ACCESSIBLE PLAYGROUNDS---USA

NEW YORK CITY

PS 192

18^th Avenue between 47 and 48 Streets in Boro Park, Brooklyn

It includes a play area specially designed to accommodate children in wheelchairs. To ensure that all children have a space to play, the playground will also contain ramped play equipment, ground level play features, accessible swings, wheelchair-accessible tables, and drinking fountains. This park is one of few in Brooklyn that include specific features for differently-abled children.

Playground 70 

Located between West End Avenue and Amsterdam Avenue, Manhattan

• Fully accessible play space which includes accessible swings and a children’s garden

• Musical instruments are built into the play space

• Basketball courts

• Adjustable basketball backdrops that can be lowered for individuals in wheelchairs

• Camel Structure Climb

• Spray Shower with a map of the United States

• Cost to enter park: FREE

• Parking–because it’s Manhattan, finding a free parking spot may be difficult if you don’t live in the area. May be a nice park to go to if visiting Manhattan for a doctor appointment, or for other reasons.

Robert Bendheim Playground

Located in NYC on 100^th street and 5^th Avenue, Manhattan

• Features accessible ramps for wheelchair access and swings

• Tunnel Slides, and a sandbox with raised sand tables for wheelchairs

• During the summer, there is a water feature

• Cost: Free

• Parking: Free Parking on the street is always challenging in Manhattan.

May be a great destination to visit before or after a doctor appointment or visiting Manhattan for other reasons.

Bloomingale Park

Richmond Parkway, Bloomingdale Road, Lenevar Avenue in Staten Island

Although the playground DOES NOT have accessible swings, it does have a “sway fun” which is a wheelchair accessible glider which can be fun.

Bloomingdale Park is nestled on a 139 acre property with beautiful nature trails.

Staten Island plans to update their handicap facilities to include accessible swings in the future.

Cost: Free

Pelham Bay Park

Bruckner Expy, Buhre Avenue, Bronx NY

Playground for all children

• Within the 3000 acres of Pelham Park, lies a playground for all children

• Swings for children with all abilities and disabilities

• Colorful equipment

• Musical walkway, and xylophone on ground level

• Sprinkler system and many shaded areas

• Cost: Free

LONG ISLAND

Haypath Park

Old Bethpage, New York

NEW JERSEY

“New” Overpeck County Park

Ridgefield Park Area–located on 199 Ridgefield Park, NJ, off of Teaneck Road

• Handicap fully supportive swings–full body positioning support swings

• Ramps that run through a beautiful playground structure for wheelchair accessibility with rubber flooring and

State of the art playground equipment –something for every child–for children with the most challenges to the most agile child. Excellent rubber flooring throughout playground. Wonderful playground–there is something to do for everyone.

• Unique climbing structure for agile children

• Beautiful walking paths and bicycle paths

• State of the art Tennis Courts (6 courts)

• Soccer Fields with artificial turf that is bumpy and comfortable–fun to roll around on, in addition to playing sports

• New softball field and beautiful baseball field

• Observation deck, beautiful nature

• 40 acre open field

• Three bathroom locations

• Cost: FREE

• Parking: Easy–plenty of handicap accessible parking, plenty of parking all over for everyone

• Recommendation: Bring your entire family and whoever else would enjoy and be helpful. Although concession stands exist, no kosher food (yet), bring lunch, bring a blanket, bring a soccer ball, wear sneakers, enjoy the

playground and all the sports, and plan to stay a while.

• Excellent"playground! "Must"Come!"

Votee Park,

Teaneck NJ

Park covers the entire area between Queen Anne Road and Palisade Avenue from Colonial Court to Court Street

• Playground of interest with in Votee: Inclusive Playground on the side of Court Street– includes supportive swings–full body positioning support swings, a ramp that runs through playground structure for wheelchair accessibility. Wonderful rubber flooring throughout playground.

Playground structure is fenced in. Wonderful playground. Something for everyone.

• Excellent playground. Must come!

• Although Votee has Tennis Courts and Hockey courts, due to a township concern, the soccer fields have been closed off, but the playground is readily available and open for use.

• Cost: Free

• Recommendation: Either bring lunch with you, tables are available for picnics within “inclusive

playground” area, or you can purchase lunch near the many nearby glatt kosher restaurants on West Englewood Avenue in Teaneck, whether you are in the mood for pizza, sushi or hotdogs,

There are plenty of restaurants available. Parking is available on street or parking lot nearby.

All parking is free.

Van Saun County Park, 

Paramus, NJ

• This park is an “oldee, but goodie”

• 146 acre park located in Paramus NJ

• Playground structures that have a ramp that runs through for handicap and wheelchair accessibility

• Wonderful zoo (Bergen County Zoological Park), historic Spring Garden, and train for children, carousel, pony rides, and picnic and fishing area

• Beautiful walking paths and bike paths, picnic areas.

• Recommendations: Bring your own food and lunch.

• Comments: Playground structure is very nice, not as updated as other playgrounds and does not have as many playground options as the other NJ wheelchair accessible playgrounds noted in this manual. But it is still a very nice place for all children to enjoy, and the overall experience of the zoo and the train, along with merry go round make it a worth while experience.

• Cost: Admission is quite reasonable, with discounts for local residents and senior citizens.  Charge for merry go round per child, entrance to train is dependant on day of the week and season, but costs per child is very, reasonable to gain access to zoo or train. (Although tennis courts and baseball field are available, a permit is required. To access a permit call 201-336-7261). Zoo is open from 10 am-4:30 pm. Admission is charged from May through October. (During winter months, there is no charge to go to zoo).

• Playground usage is free. Parking is free.

• Fun destination! Worth your while!

Watchung Reservation Sensory Trail

Mountainside, NJ

Watchung Reservation Sensory Trail in Union County is a .3-mile loop with a central gazebo that has a sensory play area for children. There are also outdoor classrooms with Hiking Trail Accommodates All fire pits and interpretive signage and two talking kiosks highlighting the natural and human history of the Watchung Reservation. The trail also has musical components such as drums and xylophones, as well as touch features such as wheels, balls and raised garden beds. A Braille trail loop has guide ropes.  The Office for People with Special Needs is coordinating activities at the trail, including a camp for children with disabilities.

Toms River Field of Dreams

Toms River, NJ

The TRFOD has revitalized a 3.5-acre parcel of Bey Lea Park (North Bay Avenue) that is designed to benefit special needs individuals of all ages, abilities, and needs. The complex consists of a basketball and bocce court, .33 miles of walking path lined with art murals from local artists, a state-of-the-art all-inclusive playground, 8 bathrooms with six special needs stalls and two changing tables, nine-hole miniature golf course, 5 community gardens, a baseball field, two thrive stations for use by physical therapists and their patients, a temperature-controlled pavilion with 4 power wheelchair chargers, and a quiet corner for those with sensory needs. The complex is open to special needs residents of surrounding towns, counties, and states.