Aug 14 update

Construction is still progressing!  But we sure would love the rain to go away to complete it sooner!  Stay tuned!  Mark your calendar for Sept 18, 4-7pm for the Grand Opening! 

Thanks to Bob Russell for our overhead shots! 

July 23 update

 

The park is coming along very nicely and it's so great to see it greening up!  Stay tuned for more information on when you can come and play! 

July 1 update

 

Phase One is well on it's way!  In the past two weeks we have seen the dugout roofs installed, more playground pieces in stalled, the donor area starting to form, insides of buildings continuing, and behind the scenes signs, sculptures, design happening.

BUT, that's not all!!! 

Importance of Outside Play for Children with Autism

Importance of Outside Play for Children with Autism

By: Terry Hagen, Recreation Leader
Parks, Recreation & Tourism

Want to volunteer?  Coach?  Be a buddy?  Play in the Miracle League?  Fill out this survey.

Unstructured play is critical in the development of ALL children, but children on the Autism spectrum play very differently than other children. Many of them struggle with stimulation in play spaces that cause them to respond in ways that can be disruptive. The way they react might include flapping, pacing, screaming, throwing what looks like a temper tantrum or harming themselves. They also tend to play off to themselves, they don’t like loud noises, they line their toys up, they repeat the same action over and over and they struggle with imaginative play.

Because of this, many families with children on the spectrum might not feel comfortable taking their children places because they also don’t want to disrupt other families from their activities.

Miracle Park will be a place for ALL children to play together as one unit. Since it is geared towards inclusive play, many of the families who will take their children there are dealing with some of the same behaviors and obstacles as other parents who will also be there, so since they are all accustomed to these issues, no one will feel disrupted. The feeling of inclusion that is so important for children is also VERY important to caregivers because it’s comforting to be around others in similar situations.

Because children on the spectrum struggle with over stimulation, the more exposure they have to play spaces, the more accustomed they will become to the sights, sounds and structure of Miracle Park. Building exposure can help lessen the struggles and they can learn to respond to different noises, sounds, and environments. So, the more parents expose their child to Miracle Park, the more the child will be able to adapt to various stimulators.

Miracle Park has been designed with all these important things in mind. The colors are from a playful color palette but are not over stimulating. The park will have interactive play equipment that focuses on play but also includes activity that utilizes all 5 senses, movement, and balance. IF the child happens to become overstimulated, there is a place where the child can go to calm down.

Miracle Park will also have signage that includes letters, words, and pictures to promote communication skills. Many children on the Autism Spectrum and their families already use the PECS system to communicate. PECS stands for Picture Exchange Communication System. Having letters, words and pictures at the park will allow the family to continue communicating with their child they way they typically do at home.

Miracle Park will be completely fenced in and all playground equipment is built in an area that provides a complete line of vision from all areas so parents can see their child anywhere on the playground and know they are safely fenced in.

All equipment is also spread out to allow room for play without a child being overwhelmed and without feeling overcrowded.

Playing outside in the natural light of the sun is much healthier than artificial lighting. Children spend most of their day in school with fluorescent lighting or on computers/tablets with lights that can overstimulate. The best medicine for that type of overstimulation is natural lighting.

Children on the spectrum pick up on the moods and anxieties of their parents and siblings. Many times, the family is too worried about how the child will “fit in” or behave in public settings, that they don’t enjoy their time together. Children on the spectrum can pick up on that anxiety and feed off the energy of the family. At Miracle Park, parents and siblings can all relax and enjoy playtime in a safe, secure, nonjudgmental, accessible setting.

The playground will be free of charge. Many families have limited income and parents struggle to find affordable activities for their child to safely play.
Providing a park where ALL children can play for free lifts one extra burden off the families.

For the children on the spectrum who don’t have back yards to play in or who spend the whole day confined to their desk at school, having a free open field that is securely enclosed to play and run around in is an ideal way to release pent up energy.

Many typical playgrounds allow for plenty of big muscle play. All children, especially children on the spectrum, also need manipulative play, pretend play, sensory play, quiet play, and creative play. Miracle Park has the ability and the equipment to provide all of this and more to everyone.

Miracle Park will also have Yalp interactive equipment such as the Sona Arch and Memo Pillars where they must use a variety of senses to play along. These activities also help with following instructions because they are given verbal cues to see what the next part of the “game” will be. 

Inclusive Whirl

The Inclusive Whirl provides ease of access for people of all abilities with its zero entry design.  The whirl surface platform is at ground level with no need for ramps or transfer mechanisms.  It features bench seating (at transfer height), a large platform surface that exceeds the ADA requirement for turn-around space and handrails for users to grasp while spinning!  Who is ready to ride???

Sensory Dome

How will you or your children express themselves on this playground piece?!?!  You will start to see it being installed in the VERY near future! 

The Sensory Dome features multiple pathways to crawl on, through, around, and over.  It has a chain pod to access the top of the dome from underneath and bells on the side!  There is full access for a child in a mobility device to travel inside the dome. 

Can you help with the cost of this piece?  www.miracleparkrockhill.com 

 

Sensory Cove Climber

Children use the Sensory Cove Climber as a quiet space to rest, relax and gather with friends. It's the perfect place to observe play from a distance until you are ready to join in, or a sensory-relief area, when necessary. More than a seating and gathering area, this versatile product doubles as a climbing activity.

