A New Inclusive Alliance

Best Buddies^® International and Miracle^® Recreation have teamed up to create truly inclusive play spaces for people of all abilities, including individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Together, we are dedicated to delivering play experiences that embody true inclusion—starting with kids at the grade-school level, when they first form their social awareness and behaviors.

Best Buddies + Miracle inclusive playgrounds signal friendship, social empowerment, and inclusion. They’re designed to support users in the following ways:

• Unitary Surfacing – Using poured-in-place surfacing, tiles, or turf helps those with balance issues or a mobility device (e.g., cane, walker, wheelchair) explore more easily across the play space.
• Fencing – Some children with autism run when overwhelmed, overstimulated or excited. Surrounding the play space with fencing keeps individuals who elope safe.
• Sensory Play – All children learn best through sensory play, but this is especially true for children with autism, sensory processing disorders, and sensory disabilities such as blindness and deafness.
• Range of Challenges – Providing a graduated range of challenges ensures that all children have equal opportunities to play—whether they need more postural support and easy-to-use equipment, or do not have any mobility issues. Equipment is placed so that everyone plays together.
• Retreats – Providing a retreat, a quiet and calming area away from the rest of the play space, is essential to help an individual who is overwhelmed or overstimulated.
• Motion Play (without leaving a wheelchair) – Creating opportunities for wheelchair users to be in the middle of play, and ensuring they experience movement without needing to transfer out of their chair, allows them to truly be part of the action.
• Social Opportunities – Social environments allow visitors to hang out and practice social skills.
• Site Amenities – Providing site amenities, such as the Best Buddies Buddy Bench, supports socialization, rest, and safety.
• Orientation Path – A path around the play space assists children with autism, Fragile X, and other undiagnosed disabilities, allowing them to orient themselves to the space. This also provides a place that is less busy to go and regroup.
• Muscle Tone Support – Equipment is designed to support children with hypertonia and hypotonia. Hypertonia is a condition in which there is too much muscle tone and the arms and legs are stiff and difficult to move, such as occurs with cerebral palsy. Hypotonia features decreased muscle tone or muscle loss, such as occurs with muscular dystrophy.
• In addition, we strongly recommend your inclusive play space includes a family restroom with an adult changing table, to better serve the needs of everyone in the community.

Best Buddies^® + Miracle^® Inclusive Playgrounds are designed to connect kids of all abilities and their families through the power of play.