Article published on 2 July 2024
Work hard, play hard and savour every croissant was the motto of our trip to France. Recently, the Proludic Australia Project team spent valuable time with our French colleagues, connecting and exchanging knowledge and ideas. Team synergy and innovative strategies with a pinch of playfulness were the highlights of our visit. And of course the the opportunity to test out some fantastic play and outdoor fitness equipment together, wheee! It was all about learning from each other and making PLAY even better.
Rolling in somebody else’s wheelchair
Our Proludic colleagues and allied inclusive experts from around the world joined us in France for the Inclusive Play Seminar. This event was part of our Proludic Observatory International Inclusive Committee’s ongoing work. It allowed us to share best practices, deepen our expertise, and exchange knowledge between different cultures on universal design and inclusion.
The Inclusive Days were a unique opportunity to explore new ideas and approaches to inclusion, especially in playgrounds. Participants engaged in panel discussions with inclusion experts from France, Spain, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Australia. A particularly insightful presentation was shared by Juliette. She is blind and candidly shared her childhood experiences of playing with her siblings and friends.
We also visited the Proludic factory, and the ESAT Social Enterprise where people with disability assemble some of our products and took part in numerous educational and experiential activities. Diversity of viewpoints is key to improving and innovating.
We weren’t just discussing inclusion. We tried to actively experience it by rolling in someone else’s wheelchair. Under the skilful direction of Ambre Casseault-Lerasle we tried out a game of wheelchair basketball. What a fun experience! It was a truly insightful activity that highlighted the skills of wheelchair basketball athletes.
Fitness first
After the long travel from Australia to France our bodies needed some movement to freshen up. What better way than testing our newly released ACTI’Fit outdoor fitness equipment to get acti’vated for our stay. We can confirm that getting fit while having fun is a thing, our thing! Not only did we get some movement and laughs in, but we also connected as a team while exercising.
Ninja training
Well, the ACTI’Fit session wasn’t our only ACTI’vity. One of our funtastic ACTI’Ninja trails got the whole team very competitive. Let’s just say that not only children and teenagers can have a lot of fun on a Ninja trail. The whole team had the best time testing their agility on this challenging ACTI’Ninja adventure.
Nature play at its finest
During an excursion into the forest, we were delighted to spot a beautiful deer. A fine example of a Proludic bespoke Origin’ play structure made of Robinia wood. The playful sculpture was integrated perfectly into its surroundings, making an inviting natural play space for fun adventures. Seeing this play structure in situ, truly highlighted its majestic presence.
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