Garden play for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)

Having been involved in the play industry for over 25 years we have learnt a few things about inclusive play along the way.

By modifying our existing garden play equipment range we can ensure that all children including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) are able to use them and enjoy being outside.

Here are a few things we have learned over the years:

Children and young adults love to swing!

We often get feedback from parents and carers stating that their child just loves being out on the swing and can spend hours and hours swinging.

It’s not only fun but there are lots of benefits to swinging too!

All our swing frames are constructed using high-quality heavy duty timbers that are pressure-treated and impregnated with wax for durability.

They are able to take up to 200kg in weight and our swing seat manufacturers recommended maximum weight is 70kg which is approximately 11st.

We use polyhemp ropes that are natural looking, soft to touch and long lasting, treated to prevent rotting and degrading in sunlight.

So you can be reassured that our swings will stand the test of time and offer much joy for many years to come.

Introducing our Super Swing!

It has been developed as a result of listening to clients wishes for a well-designed, solid swing frame that is able to withstand several hours of vigorous, daily swinging by children and adults with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

It has been designed and constructed using beautiful round timbers, and is an upgraded and specially modified version of our Standard Single Swing Frame (SFA).

Modifications include:

Stainless-steel commercial-grade swing points with washer plates.

Nyloc screws, top hats and four diagonal bracers instead of the standard two.

14cm Ø top pole rather than the standard 12cm Ø

Legs extended and concreted into the ground.

These modifications allow it to withstand the most active and energetic children or adults using it.

Extra large black polyurethane swing seat offers a wider and deeper seating surface supplied with 2.0m long chains. This comes included in the price and does not need to be bought separately.

Contact us for more information on 01577 840 570 or view the product here.

Our Family Basket Swing is strong, robust and is also suitable for adult use.

It has been designed to sit on the ground, however we can extend the legs into the ground to make it even more steady. We have learned that young adults with additional support needs feel more secure when there is no movement in the swing frame while they are swinging.

Being outside is essential for mental health

When children spend time in green space it has a positive impact on their mental health and wellbeing.

Read more about the benefits of being outside on your child’s mental health here.

All children enjoy creating their own magical outdoor space

And the quieter children love it even more. Our Camo Net enables them to make a secret den outside under any structure or greenery. It allows them to be outside and still feel safe and protected. Add a set of play binoculars or a telescope and they have their very own spy corner! Our lovely Cacoons can be suspended from our swing frames or from any suitable tree – again creating a special quiet place to enjoy.

Children love getting up high!

Children have a natural curiosity to learn and explore and that includes climbing. They see getting to the top of things as a challenge and have a sense of achievement when they mange it. Climbing also offers them a new perspective on their world and this can be particularly important for those with special educational needs and disabilities.

And yes! – it is possible to modify our existing play equipment to make it more wheelchair accessible.

We pride ourselves in being responsive and able to modify our existing products to make them more accessible for those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

Timber is a product that allows modifications to be made so we can add or extend balcony platforms, raise roofs and floor joists and add balustrades if required. Grip handles and custom-built access ramps are frequently added too.

Get in touch by emailing us on info@caledoniaplay.com or call 01577 840 570 to discuss further. It helps if you have some pictures and sizes of your garden so we know what sort of space you have to work with.

Safety comes first at all times!

We have a qualified play park inspector as part of our management team who checks though all our modifications to make sure that everything is super safe and ready for your children to use.

We modified a fort for a customer in Cheltenham so it had wheelchair access and could be used by all.Read the full case story here.

Looking for something for your school or destination?

Check out our range of inclusive play equipment specifically designed for this sector here.

Sources: www.friendshipcircle.org / www.mind.org.uk / www.hes-extraordinary.com / www.harkla.co / en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stress_in_early_childhood / www.goodplayguide.com