My students need an adapted swing to make our playground accessible to everyone.
FULLY FUNDED! Ms. Julia's classroom raised $870
This project is fully funded
My Students
I teach in a diverse, Title I school in a suburb of Washington, DC. Preschool is often the children's first time being away from their parents, so I strive to make it a fun and engaging environment.
My preschool class includes two, three, four, and five-year-olds with special needs as well as a few typically developing peer models.
The children have a variety of disabilities, including Down Syndrome, blindness, autism, developmental delay, cerebral palsy, and language disorders. I also have a few students who are typically developing who serve as peer models for language and socialization. My students come from culturally and linguistically diverse families and many face socio-economic challenges.
My Project
My students love our outdoor play time each day. Children have the opportunity to explore our outdoor spaces and interact with their peers. My colleagues and I bring out toys, such as balls, hula hoops, sand toys, and bubbles, in addition to the fixed playground equipment. Children with physical disabilities are not able to access all the same toys that their peers can access. We use adapted equipment to make outdoor time accessible to these children. In addition to adapted toys, such as balls that are larger or include grips or toys that make noise, an adapted swing is an essential piece of equipment to make our playground accessible to all children.
Swinging is a powerful sensory experience for young children, especially those who have disabilities.
We have one adapted swing currently available on our playground. Unfortunately, its design makes it susceptible to damage and vandalism by community members who use our playground space when school is not in session. Because of this, I must bring the swing inside each night to keep it safe, then reinstall it each morning for my students to have a safe and accessible swing to use. This process takes valuable play time away from my students and is a lot of physical work for the adults each day. Additionally, this means that there is not an accessible swing available for community members who would benefit from having such equipment.
The swing I am requesting is more durable and should hold up well in harsh weather conditions and with community use. If older children attempt to use it, it is designed to support up to users up to 125 pounds, so it is less likely to break. The hard plastic harness is difficult to damage and should hold up to frequent use.
More than three‑quarters of students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
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