Organizations that support play, playgrounds, and recess
Alliance for Childhood The Alliance for Childhood works intensively on a few critical
issues including the loss of creative play and hands-on activities in children’s lives, and the
excessive amounts of time spent in front of screens instead of in face-to-face engagement
with other children, caring adults, and the natural world.
National Institute for Play The National Institute for Play is committed to bringing the
unrealized knowledge, practices and benefits of play into public life.
Voice of Play Promotes the benefits of children’s play and playgrounds and provides
information and resources to help us all improve the quality and quantity of children’s play
and playgrounds. This Web site is sponsored by the International Play Equipment
Manufacturers (IPEMA).
Able Play--They provide independent toy reviews for children with disabilities. The very,
very detailed information helps understand each toy's unique features, creative ways each
toy can be used with children with special needs and skills.
Alliance for Childhood The Alliance for Childhood works intensively on a few critical
issues including the loss of creative play and hands-on activities in children’s lives, and the
excessive amounts of time spent in front of screens instead of in face-to-face engagement
with other children, caring adults, and the natural world.
National Institute for Play The National Institute for Play is committed to bringing the
unrealized knowledge, practices and benefits of play into public life.
Voice of Play Promotes the benefits of children’s play and playgrounds and provides
information and resources to help us all improve the quality and quantity of children’s play
and playgrounds. This Web site is sponsored by the International Play Equipment
Manufacturers (IPEMA).
Able Play--They provide independent toy reviews for children with disabilities. The very,
very detailed information helps understand each toy's unique features, creative ways each
toy can be used with children with special needs and skills.
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Let's Move-- has an ambitious but important goal: to solve the epidemic of childhood obesity within a generation.
Let’s Move will give parents the support they need, provide healthier food in schools, help our kids to be more
physically active, and make healthy, affordable food available in every part of our country.
White House Task Force on Childhood Obesity--Report to the President
KaBOOM!--A non-profit whose vision is a great place to play within walking distance of every child in America. To
meet the vision Kaboom helps to great playspaces through the participation and leadership of communities.
Peaceful Playgrounds-The purpose of the Peaceful Playground Program is to introduce children and school staff
to the many choices of activities available on playgrounds and field areas. You can find many extremely helpful
articles and research on their site about recess and the benefits of play.
Play London--London Play aims for every child in London to have quality, accessible and inclusive play
opportunities. The site has great resources on different types of outdoor playspaces.
Free Play Network--aims to promote greater public understanding of the need for better play opportunities for
children, by promoting discussion, exchange of information, and guidance on best practice in development of
children's play opportunities.
PLAYLINK--A consulting firm located in the UK. Has many good resources on design for playspaces.
PLACES for PLAY: Exhibition-- A photo exhibition that illustrates some of the many imaginative ways of creating
play environments
The U.S. National Physical Activity Plan--The Plan is a comprehensive set of policies, programs, and initiatives
that aim to increase physical activity in all segments of the American population. The Plan is the product of a private-
public sector collaborative. Hundreds of organizations are working together to change our communities in ways that
will enable every American to be sufficiently physically active.
Let’s Move will give parents the support they need, provide healthier food in schools, help our kids to be more
physically active, and make healthy, affordable food available in every part of our country.
White House Task Force on Childhood Obesity--Report to the President
KaBOOM!--A non-profit whose vision is a great place to play within walking distance of every child in America. To
meet the vision Kaboom helps to great playspaces through the participation and leadership of communities.
Peaceful Playgrounds-The purpose of the Peaceful Playground Program is to introduce children and school staff
to the many choices of activities available on playgrounds and field areas. You can find many extremely helpful
articles and research on their site about recess and the benefits of play.
Play London--London Play aims for every child in London to have quality, accessible and inclusive play
opportunities. The site has great resources on different types of outdoor playspaces.
Free Play Network--aims to promote greater public understanding of the need for better play opportunities for
children, by promoting discussion, exchange of information, and guidance on best practice in development of
children's play opportunities.
PLAYLINK--A consulting firm located in the UK. Has many good resources on design for playspaces.
PLACES for PLAY: Exhibition-- A photo exhibition that illustrates some of the many imaginative ways of creating
play environments
The U.S. National Physical Activity Plan--The Plan is a comprehensive set of policies, programs, and initiatives
that aim to increase physical activity in all segments of the American population. The Plan is the product of a private-
public sector collaborative. Hundreds of organizations are working together to change our communities in ways that
will enable every American to be sufficiently physically active.
Universal Design
The Center for Universal Design--a national information, technical assistance, and research center that
evaluates, develops, and promotes accessible and universal design in housing, commercial and public facilities,
outdoor environments, and products located at NC State
Universal Designers & Consultants--is a world leading team of experts providing Universal Design and
Accessible Design consulting services
IDEA Center at Buffalo --is dedicated to making environments and products more usable, safer and healthier in
response to the needs of an increasingly diverse population is located at Buffalo University.
Institute for Human Centered Design--Adaptive Environments (AE) is a 30 year old international non-profit
organization, based in Boston, committed to advancing the role of design in expanding opportunity and enhancing
experience for people of all ages and abilities
Trace Center--Their mission is to prevent the barriers and capitalize on the opportunities presented by current and
emerging information and telecommunication technologies, in order to create a world that is as accessible and
usable as possible for as many people as possible. Located at University of Wisconsin.
