Group A and B

Playground Inspection and Maintenance: Preserving the Play Environment, Promoting the Value of Play, and Protecting Children

For a playground to thrive, good maintenance is essential. Learn how to maximize your agency or school’s playground maintenance efforts by properly identifying and correcting potentially hazardous conditions on the playground. This session will help you define your maintenance plan as a key to protecting your investment, managing risk, improving children’s play experiences, promoting community values, and controlling expenses. This session will allow you to identify procedures for correcting hazardous conditions and to develop inspection protocols and procedures for a sustainable playground maintenance program.

1. Define the importance of maintenance as a key to maximizing the recreation and play value and managing risk.
2. Generate high and low frequency inspection protocols and procedures for a sustainable maintenance program.
3. Identify potentially hazardous conditions in the recreation and play environment and define proper maintenance practices for playground equipment and surfacing.
4. Summarize a variety of tools and generate a playground maintenance program unique to your environment.

Group B Sessions

ADA Standards for the Accessible Design of Outdoor Play Environments

On March 15, 2010, the Department of Justice adopted the long-awaited revisions to the Americans with Disabilities Act to include recreation facilities. The new standards for title II and title III officially published in the Federal Register on September 14, 2010, becoming mandatory for all new construction and alteration of existing facilities on March 15, 2012. This session will explore the minimum requirements of the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design for recreation facilities including parks and play areas and will provide tools to help evaluate the level of compliance of community play areas to plan for future needs.

1. Describe at least two alterations to an existing play area in which the ADA Standards would apply.
2. Outline at least 3 key considerations for accessible surfacing and creating ground-level accessible routes.
3. Determine the minimum number and types of ground level play components required to be on an accessible route.
4. List two helpful resources to obtain additional information or to utilize when evaluating existing/new play areas.

Inclusive Play Matters: Evidence-Based Design Best Practices for Play and Recreation Destinations

Thoughtfully break down physical and social barriers to create a welcoming atmosphere and ensure parks intentionally support the developmental benefits of inclusive, intergenerational play! Research findings and new data offer unique insights to demonstrate the positive impact of designing outdoor destinations to address the diverse needs of the whole child, the whole environment, and the whole community!

1. Define playground terminology to clarify the differences between accessible design, universal design, inclusion, and the 7 Principles of Inclusive Playground Design.
2. List at least 3 evidence-based design best practices that thoughtfully meet the physical, social-emotional, sensory, cognitive, and communicative needs of all children, including those with disabilities in playground settings.
3. Summarize the positive benefits and impact that inclusive play destinations have on community health and wellness.
4. Identify key steps to successfully advocate for inclusive play and recreation destinations.

Strong Foundations: Planning, Purchasing, & Protecting Play and Recreational Surfacing

Choosing an appropriate playground surfacing is one of the most important factors in developing a safe outdoor play environment. This useful resource was created to raise awareness about some considerations to make when planning, purchasing, and protecting your playground surfacing investment. Case examples are highlighted to provide a comprehensive overview on the features and benefits of the variety of types of safety surfaces available. Considerations are also explored that can further enhance play value at your parks and playgrounds. The guide offers planning checklists, resources, and inspection tools to help assist in simplifying the selection, installation, and maintenance process to ensure the safety and enjoyment of users.

1. Describe the features and benefits of various surfacing options and how impact absorbing, accessible surfacing can be the most important factor in reducing the likelihood of life-threatening injuries on playgrounds.
2. Outline best practices, considerations, and strategies when planning, purchasing, and protecting your surfacing investment.
3. Summarize how surfacing can be utilized to increase the overall play value and experiences for children, families, and communities in local parks.
4. Utilize standards, criteria, inspection tools, and other resources to assist with the evaluation, selection, and other processes involved in safety surfacing.