July is Disability Pride Month, a time when many people celebrate and engage in activism relating to disability justice and inclusion. One great way to honor this month is by engaging with your littles about disability rights and taking them to one of the many inclusive playgrounds found in the Ann Arbor area. Check out the list below for some local highlights!
Boundless Playground at High Point School
Built in 2005, the Boundless Playground at High Point School was constructed with the greater integration of people with disabilities in mind. This playground, which is barrier free and features walkways suitable for wheelchair users is fun for kids of all ages and is regularly used by students at the school ranging from infant-age to 25.
1735 S. Wagner Road, Ann Arbor
Universal Access Playground
Kids and adults alike love searching for Ann Arbor’s famous fairy doors, which provide a little bit of magic and wonder to our community. That’s why families love the Universal Access Playground, which was designed to expand on the fantastical, fairy door theme so many know and love. This playground, which is located inside of Gallup Park, is designed for younger pre-K and early elementary school kids. Features include the Woodland Region, which is designed to help kids develop motor skills and balance, the River Region, which hosts a wheelchair accessible playscape, and the Prairie Region, which has swings that allow for easy transfer to-and-from mobility devices.
3000 Fuller Road, Ann Arbor
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Garden Homes Playground
This small, charming playground in Ann Arbor is perfect for little-littles and features an accessible swing to accommodate kids in need of more space and stability.
1800 Franklin Street, Ann Arbor
Playground Adventures
The accessible playground in Ford Heritage Park is perfect for kids of all ages. If your child always wants to go down the slide just one more time, this is the park for them, boasting five different slides in several different varieties, including straight, curved, tube and roller. The playscape is accessible for kids with mobility-devices, featuring ramp access and wide paths to allow for more freedom of movement.
8399 Textile Road, Ypsilanti
Ella Mae Power Park
Though this Novi playground is a little bit farther afield than the other selections in this round-up, it’s definitely worth the drive. Just built in 2021, this playground, located in the Civic Center Campus, is made for all people to enjoy. Some features include above ground wheelchair access with landing decks that provide appropriate turning and gathering space for wheelchair users, a “We-Go-Swing,” which lets wheelchair users swing with their non-wheelchair using friends, and many sensory-play features throughout.
45175 Ten Mile Road, Novi
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