The Yalp Memo

The Yalp Memo, great for brain training for ALL ages and abilities, provides a lot of fun in a confined space and encourages gamification.  Gamification is the application of game thinking and game techniques and shows you can quickly learn new things without the use of guides or manuals.  Although the Memo may be a technically advanced playset, its operation is child-friendly and intuitive.  

With a big library of games to choose from, the Memo is one of the most versatile and dynamic outdoor play products in the world. It stimulates younger players to play together and cooperate creatively.  

In general, children are wholly unaffected by everything and just do whatever comes up in their heads.  That's why we've programmed all our games with simple rules that can be easily modified.  The Memo is intuitive and open to creativity and stimulates younger players to develop their own sets of rules and ideas. 

Musical Playground!

“I would teach children music, physics, and philosophy; but most importantly music, for the patterns in music and all the arts are the keys to learning” -Plato

Calling all music lovers, 2 year olds, 40 year olds, 80 year olds and more!  The Miracle Park Playground will have musical elements to explore!  We can't wait for you to experience them when the park opens!  Here are some examples below of the pieces in storage for us right now ready to be installed!

Are you a music lover that is so excited for kids to have this opportunity?  Please donate today at www.miracleparkrockhill.com.  Thanks!

May 5, 2021 Progress

Playground Piece: The Yalp Sona Arch

This is a cool piece of playground equipment ordered for our one-of-a-kind playground for all! Watch how kids and senior adults enjoy the Sona Arch on you tube!

The Sona Arch can benefit people with dementia and Alzheimer's with the games that use music and simple memory skills. It incorporates dance, number recognition, code breaking, and other things that have proven to help those with different conditions that effect our memory.

The playground will also have a walking path around it so that people with all abilities and different ways to move can walk, which also helps brain development and disorders.

Explanation of the Sona Arch from their website:

The Yalp Sona includes various exciting and supportive games, such as a dance competition, a game where children have to keep a sequence of numbers, or a lightning-fast racetrack. The game begins, and the children can start right away. With each game, the levels build up in difficulty keeping the games exciting, and children make up their own rules, the game remains challenging at all times. We also regularly develop new games that adapt to the changing world of children.

The Yalp Sona interactive dance and play arch is developed for permanent outdoor use. The bow contains a motion sensor that reacts accurately to the children’s movements on the dance floor. All electronics are safely housed in the steel frame of the Sona. The 4m x 4m play floor is freely accessible (even with a wheelchair), and several children can play on it at the same time. The Sona is fun for the whole family: we regularly see parents and grandparents playing with their children and grandchildren.

There is really something for all!

Outdoor Exercise Equipment

Jump on your bike, walk, or jog over to the park because did you know that the playground will have a corner of it with outdoor exercise equipment?  

ALL ages and ALL abilities can strengthen their muscles, do physical therapy, and keep moving while kids are playing!  Here are some examples of what outdoor equipment looks like.  It uses your body weight and pressure to make it harder and unique to what each person needs. 

Who will come and use this!  We really mean it when we say there is something for EVERYBODY!

Shoulder Rotator

Chest Press

Recumbent Cycle

Assisted Step Trainer

Leg Press

Let Pull Down

All this takes money to bring it to Rock Hill, if you can help us finish out paying for Phase One go to www.miracleparkrockhill.com.  Thanks!

Playground Update: Cunningham Recreation sponsorship

Hopefully you've all seen the renderings of our state-of-the art playground.... I've included a few here.  We are so excited that installation will begin THIS SUMMER!  Amidst all the precautions for COVID-19, we are unsure when the playground will actually open.  Phase 1 is scheduled to be done by the end of the year. Unfortunately, this falls during winter, and as there is still much uncertainty, we do not want to speculate on how that may or may not effect our grand opening.  However, we do have some GOOD NEWS! Our partners at Cunningham Recreation have committed to helping us keep the park sanitized.  Here is a message from their president and our friend Scott Cunningham. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogy18OQ4qpQ&feature=youtu.be

What does Playground Safety look like during this "new normal?" Playground safety will no longer just be inspections, maintenance and documentation. It will include cleaning and sanitization.

Because we care about our customers, we've been thinking about how we can help you during this time. We would like to start you off right with our Cunningham Cares Program. For the next year on every playground purchased and installed from Cunningham Recreation, we will inspect, clean and sanitize your new playground FREE OF CHARGE.

Thank you Cunningham for your continued partnership with Miracle Park!  We can't wait to be able to play together! :)

Swings!

Let's talk swings!  We've already featured our Arch Swing, but keep reading to see some of the other swings that will be at Miracle Park.

The Expression Swing, a GameTime exclusive and the industry’s first playground swing that promotes intergenerational play as adults and children swing together. The face-to-face design features a bucket or toddler seat for children under five and a comfortable adult swing seat that allows a parent and child (or grandparent and grandchild) to interact with each other and experience one another’s facial expressions while at play.

• See Eye to Eye - Face-to-face design positions adult and child at eye level with one another so they can interact
• Swing in Comfort - Exclusive platform swing seat is ergonomically designed for adults and compliant with current swing safety standards

Zero-G Chair Swings

These swings allow children who require additional support to swing alongside their friends. This creates an inclusive environment of play parity where everyone can join in the fun. The Zero-G Chair is available for ages 2-5 and 5-12. We will have both sizes at Miracle Park.

• Children with physical disabilities can experience movement apart from their mobility device
• High back, wing support, wide base and molded adjustable harnes help the user maintain a neutral body position and minimize fatigue
• Fully engages the senses and encourages interaction among caregivers and peers