KNIGHTDALE, N.C. — A new inclusive playground opened at the beginning of May, and it can be found at Harper Park. The addition includes a sensory-rich play environment, which can help children develop physically, socially and emotionally.

What You Need To Know

  •  Knightdale inclusive playground opened on May 7

  •  The playground is located at Harper Park

  •  Inclusive playgrounds can help kids develop physically, socially and emotionally

Inclusive playgrounds are designed to ensure that kids of all abilities can play together. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said recent estimates in the United States show that one in six children, ages 3 through 17, are living with one or more developmental disabilities. 

One local family that likes to visit different parks in the area says this playground is important for the community. 

“It’s kinda cool to see how different parks have different things, but yeah, we love going to different parks,” Jenna Desrosiers, a Raleigh community member, said.

Desrosiers said her 4-year-old son, Isaac, is on the autism spectrum, so she knows how inclusive playgrounds can make a difference. 

“I think that the fact that they have things that help kids with sensory differences too, like these types of swings are really great because regular swings are kind of tough for kids on the spectrum, they are not always necessarily the best at physical stuff,” Desrosiers said.

Accessibleplayground.net has a list of playgrounds that are labeled inclusive and accessible in North Carolina. In a 2018 National Recreation and Park Association Survey, nearly 9 in 10 Americans said communities should offer all-inclusive play options at playgrounds. 

Desrosiers said Isaac really enjoys repetitive motions, like swings and spinning, so it helps when these parks have that type of equipment. She says he likes to climb too. She explained that playground equipment that has a repetitive motion can help regulate Isaac’s emotions. 

Overall, Desrosiers said she is very impressed with the park system in our state, but she does think it would help to have even more inclusive parks in the Raleigh area. She also likes when inclusive parks have a fence around the playground for safety purposes. 

“I mean one thing I’ll say is that it would be nice if they had like a fence around the park because transitioning from things are hard, especially when its time to leave the park,” Desrosiers said. “He sometimes will have a meltdown and not want to leave or there’s been times where he tries to run away.”