Play for all - Universal designs for inclusive playgrounds
The Play Institute
Enhancing Playground Play through Research
Creating the world's best playgrounds requires understanding what motivates children to play, stay and return, and designing spaces that encourage physical, social-emotional, and cognitive-creative development.
Physical
Joy of movement: motor skills, muscle, cardio and bone densityCognitive
Joy of learning: curiosity, understanding of causal relationships and knowledge of the worldSocial-Emotional
Joy of being together: teamwork, tolerance and sense of belongingCreative
Joy of creating: co-creation and experimenting with materialsPlay is fundamentally human
Play is a crucial part of childhood development, providing opportunities for children to learn, grow, and have fun. Through play, children develop their physical, emotional, and cognitive skills. It allows them to explore their creativity, challenge their boundaries, and build relationships with others. Play also helps children develop resilience, problem-solving skills, and self-esteem.
Playground play based on user involvement
The KOMPAN Play Institute is KOMPAN’s unit of play specialists, dedicated to developing, documenting and researching play and playgrounds. The KOMPAN Play Institute has been part of developing, researching and advocating playgrounds for KOMPAN since the 1980s.
The main work areas of the KOMPAN Play Institute are:
Research in playground and child development
Testing and documentation of play designs with children of all abilities
White papers, publications and research on playground-specific topics
Consultancy and advocacy on playgrounds and city planning for play
Innovation with the KOMPAN Play Institute
Play evolves with time, but children remain play experts. Successful play designs are based on their input, combined with specialist insight into the ongoing changes in child development. The KOMPAN Play Institute is all about finding fun and growth through play! They study and test to make sure KOMPAN's play equipment is top-notch, both for kids and experts. With its focus on child approval and expert validation, the KOMPAN Play Institute is always on the lookout for the next big playground adventure. And play research findings.
Webinars about play
Meet the KOMPAN Play Institute
Jeanette Fich Jespersen
Head of KOMPAN Play Institute
MA in Nordic and Anglosaxon Philology
Suzanne Quinn
Manager, KOMPAN Play Institute USA
PhD in Early childhood learning
Maria Ross Larsen
Research Project Manager, KOMPAN Play Institute
MSc & BA in Market Anthropology