smb inclusive
The topic of inclusion in society refers to the process of allowing all people to participate equally and without discrimination in all areas of life. This is not just about mere presence, but about active participation, the recognition of diversity and the creation of conditions that enable everyone to play a full part.
In the context of playground design, inclusion means ensuring that the spaces designed are accessible to children and young people of all abilities and backgrounds. This includes taking into account physical, sensory and cognitive needs.
Inclusive playgrounds not only provide barrier-free access, but also play equipment and activities that are tailored to different needs. This creates an environment where children and young people, regardless of ability, can play together, promoting social interaction, understanding and togetherness. The planning of inclusive playgrounds is therefore a crucial step towards a society that values diversity and gives all members the opportunity to actively participate and develop without restriction.
"The integration of equipment in a playground that appeals to all the senses is an essential step towards meeting the requirements of an inclusive playground."
In order to ensure that children and young people of all abilities and backgrounds can develop, promote and challenge their skills, we as designers of play equipment set ourselves the goal of developing special equipment for sensory development. Our focus is on promoting social and individual development and preparing children for real life.
For a holistic view of inclusion in playgrounds, access routes, access points, ground conditions, fall protection materials and natural design are of crucial importance. Our approach is not to create "special" equipment exclusively for one user group, such as swings for wheelchair users or ramp access with only a 4% incline. Instead, we aim to create exciting facilities that are accessible to all children and young people, incorporating elements that take into account different sensory needs. These include tactile surfaces, color contrasts and lighting elements.
The combination of these sensory stimuli in a playground enables children and young people to develop their perceptual skills holistically and experience joy in the process.
As part of our commitment to inclusive playground design, we at smb rope play equipment place a special focus on promoting the senses. Our play equipment has been designed to support the comprehensive development of various senses, including touch, balance, proprioception (body awareness), muscle strength and motor skills, visual sense and risk assessment. This targeted promotion of sensory perception helps to ensure that children and young people, regardless of their individual abilities, can experience an enriching and supportive environment in our inclusive playground.
At smb, we develop and produce products that are not only safe, but also fascinating and challenging. Our rope play equipment offers a variety of movement options in transparent structures, stimulating several senses and contributing to the holistic development of children and young people and their body awareness. Children and young people gain a better understanding of the position and movement of their body in space by moving on the rope net and coordinating their muscles and joints.
We use additional elements to create varied and challenging ways of accessing the structures. Children and young people experience heights, develop their sense of touch and challenge their sense of balance. The mobility of the rope structures promotes communication and joint activities for children and young people. We integrate ropes, membranes, wooden elements and metal connections into our structures, which also stimulates the sense of touch during climbing and scrambling.
"Play together, experience individually: a play offer for everyone!"
Our products include challenging equipment such as central mast netclimber and adventure park elements as well as areas for rest and relaxation, such as our hammock series. With different connection heights and variations between hammock swings and hammocks with loop locking, we offer all age groups the opportunity to relax and experience the rope structure with their whole body.
Our trampolines are installed flush with the ground and can therefore be used by different user groups. However, as wheelchair users can use them alone or with a companion, depending on their individual ability, we at smb classify trampolines as partially inclusive play equipment. Thanks to the use of fascinating, high-contrast colors and an appealing color scheme, our ground trampolines are more easily recognized and reached by children, young people and adults with visual impairments.
Our sports equipment is ideal for an inclusive sports area in public spaces. Children and young people can use the equipment according to their individual abilities, promoting their physical, mental and emotional development. The playground is a place where children and young people unconsciously prepare themselves for adult life. It should be just as exciting, challenging and varied as life itself. The symbiosis of sports and play equipment developed by smb not only develops individual personalities, but also creates a dynamic connection between all age groups. In this way, our initiative goes beyond simply providing equipment and enables lively, playful and sporty inclusion.
Regardless of the space requirements, the location and the theme of the playground, we also offer customized equipment. Our solutions for the Ropeway series with hand support have already been installed and successfully put into operation in special schools. In addition, we have developed access nets for central mast netclimbers that make access easier for children and young people as well as adults who need support. By alternating rope and membranes, we create exciting entrances and exits to the play areas on the newly developed equipment. The overall design is aimed at creating a fascinating play environment.
"We believe that true inclusion lies in the overall design of the playground or sports field and not just in the designation of individual pieces of equipment."
The importance of inclusion goes beyond the perspective often reduced to wheelchair-bound children. We understand that parents who may be impaired and are in the playground with a fully able child may also need support. We are not only thinking of those who rely on wheelchairs, but also parents or companions who are out and about with baby carriages, walking frames or similar. Ensuring accessibility is usually part of the comprehensive planning of the playground.
We take the time to consider the diverse needs and wishes of different user groups, especially children with different abilities. Our consulting team is on hand to assist both planners and customers and provides comprehensive advice on the planning and design of inclusive playgrounds.
