AMES, Iowa — Kids at Northwood Preschool Center in Ames recently celebrated the opening of an inclusive playground.
The project has been years in the making as a grassroots effort by students, for students.
"Several years ago, we had a student who couldn't access our playground structure outside," a staff member said. "He had a walker, and the students were concerned about it."
The preschoolers wanted to make sure their peer, and other students with mobility issues, could access the playground. So, they started problem solving. Northwood staff gathered drawings from students imagining what an inclusive playground could look like.
"We went to the school board and lots of businesses within the community and asked for support and we kind of got the ball running," the staff member said.
The new playground has proved to be a hit for all students.
"I currently have a student who is so hard to get off the playground now, because he loves that he's able to take his wheelchair or his walker all on his own, and he doesn't need a teacher. He can just go with his peers," another staff member said.
In addition to the new playground at Northwood, five other inclusive parks have been constructed at local elementary schools.
"People underestimate the power of a 4-year-old and their brain and their compassion," a staff member told Local 5. "We learn more from these kids than I could ever teach them."