Playground Adaptations

by: Carmen Willings
teachingvisuallyimpaired.com

The playground should be adapted for the student with visual impairments. It is important for a student to be oriented to a playground when it is quiet and when other students are not on the playground. In addition to learning where the equipment is located, students should have the opportunity to tactually explore the equipment to learn how it moves. Student should also be instructed to visually scan the playground and/or use auditory cues prior to moving from one area to another.

For Students with Low Vision

  • For students with low vision, consider Painting playground equipment in bright colors that make it easier for a student with low vision to identify the equipment from a distance. 
  • Use brightly colored cones or tape to mark boundaries.  Ideally these would be built in the flooring or ground to create high contrast.
  • For equipment, use brightly colored (neon) nets and balls (e.g., basketball, volleyball). Put a bright-colored stripe around a ball so that it has a flicker effect when it moves.
  • Equipment can be color coded as well (e.g., swings one color, slides different color). Use a designated pattern to indicate hazards (e.g., create stripes with contrasting tape by wrapping it around freestanding poles and applying it on overhangs and drop-offs).

For Students with Little/No Vision

  • Have students identify how many steps there are, if there is a drain cover on the path, or if there are trees marking the edge of the grass area. To begin with, show the student the climbing structure or slide, and any walls or fences that a student can trail with a hand.
  • Use tactual and/or audible markings on walking or hiking trails and sidewalks (e.g., guide wires, rails, beepers, beeper balls, bell balls) for start/finish or distance markers. For more material suggestions, see information presented on the Physical Education page.
  • Provide sound localization cues for targets (e.g., beepers on basketball goals, beeper boxes for relay races, beeper ball for T-Ball). Maxi-Aids offers a mini beeper that can be turned on and off and attached to materials.​

Trailable Surface

The O&M instructor will encourage the student to use a light touch as they are trailing walls, so it is best to place materials at a height that they will not be accidentally ripped or torn.  You may also want to consider placing a strong, textured collage at a student’s handrail height to provide motivation for maintaining a trailing technique.  This will help the student realizes where the collage is in relation to other activity areas and classrooms. The art teacher may embrace this idea and design permanent three dimensional collages specific to key areas of the building.
Possible Outdoor & Playground activities
  • Balance beam play
  • Ball play (balls with bells or beeper balls)
  • Bean Bag toss at board with hole or at plastic bottles filled with sound making materials.
  • Bumper Bowling
  • Dancing
  • Gymnastics
  • Hoop play (roll, follow and pick up)
  • Jump on trampoline
  • Jumping Rope
  • Martial Arts (Judo)
  • Parachute games
  • Play catch with Velcro mitts
  • Pull a friend in a wagon
  • Push a shopping cart (add weight  from real cans, etc.)
  • Relay games
  • Run with an adult or peer along a rope strung across a safe area
  • Sledding with adult or peer
  • T-ball
  • Three legged walk
  • Tug-of-war
  • Tumble on foam pit or on mat
  • Walk in a variety of ways along a rope
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