A REVAMPED playground in Winchester will now also include a communications board to help children of all abilities. 

The revamped and refurbished Abbey Gardens playground is set to reopen for the Easter holidays, with new accessible features and play equipment. 

The playground, which closed for refurbishment in September, will now include a communication board added to help non-verbal children.

Communication boards are boards with pictures on them to help children engage in play. The premise is that children will be able to point to the pictures and convey their intentions.

The pictures on the board include photographs of play equipment, as well as questions such as ‘who?’, ‘what?’, and ‘why?’. It also includes some emotions, such as happy and sad, and instructions such as ‘watch’, ‘look’, and ‘listen’. 

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Cllr Kathleen Becker, Winchester City Council cabinet member for inclusion and engagement, said: “It’s important that children of all abilities can use the park. Every child has the right to play outside with their friends.”

Other accessible equipment such as a roundabout and inclusive swing have also been added.