Play for All

I have always been fascinated, and moved, by play environments that allow people of all ages and abilities to play together. Creating such an environment is a profound challenge with an even more profound pay-off. Playing together, our differences melt away. Our "specialness" becomes shared, so that we are all special, in a special place, doing special things, having an especially special amount of fun together, with each other.

There's a book, called "Nothing About Us Without Us." The complete text is available online, for free. Written by David Werner, it a truly practical, intelligently written, do-it-yourself guide for building adaptive playgrounds. It's subtitle: "Developing Innovative Technologies For, By and With Disabled Persons." It's the "For, By and With" part that captures the spirit, and true innovation of this powerful resource.

As he so clearly states in his introduction: "In this approach, the disabled person (and/or family members) often takes the lead, working as a partner and equal with service providers, technicians, or local crafts-persons. With this sort of partnership approach, results tend to be more enabling than when assistive equipment is unilaterally prescribed or designed."

Even if you know no disabled people, and rarely visit a playground, you will find this book moving and inspiring evidence of the sheer healing power of fun.