Top 10 Inclusive School Playgrounds in the U.S. Revealed

ATLANTA, March 9, 2023—For Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month in March, Soliant, one of the nation’s largest healthcare staffing companies, announced ten of the best inclusive school playgrounds in the United States.

Playgrounds located across the country were reviewed based on factors that include the utilization of inclusive playground design core principles, quantity and quality of play features offered, and any unique inspirations or stories behind the development, funding, or name of the playground.

The selected playgrounds go beyond minimum accessibility to offer play experiences for a wide variety of needs—for example, by offering braille features for students who are visually impaired and sensory-rich structures for students with developmental disabilities.

While all schools that encourage inclusivity and equal play are winners in our eyes, here are our picks for the ten best all-inclusive school playgrounds in the United States.

1. Mr. Nick’s Inclusive Playground | Springfield, MO
2. C. P. Swagger Shipyard | Lambertville, MI
3. Owen’s Playground for Kids of All Abilities | Downers Grove, IL
4. Woodland Hills Elementary School Playground | Kingwood, TX
5. The Guild School | Concord, MA
6. Bloomingdale Inclusive Park and Playground | New York, NY
7. The Valley View Community School Playground | Newhall, CA
8. Toomer Elementary School Playground | Atlanta, GA
9. The Three Rivers Playground | Pasco, WA
10. Friendship Learning Center Playground | North Fond Du Lac, WI

Soliant Senior Vice President of Education Lesley Slaughter commented:

“Join us in applauding the education systems, organizations, companies, and communities who played a role in the development of these playgrounds. We praise their commitment to ensuring all students—children of various abilities, ages, and backgrounds—have an equal opportunity to play, learn, and develop alongside one another.”

“We were absolutely blown away at the number and variety of inclusive playgrounds in schools nationwide, so much so that it felt nearly impossible to pick just ten. Here at Soliant, we feel grateful for this opportunity to spotlight ten playgrounds with incredible design and stories. Additionally, we extend our acclamation to the school educators and support staff who help push inclusivity further into education systems and continuously work to benefit the experience for all children—regardless of abilities.”

For more photos and information about these playgrounds, please visit Soliant for the full list of the 10 Best Inclusive School Playgrounds in America.

If you’re looking for a school health career and wish to make a positive impact on students, visit our jobs listings today, including openings for speech-language pathologists, special education support, sign language interpreters, teachers of the visually impaired, and more.

About Soliant Health
Soliant is a leader in healthcare and education staffing with offices in Georgia, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, California, and Texas. The company identifies and recruits highly skilled healthcare professionals across a wide range of specialties and connects them with healthcare providers in the education, nursing, pharmacy, and life sciences segments, primarily on a temporary basis. Visit https://www.soliant.com to learn more.