Crown Point Community School Corporation (CPCSC) approved contracts for new elementary playgrounds at Monday night’s board meeting. The new plans focus on inclusion, diverse play experiences, and the power of free play for all students. The playgrounds address the following topics in their designs:

• Zones for Varied Play and Energy Levels: The playgrounds incorporate distinct zones tailored to different energy levels and noise preferences. This enables children to find spaces that resonate with their mood and style of play, allowing for a more engaging experience.

• Diverse Types of Play: Children employ different types of play to understand their world. These playgrounds present opportunities for cognitive, social, and physical skill development through carefully curated play structures, swings, climbers, slides, and interactive installations.

• Fostering Student Interaction: By maximizing participation and interaction among students, the playgrounds provide connection. Students can engage in both solitary and collaborative play, promoting social growth and friendships.

• Inclusivity and Accessibility: The playgrounds prioritize accessibility, allowing all students to engage fully regardless of ability. ADA compliance is integrated into the design, ensuring equitable access for everyone.

• Encouraging Creativity and Appropriate Risk-Taking: Recognizing the value of creativity and calculated risk-taking in childhood development, the playgrounds provide spaces that empower students to explore their creativity and face challenges in a controlled, safe environment.

The elementary playgrounds are strategically divided into three distinct zones:

• Hard Surface Zone: Designed for large group activities and sports, this zone offers basketball courts and other interactive spaces, accessible to all students.

• Soft Surface Zone: Tailored for inclusive play, this area includes swings, play structures, climbers, and slides. The design balances firmness for ADA compliance with softness to cushion impacts, allowing children to explore safely.

• Open Field Zone: Dependent on the property layout, this space encourages connection with nature and supports large group activities.

The playgrounds also include a sensory area that offers sound and music-making opportunities, promoting sensory development. These spaces not only facilitate play but also serve as platforms for learning, growth, and building lasting connections among students.