Accessible Playground Surfaces

Accessibility is not just about the equipment installed in a playground — it is equally about the surface beneath it.

Many playgrounds include accessible play equipment but are finished with surfaces that unintentionally exclude the very people the equipment is meant to support. While materials such as bark or sand are often chosen because they are cost-effective, these surfaces create significant barriers for people with limited mobility.

Why Loose Surfaces Create Barriers

Loose-fill surfaces such as bark, sand, or wood chips shift under load. This instability affects anyone who relies on wheels or walking aids to move safely and independently.

For people using:

• Manual wheelchairs

• Powered wheelchairs

• Walking frames

• Pushchairs or prams

these surfaces require far more effort, assistance, and physical strength — and in many cases make independent access impossible.

Why Powerchairs Are Most Affected

Powered wheelchairs are particularly impacted by loose playground surfaces.

Unlike manual wheelchairs, powerchairs:

• Are significantly heavier, often exceeding 250 kg including the user

• Rely on small front castors, which easily dig into soft or uneven ground

• Cannot be lifted, tipped, or pushed through difficult terrain

• Are sensitive to traction loss, especially on damp bark or sand

On loose surfaces, powerchairs may:

• Become bogged down or stuck

• Lose steering control

• Spin wheels without forward movement

• Risk tipping when one wheel encounters resistance

What appears to be a short distance across bark can become an impassable barrier.

Manual Wheelchairs, Walking Frames, and Pushchairs

Manual wheelchair users often experience:

• Increased shoulder strain

• Loss of momentum

• The need for assistance to cross loose ground

People using walking frames may find:

• Reduced stability

• Increased risk of slips or falls

• Fatigue from uneven footing

Pushchairs and prams face similar challenges, with wheels sinking or catching, making playgrounds difficult to navigate for families with young children.

The Budget Reality — and the Accessibility Cost

Bark and sand are commonly selected because they are cheaper upfront and widely available. However, this cost saving often shifts the burden onto users by reducing independence and increasing reliance on others.

An accessible playground that cannot be reached or used independently is not truly inclusive — regardless of how accessible the equipment itself may be.

Inclusive Design Means Designing the Whole Space

For playgrounds and parks to work for everyone, surfaces must:

• Be firm, stable, and slip-resistant

• Support independent movement

• Perform reliably in wet conditions

• Connect seamlessly to paths, entrances, and equipment

When hardstand surfaces are provided only to the edge of a play area, but not through it, accessibility effectively stops at the boundary.

The Principle of Real Inclusion

If a person cannot reach, move through, and use a space independently, then the space is not accessible.

True inclusion means considering how people of all abilities experience the entire environment — not just the play equipment placed within it.