Fully inclusive playground hopes to allow all children to play together

A new playground in Scottsdale, Arizona is a little different than most: it's fully inclusive: meaning it goes beyond the Americans with Disabilities Act requirements to make sure everyone can play together.

The new playground has special equipment designed to cater to children with different types of disabilities, including reinforced swings and wider ramps. However, it also features equipment that will challenge children of every ability level.

Scottsdale Parks and Recreation manager Brett Jackson told Fox 10 the city is proud to be one of the first to offer such a park.

"It is the first in Arizona to be a national demonstration site," said Jackson. "It's kind of an example of what the best practices are in the industry when it comes to inclusiveness, and so we are really proud to carry that banner and say Scottsdale was the first."

The hope is that by combining accessible equipment with more challenging equipment, children of all abilities will get the chance to interact with other kids who might otherwise be using separate playgrounds because of accessibility issues.

"The fact that it's ADA accessible, and if there are kids here with special needs taking advantage of it. I think it's fantastic for my kids, for all kids," said Christie Erickson-Davis, a Scottsdale parent. "It's great for them to interact with each other."