12 accessible playgrounds around Bucks County where inclusive play is fun for all

Michele Haddon, Bucks County Courier Times
Updated ·5 min read

Playgrounds should feel like a place of belonging.

Which is why more outdoor play spaces are being designed or revamped with children of all abilities in mind, including those with visual, mobility and hearing impairments, autism, sensory processing disorders and cognitive delays.

By incorporating specialized components — such as ramps, ground level elements, handrails, smooth surfacing and pathways, transfer stations, adaptive slides and swings, sensory activities and quiet areas — playgrounds can be an accessible and inclusive space where all children are free to play and explore without barriers.

Cobalt Ridge Park in Middletown reopened one year ago with upgraded equipment and a specific focus on fostering inclusivity. Inclusive elements include wheelchair access, solitude seats designed for children on the autism spectrum, a music feature and expression swings with adaptive seating for adults and children to sit face-to-face.
Cobalt Ridge Park in Middletown reopened one year ago with upgraded equipment and a specific focus on fostering inclusivity. Inclusive elements include wheelchair access, solitude seats designed for children on the autism spectrum, a music feature and expression swings with adaptive seating for adults and children to sit face-to-face.

To help you find one near you, we’ve put together this list of 12 accessible and inclusive playgrounds in and around Bucks County:

Sensory Trail and Kids Castle at Central Park, Doylestown Township

The Kids Castle in Doylestown's Central Park now includes features for children with visual, hearing, mobility, autism or other issues.
The Kids Castle in Doylestown's Central Park now includes features for children with visual, hearing, mobility, autism or other issues.

Kids Castle reopened last year after a temporary closure for upgrades, which included creating two new inclusive play areas. Enhancements also involved increasing the area of the Poured-in-Place safety surface, helping provide ease in maneuverability for children and adults who use wheelchairs and other mobility devices.

On the other side of Central Park is the Sensory Trail, with five wheelchair-accessible learning stations along a paved and shaded path at the edge of the woods. Each station provides sensory experiences while allowing children to explore nature.

Go: 425 Wells Road, Doylestown

Cobalt Ridge Playground, Levittown

Cobalt Ridge Park in Middletown reopened one year ago with upgraded equipment and a specific focus on fostering inclusivity. Inclusive elements include wheelchair access, solitude seats designed for children on the autism spectrum, a music feature and expression swings with adaptive seating for adults and children to sit face-to-face.
Cobalt Ridge Park in Middletown reopened one year ago with upgraded equipment and a specific focus on fostering inclusivity. Inclusive elements include wheelchair access, solitude seats designed for children on the autism spectrum, a music feature and expression swings with adaptive seating for adults and children to sit face-to-face.

Cobalt Ridge Park, a neighborhood playground in Middletown, reopened one year ago with upgraded equipment and a specific focus on fostering inclusivity. Inclusive elements include wheelchair access, solitude seats designed for children on the autism spectrum, a music feature and expression swings with adaptive seating for adults and children to sit face-to-face.

Go: 76 Cobalt Cross Rd, Levittown

Cobalt Ridge Park in Middletown reopened one year ago with upgraded equipment and a specific focus on fostering inclusivity. Inclusive elements include wheelchair access, solitude seats designed for children on the autism spectrum, a music feature and expression swings with adaptive seating for adults and children to sit face-to-face.
Cobalt Ridge Park in Middletown reopened one year ago with upgraded equipment and a specific focus on fostering inclusivity. Inclusive elements include wheelchair access, solitude seats designed for children on the autism spectrum, a music feature and expression swings with adaptive seating for adults and children to sit face-to-face.
Cobalt Ridge Park in Middletown reopened one year ago with upgraded equipment and a specific focus on fostering inclusivity. Inclusive elements include wheelchair access, solitude seats designed for children on the autism spectrum, a music feature and expression swings with adaptive seating for adults and children to sit face-to-face.
Cobalt Ridge Park in Middletown reopened one year ago with upgraded equipment and a specific focus on fostering inclusivity. Inclusive elements include wheelchair access, solitude seats designed for children on the autism spectrum, a music feature and expression swings with adaptive seating for adults and children to sit face-to-face.

