Playgrounds are social meeting places for all children. Many social and other activities can be found there, and these spaces have traditionally been where children interact with one another. However, the way playgrounds are designed often forces children with physical disabilities to stay in the background.
This research paper is about designing a playground which will be accessible for children belonging to different groups, with or without physical disabilities ('physical disabilities’ refers to any medical condition or impairment that forces a child to use a wheelchair). This will provide an opportunity to different groups of children to meet, find out about each other and discover their own forms of communication through play. Also, the physical disabilities group will finally be given the opportunity to spend time at a playground.
In modern playgrounds there are many activities, many of them inspired by ancient games such as the seesaw or the swing, among others, that can be performed with the child in a seated position, this fact influenced the design. Appearance-wise, the activities in this particular playground have been inspired by images from the natural world. The aim was to create a familiar environment that speaks to the senses and reminds us of scenes from nature.
.Initial ideas
Toad slide : Morphologically , the starting point of the idea was the anatomy of the frog in order to create a slide that allows the user to either sit or hide inside it .
Music sector : Original idea was a composition of musical instruments inspired by the form of trees and other Images of nature that surround them . Inspiration is also the team game of children that takes place as they try to establish a melody. Finally the composition of musical instruments is designed in order to be easy for children to use.
Voice twig : Starting point was the idea of the game with the wireless devices.this device is a handmade toy that consists two plastic glasses connected by a piece of rope. Ιnspiration were the forms of the roots of trees.
Water lilies shades : Concept is the interactive game between leaves and rain. As the water falls from the highest to the lowest leaves convert into a speed racetrack. Through this interaction the child understands the meaning of kinetic energy. This activity have been inspired by the shape of water lily.
Lily swing : The original idea was a swing with metal spring that regulates the movement . In addition for safety reasons and more precise oscillation of the swing I removed the spring , And chose a rope to support the swing on the metal pipe structure. Also the way the ropes engage with the swing is selected in response to the easier access of children with disabilities. This activity have been inspired by the shape of water lily.
Snail sandpit : The initial idea was an elevated sandpit accessible by children with disabilities and children without . The morphological inspirstion has been the anatomy of snail.
Snail seesaw : Thinking of ways of conducting motion i came up with three initial designs inspired by snail . Then for reasons of children's interaction during the game I chose to evolve only the idea of seesaw, since it is the only game that children maintain visual contact with each other and therefore more direct communication. The kid on on safety reasons sits on a landscaped sit with protective handle consisting of slippery surface .
.Playground assemply
The target group of the playground project is to serve children 6-12 years. The needs of children change according to age. Simultaneously is changing the radius of action and their preferences for game type. The complexity of evolution of play correlates with the stages of child development. In these ages included in target group children are more receptive to alternative type of games that exert more the muscles of the brain and emphasize collectivity
.Final ideas
The aim of this activity is to learn how to make music through a fun game and interaction among children. Toy musical instruments not only mean more fun for children at the playground but also enhance the learning experience.
The following game is a composition of musical instruments. It consists of two musical instruments, the pitcher and the bells which due to the difference in their sizes play different notes. The bells subjected to impact by shifting the handle back and forth, interacting with the opposite. The pitcher is inspired by the African origin ̈udu ̈ originating from Nigeria. Now widely used by percussionists in different music genres. Is played by hand and generates a unique bass sound, by quickly banging the big hole. In addition, the whole body of the instrument can be played with fingers.
The aim of this activity is to become an alternative medium of communication among the two type of children. This can be achived by adding a microphone and a speaker at the end of the pipe.
This game requires two players. Players are divided into transmitter and receiver. While the transmitter speaks in front of the microphone, the receiver listens from the side of the speaker.
The aim of this activity is to make the swing more comfortable and ergonomic for children with physical disabilities. It hangs down lower than regular swings and is bigger in size, so that the child can sit comfortably in it or even lie down lengthways.
The leaves of water lilies are manufactured from transparent colored Plastic in order to achieve a visual game with shades and colors, visible while looking upwards at the leaves as well as on the floor of the construction.
The aim of this game is to end up the water from the highest lilies to the lowest. . The highest of water lilies fueled by a water supply system with water and the child pulls the handle to pour out water from a water lily to another. Once they succeed and pour out the water in the the lower water lily, the water escapes through a siphon and it falls on a 'water mill, which since is supplied with water it spins along with the images of a bird. As they spin, the bird seems like flutters. Through the fluttering of the bird, the child perceives the concept of kinetic energy.
The aim of this game is to make the seesaw safer and accessible for children with physical disabilities. This is achieved by adding a special handle that locks into place when the child is seated.
The way this game is played is the same as the seesaw. The child is playing with his weight in order to lift his/her mate and then lift his shelf, thereby maintaining a rate in lifting and lowering the seesaw. Also, looking at the spiral during use, it creates a visual game with shadows
This game was created in order to facilitate the use of the sandpit by children with physical disabilities. The sandpit is still accessible by non-wheelchair bound children. It has two levels that join so that wheelchair-bound children can play with the rest of the children. Children learn to create and to combine their creations while socialising with children of a similar age.
The game ilustrated is a sandpit. Due to it's slope design it is accessible by wheelchair children. The child is playing with sand creating shapes, castles, puddles or Anything more it can imagine.
