As schools break up for the summer and we hopefully get more spells of nice warm weather, parents face the tricky dilemma of how to keep children entertained – without spending a fortune.

A popular and usually free option for when the weather is good is to take the whole family to the park or playground where they can play, meet other children and get some fresh air. But this isn’t always an option for parents who have children with disabilities.

Not all playgrounds are suitable for your child, especially if they have mobility issues, or if they are neurodiverse and need more sensory input, have quiet areas or are gated. And while there are inclusive playgrounds available, finding the closest one for you isn’t always easy and until you get there you might not know if it has everything you need.

However, Scope does have a playground accessibility map which you can find here 

Collated in 2023, the resource is easy to use, and playgrounds are assessed on what they can offer children with disabilities, with ratings of red, amber, green and green star.

While there are many green playgrounds listed across England, Wales and Scotland, on the Map there are only a handful of green star playgrounds, including Tittesworth Water Park and Play Area located near Leek in Staffordshire, Old Priory Playground in Carmarthen, Wales, The Lakelands Estate Playpark at Stanway in Colchester and Faversham Recreation Ground in the South East.

You may also want to look at:

• Sycamore Adventure (Dudley) is an inclusive play space designed for children with disabilities and their families.
• Clifton Country Park (Salford) has a wheelchair-friendly, accessible woodland trail with varying routes for different abilities.
• Thames Valley Adventure Playground (Berkshire) which is a charity-run playground catering to children and adults with all types of special needs.

Tips for planning a visit:

As always, the best thing you can do to ensure you have a great day out is to research and plan. As a parent you know what your child needs, but things to look out for include features like ramps, accessible swings, sensory equipment and adapted toilets.

If you can’t find the information you need on the website then contact the venue so you can ask the specific questions you need to put your mind at rest about any specific accessibility information and availability you require, especially for specialised equipment or services.