The Disability Rights Movement established the United States’ first civil rights guidelines for people of various abilities in public spaces and education. However, since then, limited progress has occurred in creating socially equitable environments for all to experience. Inclusive design considers the age, identity, race, abilities, location, and economic demographics of the people in a space. By investigating how to make these spaces inclusive, designers can create more diverse and accessible learning tools for children and communities. Therefore, what if inclusive design could be incorporated into playful learning practices to alleviate this problem? Playful learning is a design concept meant to create educational opportunities for children that allow self-exploration and expand social, emotional, physical, cognitive, and academic skills. Reviewing existing literature on inclusive design and playful learning spaces, I have developed guidelines and learning tools to educate designers and community members on what these environments consider. These learning tools will inspire awareness of designing for inclusivity while encouraging learning through play.
