Together with the WheelchairSkillsTeam foundation and Marijke Orthel, Empowerment by PLaying continues to work on the development and implementation of the SamenSpeelUitjes (Inclusive Play Events) Watch the heartwarming and informative video here.
The SamenSpeelUitjes are for regular elementary schools (grades 6-7-8) as well as special education schools that feel it is important for children to learn about inclusion and inclusive play by experiencing it for themselves.
The SamenSpeelUitjes are also for playgrounds that want to reach more children with disabilities and promote cooperative play.
The program of the Samenspeeluitjes consists of three parts:
- Preview lesson on inclusion and playing together at school.
- The Inclusive Play Event at a playground.
- Evaluation.
Samenspeeluitjes has two variants. Both variants start with a lesson on inclusion and playing together in the classroom. The lesson is taught by an expert by experience. Someone who has a disability themselves or whose friend or family member has a disability.
In both variations, the play activities offered during the inclusive play event are the same. Think of building a hut together, making witch soup together, playing hide and seek together, etc.
At every variant of the SamenSpeeluitje, at the inclusive play event, children can experience what it is like to play in a wheelchair, when you cannot see or hear anything, cannot talk or when you cannot use one or two arms. Attributes for this can be picked up by all children, including children with disabilities, at “The Disability Counter.”
The two variants are:
Variant 1: A class from a regular elementary school and a class from a special education school meet at a playground and play together. The children from both classes take a preview lesson. The inclusive play event of the two classes takes place during school hours at a playground. Parents are not involved except as facilitators.
Variant 2: One or more classes from regular education attend the preview lesson. The inclusive play event takes place after school preferably at a community playground and on weekends. In the class, the children are asked if they know a child with a disability and if they would like to invite that child to come to the inclusive play event. Special education schools in the region will receive information and be asked to inform and enthuse students to join the Inclusive play event with their parents and siblings.
Spring 2023 we organize together with experience experts, parents, schools and municipality officials in 4 municipalities a SamenSpeelUitje; Utrecht, Wageningen, Amsterdam, Oosterhout(NB) . Soon the dates of the Inclusive Play Events will be publishes here. Let me know if you want to join or like to have more information. info@ilsevanderput.nl
