ask The Play Lady.” I would like to thank the administration of this awesome magazine. Sara Bowersox, the editor of “Play and Playground” magazine, is efficient, kind and fun. She responds quickly to my questions. I believe Sara deserves recognition for her hard work and managing a magazine devoted to play and playgrounds. We should all try to thank the administration of companies, non-profits, organizations, and schools. Ask yourself, “Do I ever show my appreciation for these folks?” Besides managing a non-profit I am also on the recreation committee that assists our local recreation department. The committee meets once a month to discuss ways we can support the department. In January every year, we put together an appreciation lunch for our recreation staff. We know how hard they work, so we want them to know we value what they do for our community. “Play and Playground” readers, if you have a special park amenity in your community, let me know. Also, if you have a question about play, send me an email. For all of us who loved to play as children and still enjoy playing as adults, let’s make a pledge to strive to find ways to bring play to all children in our communities in which we live, and beyond. Spring has sprung, so go out and play! Hurray for play!
Hurray for play! - Pat, The Play Lady
Have a question for the Play Lady? Email your question to Pat at
theplaylady@gmail.com
SPRING 2018 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 27
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