Inclusion
A world in which everyone can participate...What does inclusion on a playground mean to us?
Children and young people have always had different physical and mental abilities, depending on their age, their physical constitution and any handicaps they may have. Not all children and young people have always been able to use all play equipment to the maximum extent possible, which is precisely the incentive to perhaps be able to climb a little higher today or tomorrow than yesterday.
Children develop, and playgrounds are the original places where this can happen easily and playfully in a protected atmosphere. This development can take place in many different ways, physically, socially, emotionally, cognitively, alone and together with others. Playgrounds are places of encounter. In this catalogue, we show the special opportunities for development that each of our playground equipment offers. We have created a number of icons to give you a quick overview.
Not every child will be able to use every piece of equipment, that has always been the case, but a truly inclusive playground is a place where every child should find something that offers a special personal incentive to play, try out and develop on their own or together with other children. Ultimately, the appeal of a playground always lies in the personal „thrill“ that a child feels, and this is not a question of age, strength, size or handicap. Children are all different, and yet all the same.
Our symbolism briefly explained
Listen
The sense of hearing is specifically addressed through a variety of offers such as our sound game, the telephone column and other play equipment in the themed play category.
See
Here, the sense of sight and the eyes are deliberately treated as a theme. The sense of sight is stimulated by special optical stimuli such as our effect discs, distorting mirrors or even simple peepholes and portholes. Optical illusions also fulfil these requirements.
Fell
The skin is our largest sensory organ. This is about passive feeling, e.g. covering the skin with sand or water, even at different temperatures.
Keys
This is about haptic touch, feeling and touching. This sense can be addressed, for example, by deliberately arranging different materials in different thicknesses and surface textures.
Fine motor skills
Fine motor skills are another aspect of sensory perception and are influenced and addressed by very different play options depending on the child's abilities. Examples include steering wheels, sand lifts, small, varied play walls and much more.
Balance
The aim of balance is to specifically address the sense of balance. This can be achieved by balancing with varying degrees of difficulty (different widths, inclines, surfaces, materials, heights, balancing beams, ropes, wobbly bridges, ramps) but also by seesawing, jumping, wobbling and hopping.
Coordination
The interaction of different sensory organs and physical motor skills for a purposeful sequence of movements is understood as coordination. Climbing, horizontal bars at different heights, elements for hanging, but also stairs, ramps, ladders, stair-like ascents as well as jumping and turning games influence the development of coordination.
Speed
The movement experience of speed, acceleration and deceleration is usually generated by ropeways, slides, merry-go-rounds and swings, but also by so-called fireman's carry bars, for example.
Experience at heights
A height experience specifically emphasises the perception of different heights, e.g. looking down on something from above, well beyond the height of the eyes. Climbing equipment, towers, viewing platforms and swings particularly appeal to this perception.
Communication
Communication is primarily understood to mean areas with a quality of stay that specifically promote communication between users and invite them to linger. This can be achieved, for example, by providing seating, resting and reclining areas or seating/table combinations.
Self-awareness
The user themselves should be able to perceive the influence they and their actions have on their environment, as is the case with physical experiences where, for example, different quantities can be formed or recorded when playing with sand and water, and comparisons of size and quantity can be made. This can be realised by increasing abilities and skills through different activities with similar movement sequences and different risks.
Team games
Group play should favour, encourage and support joint activities. Suggestions for joint role play (playhouse combination) or a water and mud play area support this type of interaction, but in principle also climbing equipment with space for several children.
Parallel playing
Parallel play does not involve playing directly with each other, but rather side by side, independently of each other. Examples of equipment here would be a series of pull-up bars or the classic sandpit.
Singles
Individual activities, favoured, encouraged or supported by play offers - that means individual play. Especially for users who need a safe and secure play environment. The aim is to enable and increase self-awareness, enable and promote experiences and allow the user to feel and develop themselves, their body and their senses. This can be realised, for example, through all kinds of natural/designed retreats such as playhouses, tunnels or crawl tubes, but also games of skill.
Meeting opportunity
Encounters can be stimulated by the playground design or, for example, bridges, crawl tunnels or double ropeways.
Drama play
Drama or role play is an imaginative game in which children act out situations they have experienced or observed. The children slip into a different role and pretend. Drama play is further supported by appropriate stages, platforms or balconies.
Functional play
The fixed movement sequences of the slide, carousel etc. do something predefined and repetitive to the users. You could also say that users realise what is about to happen without surprise. The understanding of loops is reinforced.
Exploratory game
Learning stimuli are the main focus here. Users can acquire knowledge about the laws of physics (centrifugal force, gravity or centrifugal force) or technical skills in dealing with special game elements (Archimedes' screw) through play.
We build leisure equipment for children and adults
Open spaces for play and exercise are becoming increasingly scarce in our cities and communities. It is therefore important that play and exercise areas are planned in a timely and attractive manner so that they can be maintained in the long term. They should be planned with families in mind, meet the requirements of the users and, of course, be safe. Kaiser & Kühne is your partner for leisure equipment with high quality standards and safety with durable products. Kaiser & Kühne - PREMIUM PLAYGROUNDS
