Inclusive Playgrounds
Child-friendly, disability-inclusive, and safe spaces for ALL children.
Introduction
When we think about children’s rights and developing to their full potential, our thoughts immediately go to education, healthcare, nutrition. Growing up in a society that values academic achievement, we can be forgiven for forgetting that play is a major part of a child’s growth and development.
Play is one of the best gifts we can give our children – the freedom to explore, discover, move, and use their imagination. Play is where children can express themselves spontaneously. While education, healthcare and nutrition are critical, we must not underestimate the importance that play has on a child’s physical, mental, emotional, and social development.
For this reason, it is important that we do not leave children with disabilities behind in play. Inclusion needs to happen in every facet of life – from education, healthcare, nutrition and especially play.
To demonstrate inclusivity at its best, UNICEF collaborated with Sime Darby Property (a leading private sector property developer in Malaysia) to design and build the country’s inaugural inclusive playground.
UNICEF also developed a series of advocacy films which document the journey and experiences of the children and families that took part in the design process.
In addition, UNICEF developed an open-source tool in the form of a Best Business Practice Circular & Guidance Toolkit to guide and inspire widespread replication of inclusive playgrounds across Malaysia and beyond.
Advocacy Films
To demonstrate inclusivity at its best, UNICEF collaborated with Sime Darby Property (a leading private sector property developer in Malaysia) to design and build the country’s inaugural inclusive playground.
To document the journey and experiences of all involved, UNICEF developed a series of advocacy films which explore the perspectives of the: children and families that took part in the design process; private sector property developers that collaborated with UNICEF; and UNICEF as a champion of child rights and inclusion.
The advocacy films can be view below in this order:
- Highlights of the journey
- Children’s perspectives
- Parents perspectives
- Rohan and Dad
- Janna and family
- Nikhil and family
- Sime Darby Property spotlight
- UNICEF spotlight
- Full journey
- Special: interview with Janna at the Global Forum for Children and Youth (CY21), 9 Dec 2021
- Global Children and Youth Forum (CY21), Inclusive Play to Drive Change Spotlight Session, 9 December 2021
Acknowledgements
UNICEF extends our gratitude to:
- ALL the children, young people and parents that supported the initiative and featured the films especially Janna, Idzat, Muhammad, Maryam, Rohan, Husna, Amin, Iman, Nikhil, Tisya and Tara.
- Sime Darby Property (especially Appollo Leong and Norintan Khalid) for their passion and commitment to this initiative, and in ensuring their playgrounds are inclusive at City of Elmina, Shah Alam, Malaysia.
- Jeavons Landscape Architects (especially Mary Jeavons and Leong Khoo) for sharing their expertise and continual encouragement in their always thoughtful, playful and engaging approach.
- Malaysian Federation of the Deaf (especially Aizara, Faiz, Cikgu Chai Xin, Cikgu Irma and Cikgu Helen) for their support with the Malaysian Sign Language interpretation included in these films.
- Integricity (especially Grace Tan, Shan Szetho and Liston Lee) for their powerful visual storytelling and absolute dedication to the initiative.