Aquatics Guide - 2019 - 10

PHOTOS COURTESY OF RAIN DROP PRODUCTS

Child playing with water feature.

Understanding the Elements of
Inclusive Sensory Aquatic Play
By Carla Abreu-Ellis, Ph.D., and Jason Brent Ellis, Ph.D.

T

he concept of inclusion is a simple one: include the widest possible
participant-audience with the widest spectrum of ability. However,
designing recreational spaces that achieve this goal can be a daunting task. Inclusion revolves around the fact that not all children
are what are called the typically developing child. In fact, of the 62.2 million
children under the age of 15 accounted for in the 2010 U.S. Census (U.S. Department of Commerce), about 5.2 million or 8.4 percent had some kind of
disability (making them non-typical).
The key to meeting the recreational needs of non-typically developing
children is allowing for self-regu-

8

Parks & Recreation

lation of sensory input. In Sensory
Integration and the Child, authors A.
Jean Ayres and Jeff Robbins state:

| A Q U AT I C S G U I D E 2 0 1 9 | W W W. PA R K S A N D R E C R E AT I O N . O R G

" Sensory integration is the process
of organizing sensory inputs so that
the brain produces a useful body response and also useful perceptions,
emotions, and thoughts. " In a 2017
article in PALAESTRA, authors
Davis, Abdo and Toole explain the
importance of providing training
on sensory regulation for families
of children with autism spectrum
disorders. They emphasize the need
for self-regulation of sensory infor-
http://www.TION.ORG
Aquatics Guide - 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Aquatics Guide - 2019
