When children play, they are learning – developing the capacities of their bodies, exploring the material world around them and navigating the complexities of social interaction. Play contributes to children’s physical, cognitive, emotional and social development, and participation in play is enshrined as a right of all children in article 31 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. For children with disabilities – who reap developmental benefits from play just as much as other children, and whose right to equal access to participation in play is guaranteed by the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities – the fulfillment of the right to play is often thwarted as a result of both physical barriers and social exclusion. Most often, the spaces and structures set up for children’s play are not accessible to children with disabilities. The resulting lack of interaction between children with and without disabilities, in turn, reinforces the attitudinal barriers that relegate persons with disabilities to society’s margins.

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Title: Playgrounds of Inclusion

Author(s): Sruthi Atmakur

Publication year: 2013

Publisher: UNICEF