Center for Creative Play | Play. Learn. Grow Together.

"My favorite part of the Center is that my child is not disabled by her environment. You see my little girl does not consider herself to be any different than any other child. There are some things that she can do easily and some things she can't do as well, but the biggest thing that makes her defined as disabled is the environment. If the steps are too steep or there's not a railing next to the steps, she's going to have a difficult time getting up there, getting up and doing things like other kids. There's a tree house here and the tree house is something she can get up into and play with all the other kids. She doesn't have to feel like her world is diminished because in this environment it's not."
- Anne Swager, parent of a 6 year old

Center for Creative Play® is unique; it is neither a chaotic assemblage of electronic/video gaming machines nor a maze of climbing tubes; it is not an outdoor playground under a roof nor a therapeutic setting; you will not find fried anything in the building. It is a calm, welcoming, yet exciting and engaging, community play environment that reflects the very latest research on child development across domains and universal design. Every aspect of Center for Creative Play is carefully designed to fully welcome, involve, and support children of all abilities and their families.

Universal Design differs from accessible design in that it creates environments that can be used by all, including individuals with disabilities. It is often the case that a solution that accommodates people with disabilities can make life better for the rest of the population.

Universal Design considers, young and old, right and left handed, babies and grandparents, people with mobility devices and those without. It considers the needs of multi-gender, multigenerational families.

A set of seven principles developed at the Center for Universal Design at North Carolina University. Center for Creative Play uses these principles when designing Center for Creative Play Environments™.

Universal Design Principal	Definition of Design Principal	Example within CFCP
Equitable Use	The design is useful and marketable to people with diverse abilities.	The playhouse at CFCP incorporates low rise stairs as well as a lift to allow individuals of all abilities to play on the second floor.
Flexibility in use	The design accommodates a wide range of individual preferences and abilities.	Throughout CFCP there are tables, chairs and toys of assorted sizes to meet the needs of all who visit.
Simple and Intuitive Use	Use of the design is easy to understand, regardless of the user’s experience, knowledge, language skills or current concentration level.	Simple signage throughout CFCP supports all who use the environment regardless of language skills.
Perceptible Information	The design communicates necessary information effectively to the user, regardless of ambient conditions or the user’s sensory abilities.	Wall and floor art throughout CFCP allow for quick location identification.
Tolerance for Error	The design minimizes hazards and the adverse consequences of accidental or unintended actions	The art room wall is a prime example, allowing paint splatters to become part of the existing wall decoration.
Low Physical Effort	The design can be used effectively and comfortably with a minimum of fatigue.	CFCP uses seamless transitions between flooring materials to allow all to move easily from one surface to another.
Size and Space for Approach and Use	The design contains the appropriate size and space so that all can approach, reach, manipulate, and use the environment to the best of their ability.	CFCP’s extra wide doorways create a free flowing environment that enhances the play experience.

CFCP uses research on child development and the input of parents in creating our designs.

Children are naturally drawn to play experiences that reflect their community and culture; all Center for Creative Play (CFCP) Environments™ are designed to celebrate local topography, landmarks, cultures and traditions.
Families come in all shapes and sizes. CFCP Environments carefully design the proximity of the play experiences, the sight lines for supervision, and the opportunities available within each playspace to provide for self-directed experiences for children of multiple ages. No more asking one child to "wait their turn"!
Throughout each day we experience periods of high-energy learning and low-energy learning. All CFCP Environments are designed to support "hand play" (small muscle play), open/active play (large muscle play), and quiet play, supporting individual temperaments, moods and choices.
Through pretend play, children learn mastery over their world; they explore identities, roles, and outcomes. All CFCP Environments have at least two structures devoted to unique pretend play experiences. Multiple environments allow the children to grow in the sophistication of their pretend play, exploring a range of experiences from their communities.
Infants and toddlers are experiencing the greatest cognitive growth of their lives. CFCP Environments are designed to support these young explorers and their parents through a safe, engaging play area adjacent to older siblings, but protected enough to allow them to actively engage in the world around them.