Inclusion Training and Adaptive Playground (DKGIEF Grant)
In 2024, our partner Julie Snyder applied for and won funding to build an adaptive playground on the premises of the new preschool from DKGIEF. From our experiences with the pilot preschool program the previous summer, we knew that inclusive play and inclusive practices would need to become a key part of our program. Early childhood experts Julie Snyder, Gil McNamee, and Jennifer Rosinia collaborated to create a master plan for the playground. They also designed 10 modules to introduce ideas around inclusion and learning differences through the use of mini-lectures, book talks, collaborative discussions, and reflection activities.
The training held in October 2024 was so successful that attendees have gone on to create their own trainings on this topic at their own schools all over the region. Our funders, DKGIEF, were so impressed with the impact of our trainings and the potential of having an inclusive play space in Tokotgul, they decided to renew our funding for an additional year. This has allowed us to expand the playground to include more equipment and accommodate more children with and without disabilities, so that they can all play together! Part of the grant includes hosting playdates and additional trainings on inclusive play practices. Please see the Toktogul Region's Early Childhood Education Department Facebook Post (and read the comments) to see in participants' own words how impactful this training was!
Playground Expansion and Playdates (2025-2026)
With renewed DKGIEF support, director Ratbu Satarova oversaw a remarkable expansion of the playground. The 2025–2026 grant funded the purchase and installation of additional playground equipment to complement the specialized adaptive equipment already in place. After extensive negotiations, Ratbu secured price reductions from the manufacturer — and with the generous support of an anonymous donor who exceeded what had been anticipated — she was able to purchase and install three complete sets of equipment. Despite the challenges of transporting large equipment over difficult mountain roads and an unusually late winter and rainy spring, all of the equipment has now been fully installed. The completed playground is designed to serve up to 75 children ages 4–6, allowing children with and without disabilities to play side by side.
The first playdate on the newly installed equipment marked a milestone for inclusive play in the Toktogul region. Thirty seven-year-old children — including five children with "invisible" disabilities and two children with disabilities who are home-bound, one of whom uses a wheelchair — were invited to explore the new playground. Before play began, all of the children took part in a conversation with Ratbu, their teacher, and several volunteers about the playground and how to use it safely and inclusively. They then spent several hours exploring together.
The experience was a joyful success. Teachers, teenage helpers, and parents observed and facilitated the children's interactions, and all of the feedback was extremely positive. Perhaps most meaningfully, the parents of the children with special needs expressed deep appreciation that their children had been included — many of whom rarely have the opportunity to participate in group activities with same-age peers. After the session, observers gathered to share what they noticed and to discuss how to make future playdates even more effective. Take a look at the pictures below to see how much fun the kids had that day!
The first playdate on the newly installed equipment marked a milestone for inclusive play in the Toktogul region. Thirty seven-year-old children — including five children with "invisible" disabilities and two children with disabilities who are home-bound, one of whom uses a wheelchair — were invited to explore the new playground. Before play began, all of the children took part in a conversation with Ratbu, their teacher, and several volunteers about the playground and how to use it safely and inclusively. They then spent several hours exploring together.
The experience was a joyful success. Teachers, teenage helpers, and parents observed and facilitated the children's interactions, and all of the feedback was extremely positive. Perhaps most meaningfully, the parents of the children with special needs expressed deep appreciation that their children had been included — many of whom rarely have the opportunity to participate in group activities with same-age peers. After the session, observers gathered to share what they noticed and to discuss how to make future playdates even more effective. Take a look at the pictures below to see how much fun the kids had that day!
