The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Children’s Museum celebrated the opening of the all-new, fully inclusive indoor playground exhibit.
Explore & More teamed up with Mason’s Mission, Dunn Tire, the Ferranti family, and dozens of Give 716 supporters to bring a fully accessible indoor playground to life! The playground was made possible after over a year of planning and fundraising, and the new accessible exhibit removes barriers to inclusion, both physical and social, providing a “sensory-rich” experience and offering numerous benefits for all children year-round.
Physical play is an important part of every child’s brain development. Multiple studies have shown that physical play benefits children’s physical, cognitive and social development, giving them a higher level of self-confidence and keeping them healthier overall. This is true for all kids – whether they have disabilities or not.
Unfortunately, in Western New York, there are only a few truly 100% inclusive playgrounds, all designed and created by a local non-profit organization, Mason’s Mission. Adding to this is the fact that because of WNY weather, these accessible playgrounds can only be utilized for part of the year. It is for these reasons, and because it is Explore & More’s mission to serve all children and families, that these organizations have teamed up to take the inclusive outdoor playground concept and bring it inside.
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