The Secret Garden at Memorial Park, Lower Makefield

The Secret Garden is an accessible playground designed to include children of different abilities. Features include a rubberized surface, easily accessible for children with mobility issues; special activity panels for children with sensory issues; and other unique and innovative equipment.

Go: 1950 Woodside Road, Lower Makefield

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QuiNBy's Playground, Quakertown

QuiNBy’s is an all-inclusive multigenerational playground that provides equal opportunity of play for people of all ages and abilities. Most of the new equipment is ADA accessible, featuring elements like ramps on the giant play structure, a multitude of ground level play, a wheelchair carousel, and a Tipi carousel, a spacious, inclusive spinner with a support brace.

Go: 600 W Mill St., Quakertown

Noah’s Playground at Newtown Veterans Park, Newtown Township

Noah’s Playground, which was named in memory of Noah Jacob Cohen, who died in 2010 from sudden infant death syndrome, has an inclusive design featuring a rubberized surface to accommodate children with physical disabilities.

Go: 234 Durham Road, Newtown

Veterans Memorial Park, Doylestown Borough

Veterans Memorial Park, an ADA-accessible neighborhood playground, features inclusive components, such as ramps, sound play elements, transfer stations, an accessible swing and braille panels.

Go: South Chubb Drive, Doylestown

Miracle League Playground at Northampton Township Municipal Park, Churchville

Miracle League Playground reopened last year, following its expansion and improvements to make it an all-inclusive playground by providing a safe place for children, regardless of ability, to explore the four defined areas of developmental skills: sensory, motor, cognitive and social/emotional. A new accessible rubber safety surfacing was installed, the play structure was fully revamped, and new adaptive play elements were added, including musical instruments, an Oodle Swing, roller table, rain sound wheel, sway fun glider and a sensory play center.

The park is also home to the Miracle League all-inclusive baseball field, located next to the playground.

Go: 281 Hatboro Road, Churchville

Imagination Land, Bensalem

Located next to the Bensalem Library, Imagination Land Playground is an accessible playground built and designed specifically for children of all abilities with several adaptive features throughout.

Go: 3800 Hulmeville Road, Bensalem

Located next to the Bensalem Library, Imagination Land Playground is an accessible playground built and designed specifically for children of all abilities with several adaptive features throughout.
Located next to the Bensalem Library, Imagination Land Playground is an accessible playground built and designed specifically for children of all abilities with several adaptive features throughout.
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Lions Pride Park, Warrington

Lions Pride is an intergenerational public park designed to engage people of all ages. At its center is Kids’ Mountain, a fully accessible state-of-the-art play area equipped with swings, slides, climbing towers and rope bridges. Seating areas are outfitted with benches and tables that will accommodate people with various physical needs.

Go: 3129 Bradley Road, Warrington

Area children wasted no time scaling Kids Mountain at the newly opened Lions Pride Park in Warrington Friday morning. The ADA-compliant park is a partnership between the township and the Warrington Lions Club.
Area children wasted no time scaling Kids Mountain at the newly opened Lions Pride Park in Warrington Friday morning. The ADA-compliant park is a partnership between the township and the Warrington Lions Club.

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Roberts Ridge Playground, Newtown Township

Located next to Goodnoe Elementary, Roberts Ridge Park is home to a large inclusive playground structure designed for children of all abilities with features such as ramps, sound play elements, transfer stations, an accessible swing and components for those who are visually impaired.

Go: 286 Frost Lane, Newtown

Montgomery Township Accessible Playground and Spray Park, Montgomeryville

Both the playground and spray park offer inclusive play. Designed with a wide range of activities to accommodate children with a variety of developmental needs, the playground features a poured-in-place safety surface, bucket seat swings, adaptive freestanding equipment and a large play structure with accessible ramps, interactive panels, slides and climbers.

Go: 1030 Horsham Road, Montgomeryville

Everybody’s Playground at Lukens Park, Horsham

Everybody’s Playground was designed to be a universally accessible play area with inclusive features such as accessible swings, ramps and other adaptive equipment. There is also a basketball court with rims that are movable for wheelchair basketball.

Go: 540 Dresher Road, Horsham

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This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Accessible, inclusive playgrounds in Bucks County, Horsham bring the fun