Play is a huge part of any child’s growing up years and playgrounds were once the centre of our world. It is a place where we learn to make friends and explore new possibilities for fun, games and imagination. These are experiences that we want our young clients at our Building Bridge EIPIC Centres to have too.

With this as motivation, our staff from SPD@Jurong started engaging the Member of Parliament Mr Ang Wei Neng and the Jurong Town Council. So, when the town council contacted the team in mid-2018 to broach the idea of building an inclusive playground near our centre, our staff were elated.

What ensued were several consultancy sessions where our teachers and occupational therapist worked with the town council closely and gave inputs on the playground’s design and features such that it would enable our children with more severe physical disabilities to participate and enjoy the playground with their peers.

The playground, which is located at Block 339 Jurong East Ave 1, was completed and unveiled to the residents in August last year. The special features include:

Gentle ramp for children with mobility challenges;

Supported swing for children who require support while sitting;

Tactile and visual instructions for children with sensory and developmental disorders.

“We are able to incorporate more fun and outdoor learning into our curriculum with this new playground. Our children get more opportunities to engage in play with their peers and other children in the neighborhood, which is great for their social and emotional development. In fact, the playground benefits children of different disabilities in all areas of development,” said Ms Winnie Lim, Centre Manager, SPD@Jurong.