Child’s play
What can a city park tell you?
When I started my post-secondary schooling You Can’t Say ‘You Can’t Play’, written by Vivian Gussin Paley, was on the syllabus for my first education class. Paley was an American primary school teacher and early childhood education researcher who took a special interest in observing the non-directed experiences in the classroom and the corresponding conversations that took place among small children. This particular book explores Paley’s interactions with her young students as they respond to a new classroom rule inspired by certain children consistently left out during playtime – you can’t say, “you can’t play.”
Good intentions
The title and concept from that book came to mind recently when I saw a Facebook post announcing the opening of a new playground for the town of Grimsby, Ontario. The excitement of the city council person who shared the news was met with frustration and anger from parents and caregivers in the thread of comments below the post. The new play structure, set on fresh wood chips, may have appealed to some children but the climbing poles, stairs, slides and natural base have rendered that brand new playground inaccessible to those with mobility issues. It’s one thing when someone says you can’t play. That sentiment is magnified when the environment dictates who gets to play.
How do we play?
For me, the notion of play took on a different meaning when my younger two children, Rachel and Janneke, were born with their physical disabilities and cognitive limitations. Could they even play? With their developmental challenges, what would they do for fun? Finding ways to help Rachel and Janneke play mattered to the whole family, as we wanted to spend time together having fun.
Today, there are days when I feel the burden of play. For Rachel and Janneke, their amusement is often determined by the creativity of their scheduled caregivers and the options that are available in the community. I suppose that’s why the story about a new but inaccessible playground caught my attention. Urban spaces tell us a lot about the vision of the developers, their budget and the mindset of those in charge. I’m grateful to be part of a city that has committed to creating inclusive play spaces. St. Catharines’ city council adopted a policy in March 2019 that all new or reconstructed playgrounds have firm and stable play surfaces and be replaced with an accessible design.
Everyone welcome
Earlier this week, I took Rachel and Janneke to a renovated neighbourhood park, complete with a splash pad. I noted there were other accessible vehicles in the parking lot, and I counted two other wheelchairs among the small crowd of people milling about the space. Janneke kicked her feet as she enjoyed the swing while Rachel was content to watch from the shade of a nearby tree. If a city park offers any indication about its community, then this one was offering a playful welcome to all.
