I love finding great parks that promote active play and sensory integration for all children! My plan is to continue to find and share great playgrounds from a pediatric occupational therapist’s perspective to help families in their communities. Great play spaces with a variety of sensory input are so important for children with sensory processing difficulties!
Our family visited Archie H. Gubler Park in Santa Clara, Utah (west of St. George) last winter for a soccer tournament and I saw this great playground! (This park actually was my inspiration to share great play spaces and playgrounds on this blog!) Gubler Park is located next to the Santa Clara fire department at 2735 Rachel Drive. (The link above has directions.) GPS directions were a little sketchy when we went winter 2015, probably because of the new housing developments in the area.
SWINGING!
- 2 traditional sling seat swing seats with room to swing high
- 1 infant full bucket swing seat
- 1 high back seat and firm harness, ideal for an older child that may need more trunk support (To whoever designed this playground: Thank you for thinking of children with different abilities!)
CLIMBING!
- a vertical rope structure to climb across between 2 different play structures
- climbing structures designed to look like the red mountains in the southern Utah area
SPINNING!
- 3 angled vertical structures that use your body weight to get you spinning
- 1 raised small platform with a rail encircling the top, angled to use your body weight to spin and was big enough for 2 small children to climb in together
- 1 large spinning “umbrella” where several children can sit on the poles or hang from their hands or upside down from their knees (Upside down spinning is the most intense vestibular input you can get!)
- 1-2 small single seats supported by a single pole that spin (these were quite difficult for children to spin themselves and I wasn’t too impressed with these)
OTHER SENSORY!
- small hiding spaces in the play structure
- 2 small slides and 1 tall slide
- splash pad across from the playground, open April-September
- walking and biking trails around the entire park
- open grass areas to run and play
- softball fields
- basketball courts
- shaded areas over the playground and picnic tables
- gorgeous southern Utah red rock scenery surrounding the area
Enjoy your sensory input! Our family loves exploring this area in Utah! Please share if you have more great playgrounds or play spaces!
If you are concerned with sensory processing for your child, I provide in-home OT services in Weber, Morgan, Davis counties in Utah.