Shane's Inspiration: Los Angeles' Wonderful Inclusive Playground

Two weeks ago, my husband and I brought Gideon James to yet another park we haven't visited before. While it was nice to stroll around the winding pathways and enjoy the beauty of nature, we were once again disappointed that there's nothing in the playground that can cater to our young man's condition. Since James has very poor trunk and head control, a regular swing seat poses a lot of dangers for him.

James was all smiles at his first time to ride an accessible swing!

Frustrated, I posted a photo on Instagram asking for inclusive playground recommendations. As fairly new residents of Southern California, we are continuously exploring and looking for accessibility-friendly places. Thankfully, IG users @mely_furtado and @jenntmqz left comments on my post. They both suggested we check out @shanesplay so I excitedly researched about it and found out that Shane's Inspiration, located within Griffith Park, is approximately 29 miles away from our place. Since it's a bit far, I promised myself to find an opportunity soon to bring my son there.

this playground set has special features that kids of all abilities would love

The other day, our family attended a Conservatorship court appearance schedule in downtown Los Angeles. Hubby and our second son took the whole day off work so we could also visit the playground in the afternoon. We are sooooo happy we did! 

watch this video to see just how much fun James had!

I think James didn't quite know what to expect when his dad sat him down on the swing with protective harness because it took a while for him to realize what's going on. But once the swing got moving and he saw how happy we were, he started smiling and laughing with us! 

the playground floor is made of a soft padded material
that even babies can crawl on it without hurting their sensitive skin!

We also had James ride the awesome zip line seat that was likewise designed with safety features. His big grins told us how much he enjoyed the new experience.

making music with Daddy was so much fun!

Before we left, we also had James try playing the huge xylophone and hand drum. It was so great to also see other babies and children having a go at the many installations in this very special playground. I am beyond grateful to everyone who made this place possible. Thank you very, very much!

a basketball court for all ages

Read here how loving parents Catherine Curry-Williams and Scott Williams conceptualized this wonderful playground in honor of their son, Shane Alexander. You, too, can visit Shane's Inspiration at 4800 Crystal Springs Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90027.

Thank you, Shane's Inspiration! We'll visit again, soon!

Make sure to use Google Maps to get there because the playground can be quite challenging to find with some sharp turns that you might miss if you don't have specific driving directions. Enjoy! I hope fellow parents who also have differently-abled children would find this information useful :)