Our Santa Monica location construction started with discussions about accessible kids parks that parents from special needs families requested. Parents described to us about playgrounds which seemed welcoming yet proved too intense for their children. The children expressed their desire to participate but their parents needed to hold them back. We paid attention to their feedback. Our LA and Los Angeles parks feature all their adaptive elements because we listened to parents during our design process.
The story presents an imperfect yet meaningful experience.
The story demonstrates how careful observation leads to meaningful results.
The facility design enables children to access the space without feeling isolated from others.
The design of our Santa Monica indoor park demonstrates how to create adaptive play areas that work for all children. The playground design provides sufficient space for children who use wheelchairs and walkers to move through the area. The playground features different floor textures between soft foam and smooth tunnels which enable children to discover at their own comfort level. The sound system allows children to experience complete silence while the lighting system adjusts to match the current time.
Our sensory friendly design approach operates through "invisible design" which parents describe as such. The design elements should merge with their surroundings instead of drawing attention to themselves. Children with autism spectrum disorder and those who have sensory processing issues detect sounds and light effects which typical adults fail to recognize. The process of creating a sensory friendly space requires the elimination of all stress factors before the day starts.
Our facility features one unified play area which serves all children because we believe fun should be accessible to everyone.
Every celebration should welcome all participants to join in
The true manifestation of our inclusive party concept emerges through these events. A birthday celebration should create feelings of comfort for all attendees. The celebration should bring together laughter and cake and active play which includes every child in the group. Our LA locations welcome families who want to host inclusive parties because they understand that no additional explanations will be needed. Our staff members receive training to observe the environment instead of trying to change behavior while they provide support to children.
Our staff will establish peaceful areas for children who want to rest while simultaneously providing endless opportunities for children who want to play. Our work follows a pattern which alternates between peaceful moments and active periods. Children develop social skills through learning to share their space while maintaining their individuality.
The city of Los Angeles has experienced a significant transformation. Parents who used to avoid hosting group celebrations now schedule inclusive birthday parties well in advance. The parties have evolved into more than just birthday celebrations because they help children develop social skills. The experience remains deeply important to us.
The definition of sensory friendly extends beyond quiet environments
Sensory friendly spaces create environments which respond to children's needs. The environment provides children with textures that spark their curiosity instead of confusion and music that maintains rhythm without causing overwhelming effects and staff members who understand when to intervene and when to let children lead their play.
Our team conducted a test of our first adaptive play area at Santa Monica by asking parents to experience the space while wearing blindfolds. We wanted parents to experience the open design and secure environment and controlled sound levels of our space. The space created a sense of relief for my son because he could finally breathe freely. The entire project aimed to achieve this specific outcome.
The experience of being in a sensory friendly space creates a deep sense of comfort for children.The establishment of sensory friendly indoor parks throughout Los Angeles aimed to modify how children interact with their environment rather than their actual play behavior.
The goal of our work involved making spaces that would better understand children's needs.
Building accessible joy
Our organization builds playgrounds through the creation of invitations rather than constructing traditional playgrounds. The design of our playgrounds includes ramps and soft edges and low-placed handles which create opportunities for children to discover new things. The emotional aspect of accessibility exists alongside physical access because it affects how people feel. A fully accessible children's park creates a moment for parents to release their tension. The parents stop watching the children and begin to observe their activities. The parents experience more happiness.
Children who use wheelchairs experience accessible joy when they compete with others down padded slopes. The possibilities in adaptive play exceed any established boundaries.
The adaptive play concept transforms itself as children grow older. Our staff tests weighted vests and textured paths for sensory input during one week before moving to quiet rooms that function as story areas during the following week. The LA process continues indefinitely because children continuously teach us fresh insights.
All kids welcome
The three words appear throughout our organization including on entrance doors and promotional materials and staff manuals. Our organization operates based on the core value which states "All kids welcome." The definition of playtime exists independently from any specific standard. Children have permission to pause their activities and choose to avoid loud noises while they can freely move around in circles or rest by the slide.
The staff at Santa Monica created a special memory with Leo who initially spoke very little. The boy remained silent during his initial two visits to the park. During his second park visit he began to point at the lights before he started laughing when they turned off. Our staff members learned his name during his third park visit. Children develop a sense of belonging through the process of forming individual connections with others.
Staff members at our facility work to create individualized comfort experiences instead of standardized playtime experiences. They welcome children at their eye level while asking which activities they wish to experience during their visit. The trampoline attracts some children but others prefer to play with soft blocks in a designated area. Each child's preference holds significance.
The heart behind inclusive parties
Our Los Angeles location has hosted numerous parties which brought together children from various backgrounds and with different abilities and life experiences. The common element that unites all participants is their shared laughter. Parents share with us that our park provides their children with their first experience of playing without needing explanations. Our goal is to establish celebrations which enable people to enjoy themselves without needing explanations.
The success of inclusive parties stems from the ability of staff members to show empathy toward others. Our team members learn through observation instead of memorization because they need to adapt their responses to each situation. Every child experiences visibility through the secret method our staff uses.
Why we keep refining
Our design team makes changes to our playgrounds during each new season. The team makes adjustments to lighting systems for Santa Monica's sunny afternoons while introducing new sensory materials in LA and working with child development experts. Our organization seeks continuous feedback from parents and teachers and directly from children.
A young girl expressed her dislike of the echoey floor so we made changes to it. The child asked for additional "spinny things" to play with. The entire area now features motion-based activities for children to enjoy.
The upcoming development of accessible kids parks in Los Angeles will concentrate on designing spaces through empathetic approaches which create smaller areas with soothing colors and improved movement paths between different play zones. The cities of Los Angeles and Santa Monica established themselves demonstrate that excitement and inclusion can coexist as a successful combination.
The upcoming development of adaptive play in Los Angeles will focus on building more understanding rather than acquiring additional equipment. A park can maintain its loud atmosphere while providing complete safety to its visitors. The space creates both peaceful moments and stimulates creative thinking. The core principle of adaptive play involves achieving equilibrium rather than seeking flawlessness.
Our organization constructs areas which welcome every child while creating spaces that confirm families belong without needing to conform to societal norms.
FunPlayWorld exists to value every single laugh that occurs. The mission of our organization focuses on three essential elements: children's bravery during attempts and their shared moments and their small triumphs. That's our mission. The unique aspect of our parks stems from this approach.Children use play as their fundamental way of existence.