Let's Play Projects--Look here for information on selecting toys for play, toys for children with disabilities, adapting
toys to make them easier to use, locating specially designed toys as well as other resources to promote play
The Inclusive City--A companion website to the book The Inclusive City
The Center for Universal Design--a national information, technical assistance, and research center that
evaluates, develops, and promotes accessible and universal design in housing, commercial and public facilities,
outdoor environments, and products located at NC State
Universal Designers & Consultants--is a world leading team of experts providing Universal Design and
Accessible Design consulting services
IDEA Center at Buffalo --is dedicated to making environments and products more usable, safer and healthier in
response to the needs of an increasingly diverse population is located at Buffalo University.
Institute for Human Centered Design--Adaptive Environments (AE) is a 30 year old international non-profit
organization, based in Boston, committed to advancing the role of design in expanding opportunity and enhancing
experience for people of all ages and abilities
Trace Center--Their mission is to prevent the barriers and capitalize on the opportunities presented by current and
emerging information and telecommunication technologies, in order to create a world that is as accessible and
usable as possible for as many people as possible. Located at University of Wisconsin.
Let's Play Projects--Look here for information on selecting toys for play, toys for children with disabilities, adapting
toys to make them easier to use, locating specially designed toys as well as other resources to promote play
The Inclusive City--A companion website to the book The Inclusive City
Other Places I like to Visit
The Motherhood
TherExtras
Larkin's Place
The Grass Stain Guru
Play Parks Central
Collective-E
The Motherhood
TherExtras
Larkin's Place
The Grass Stain Guru
Play Parks Central
Collective-E
Special Needs Catalogues
Flaghouse
TFH Special Needs Toys
Beyond Play
Enabling Devices
Super Duper
Flaghouse
TFH Special Needs Toys
Beyond Play
Enabling Devices
Super Duper
Great Products for People with Disabilities
Nomie Baby--Carsickness, leaking diapers, spills and crumbs in your car seat. There is now a solution. Nomie Baby
cars seat covers are comfortable, easy to put on and after a mishap you just slip off the cover, throw it in the washing
machine and dryer, and you have avoid hours of clean uptime.
Smartknitkids--No SEAM SOCKS!! Their patented seamless socks are perfect for children experiencing sensory
processing differences, hypersensitivity or who simply can’t stand annoying seams! These super soft socks for
sensitive little feet will not wrinkle or bunch and are proven to reduce irritation.
WELLAlarm--a next-generation emergency medical alert system that combines the power of technology with fashion to
protect the lives of the millions of people living with allergies and serious conditions. WELLalarm provides easy access
to vital medical information when you need it most, during an emergency.
SpectrumHope--Raising awareness of children with special needs through unique gifts of t-shirts, mugs, hats and
more.
Ag Apparel--Beautiful adaptive women clothing, featured in O Magazine.
Nomie Baby--Carsickness, leaking diapers, spills and crumbs in your car seat. There is now a solution. Nomie Baby
cars seat covers are comfortable, easy to put on and after a mishap you just slip off the cover, throw it in the washing
machine and dryer, and you have avoid hours of clean uptime.
Smartknitkids--No SEAM SOCKS!! Their patented seamless socks are perfect for children experiencing sensory
processing differences, hypersensitivity or who simply can’t stand annoying seams! These super soft socks for
sensitive little feet will not wrinkle or bunch and are proven to reduce irritation.
WELLAlarm--a next-generation emergency medical alert system that combines the power of technology with fashion to
protect the lives of the millions of people living with allergies and serious conditions. WELLalarm provides easy access
to vital medical information when you need it most, during an emergency.
SpectrumHope--Raising awareness of children with special needs through unique gifts of t-shirts, mugs, hats and
more.
Ag Apparel--Beautiful adaptive women clothing, featured in O Magazine.
Children and Nature
National Forum on Children and Nature--is dedicated to reconnecting kids with nature. By doing so, the Forum
seeks to improve children’s health and overall well-being, while encouraging them to rediscover America’s
landscape. They have 30 demonstration projects on their site that could be replicated.
Children and Nature Network--Created to encourage and support the people and organizations working to
reconnect children with nature. C&NN provides access to the latest news and research in the field and a peer-to-
peer network of researchers and individuals, educators and organizations dedicated to children's health and well-
being. C&NN Annotated Bibliographies of Research and Studies on the health benefits of children interacting with
nature.
National Forum on Children and Nature--is dedicated to reconnecting kids with nature. By doing so, the Forum
seeks to improve children’s health and overall well-being, while encouraging them to rediscover America’s
landscape. They have 30 demonstration projects on their site that could be replicated.
Children and Nature Network--Created to encourage and support the people and organizations working to
reconnect children with nature. C&NN provides access to the latest news and research in the field and a peer-to-
peer network of researchers and individuals, educators and organizations dedicated to children's health and well-
being. C&NN Annotated Bibliographies of Research and Studies on the health benefits of children interacting with
nature.
Resources
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