July 2025 Blog: Inclusive Play Spaces Benefit Everyone
Inclusive play spaces provide an opportunity for children with and without disabilities to play and learn together. Our exhibit design team strives to follow the principles of Universal Design when creating new play experiences at the Museum.
According to Dr. Sheryl Burgstahler, Professor of Disability Studies at the University of Washington, Universal Design is “the design of products and environments to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation.”(1) At the Museum, this looks like an open floorplan with ample space to move around, large raised buttons on exhibits that are easier to operate, and quieter spaces, like our Books and Crannies exhibit, where visitors can take a break from the activity in the Museum.
Here are just a few ways that being a part of an inclusive community benefits all of us:
1) Fostering Social Skills
Research shows that children who engage in play with a wide range of peers develop stronger social skills, such as communication, collaboration, and empathy (2). Children with disabilities have the opportunity to engage with a wider range of peers, decreasing the sense of social isolation and potentially creating long-term friendships.
There are also important benefits for children without disabilities. Multiple studies indicate that children without disabilities who spend time in inclusive play spaces display “increased respect, awareness, and acceptance of their peers’ needs, develop less prejudices, and learn to be more helpful and supportive toward people with disabilities” (3).
2) Creativity and problem solving
Engaging in play with children with a range of abilities and interests provides opportunities to learn from each other. Oftentimes, children with and without disabilities who play together must find creative solutions so everyone can be involved. Creativity and problem solving are two of the 21st Century Skills that help children succeed in an ever-changing world (4).
3) Preparation for the Real World
The world is full of diversity. When children have the opportunity to be a part of inclusive play communities, they learn there is more than one way of being and doing. Learning to include and be included creates communities where we can all contribute and belong (5).
- https://www.aam-us.org/2023/11/27/tips-for-creating-accessible-museums-universal-design-and-universal-design-for-learning/
- https://americanspcc.org/creating-inclusive-play-environments-benefits-for-all-children/
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8116690/
- https://nap.nationalacademies.org/resource/13398/dbasse_084153.pdf
- https://www.kit.org/the-benefits-of-inclusive-play/
See you at the Museum!
-Stephanie Bynum, Vice President of Programs
