416 chapter 46
These pages will give you some ideas for simple playground equipment. Although
most of the photos come from PROJIMO in Mexico, many of the ideas shown are based
on a playground in Thailand (see p. 425) and on designs by Don Caston (see p. 642).
A ‘playground for all’ built by children—PROJIMO, Mexico
When disabled village health workers in the small village of Ajoya decided to start
a rehabilitation program for disabled children, one of the first activities was to involve
the local children in building a playground.
1. First the children went into the forest
to cut poles and vines.
3. While some children cleaned up
the lot, others began to build the
playground equipment.
2. These they brought back to an empty
lot at the edge of the village.
4. They built ramps
or ‘wedges’ like
this one, which
can be used in
many ways for
play and exercise.
Here a child
with cerebral
palsy walks up
the ramp to help
improve balance
and stretch his
feet upwards
to prevent
contractures.
Pole seats like
this help a
child sit who
still lacks
balance, or
has trouble
controlling his
position.
Disabled village Children
The wedges can also be used
for severely disabled children
to lie on, so that they can
lift their heads and play
with their hands.
These
separators will
hold apart the
legs of a child
whose legs
pull together
(spasticity).
Putting front
posts the same
height allows
a shelf to be
placed for play.