Puzzle Pieces has announced the future installation of a fully inclusive sensory outdoor museum/playground at its campus on New Hartford Road. The playground will be the first of its kind in the nation and a product line of Miracle Recreation Equipment Company.
The addition to Puzzle Pieces is made possible by a $40,000 Owensboro Health Community Health Investment Grant, which will support the first phase of the project.
“Owensboro Health has been a vital partner in allowing Puzzle Pieces to make a difference in the lives of those with intellectual disabilities and their emotional and physical health,” said Puzzle Pieces Executive Director Amanda Owen. “Without the support of Owensboro Health in 2012, Puzzle Pieces wouldn’t exist. This new chapter of what they are helping us build will not only benefit our 167 clients but will also put us on a national map that could impact the greater disability community.”
Rod-iron fencing, rubber adaptive ground coverage and the first round of play equipment will be installed by December on the New Hartford Road side of the campus.
By August 2021 — with the support of the Christopher Reeves Foundation and the anticipated support of additional grant funding — an adaptive wheelchair ramp, additional rubber ground surfacing and custom-made adaptive swings will be installed.
Miracle Recreation intends for the outdoor sensory museum/playground at Puzzle Pieces to be a national model for sensory play equipment, allowing the Owensboro nonprofit to give back to the greater disability population.
The Miracle Museum is a sensory activity-rich series of independent “stations” that join together to create engaging physical, auditory, visual, tactile and calming experiences designed to meet the wide spectrum of sensory needs of a diverse
population of children — especially those with intellectual disabilities such as, but not limited to autism.
An added benefit of the Miracle Museum is its integration of STEM-based events that are equally as engaging to children who are typical. In simple terms, the Miracle Museum brings a science center and children’s museum activities to the playground.
As a Miracle national research site, Miracle Recreation will work with Puzzle Pieces and their own child development expert, Dr. Tina Stanton-Chapman, to study play patterns and share information that will result in continued development of inclusive products worldwide.
Puzzle Pieces plans to use this playground to implement programming to promote healthier lifestyles. Individuals with intellectual disabilities are exponentially more at risk for obesity and physical inactivity due to the side effects of medication, lack of appropriate/skilled programming and lack of interest or knowledge of physical health and weight management.
Lindsey Mullis with the University of Kentucky Human Development Institute said that Kentucky’s 34.6% disability rate makes it one of the highest in the country. Of the adult population with a disability, 69.7% are classified as overweight or obese, 15.6% have or previously had heart disease, 48.6% have or previously had high blood pressure, and 44.1% have or previously had high cholesterol.
Kentucky also ranks 45th in the country in relation to physical inactivity with 53.6% of the disability population meeting neither the aerobic nor the muscular strengthening physical activity recommendations (CDC Disability and Health, 2017).
This playground will help Puzzle PIeces promote the health and wellbeing of their clients. Beyond managing their disabilities with appropriate healthcare and medications, Puzzle Pieces wants to promote a healthy lifestyle so that clients can be active community members.
