A Magical Day At Magical Bridges Learning Lab

By: Sheryl Young, PVF’s San Mateo County Program Director 

Have you ever wondered why so many playgrounds are inaccessible for everyone? Two local moms created a movement to transform playgrounds so that all children can play together using the latest research in accessibility and safety.

Magical Bridge designs playgrounds for all ages and abilities by removing the physical and social barriers of today’s typical playgrounds to give everyone in the community a place to play, learn, and connect.

With eight award-winning playgrounds currently open and many more in development around the world, Magical Bridge proudly collaborates with cities, developers, and landscape architects to bring inclusive play and companion programming to public parks, schools, zoos, and museums. You can find them all across California and even in New Zealand!

PVF is proud to support a new Magical Bridges Learning Lab to be developed at Foothill Community College. Students studying Child Development will be able to use this outdoor laboratory to deepen their knowledge of children of all ages and abilities.

My three year old granddaughter and I decided to go on an adventure and explore the Palo Alto playground site. We both give it a thumb’s up in terms of fun and learning! Slides, club house, spinning area, swings, picnic tables and lounge chairs for parents (and grandparents!) kept us moving from one area to another. All children play together and can explore all the equipment, including those using wheelchairs.

I was left wondering why aren’t all parks like this?