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For workers in the playground industry, the summer season is right around the corner. In addition to anticipating another great play year--many people have begun to make changes based on the March 15 mandatory compliance deadline for the 2010 Americans with Disabilities Act Standards for newly constructed and altered play areas.
The Importance Of Access
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) is a wide-ranging civil-rights law prohibiting, under certain circumstances, discrimination based on disability, which is defined by the ADA as “a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity.” The ADA establishes standards by which public facilities, including public play spaces, must comply to ensure opportunities for people of all abilities.
Complying with ADA standards is the law, but it’s also advantageous to the mission of encouraging more free play for kids. Free play on playgrounds has been scientifically proven to have a variety of physical, mental, emotional, and cognitive benefits for children and parents of all ages, and can be an important activity to promote family interaction and relationship-building. Making sure a public play space is accessible to all--not only for children of varying abilities, but for parents, grandparents, and caregivers with different physical conditions--helps ensure a play space that is a healthy community gathering spot.