Research in child development and occupational therapy shows that children benefit from roughly an hour of active, self-directed play each day - time that supports physical coordination, sensory regulation, social interaction, and emotional balance (World Health Organization, 2020; Herrington & Brussoni, 2015; Veitch et al., 2018). Playgrounds are one of the few public environments designed specifically for that kind of unstructured, embodied play.

Yet in practice, many families - especially those with children who have disabilities or sensory differences - find that comfort, engagement, and inclusion do not always last that long.

I began to notice how often we left playgrounds early - not because of time constraints, but because the space itself made staying difficult. Sometimes the sensory demands accumulated too quickly, with little variation or relief. Sometimes there were no places to pause, reset, or shift between levels of activity. And sometimes the play experience flattened fast - offering few ways to explore or requiring constant mediation from me instead of allowing sustained, self-directed play.

With support from the Landscape Architecture Canada Foundation (LACF), I’m developing an early-stage reflection tool to help caregivers and families observe and share how playground layouts, features, and environmental conditions support - or limit - sustained play and regulation over time.

The reflection tool will be simple and experience-based. It will invite caregivers to record how long their family felt comfortable and engaged, alongside reflections in four experiential domains: Arrive, Play, Connect, and Breathe.

These domains reflect both environmental affordances and sensory-social needs - from initial access and orientation to meaningful participation, connection with others, and opportunities to rest and regulate. Developed through lived experience and informed by inclusive design research, the tool will aim to translate everyday observations - how long comfort and playfulness last - into practical insight for designers, OTs, and municipalities working toward environments where inclusion endures over time.