Park Lakes Elementary School's playground has been named one of the 10 Best Inclusive School Playgrounds in America by Soliant, one of the largest healthcare and education staffing companies in the nation.
PLE's safari-themed playground is ranked number 2 on the list, and is one of 3 playgrounds in Texas to make the list for 2025.
"For our 2025 Best Inclusive School Playgrounds recognition, Soliant evaluated remarkable school playgrounds nationwide against criteria, examining how each space:
Transcends basic accessibility to create environments where children of all abilities participate meaningfully;
Incorporates universal design principles that address diverse physical, cognitive, and sensory needs;
Engages the community in creating and sustaining truly inclusive environments;
Uses innovative approaches to transform traditional play concepts into experiences everyone can enjoy; and
Fosters natural interaction between children of different abilities through thoughtful spatial design.
These extraordinary playgrounds represent more than equipment and surfacing—they embody a powerful belief that play is a fundamental right for every child."
The playground at Park Lakes Elementary opened in February 2023 as a part of Humble ISD’s initiative to install new immersive, imaginatively-themed playground equipment at all 30 elementary schools across the district. The middle schools and high schools are receiving new outdoor obstacle and fitness courses. The new playgrounds, obstacle and fitness courses are being installed on handicap-accessible, poured-in-place, rubber surfaces with fall protection. Outdoor equipment was a part of Bond 2022.
“The safari-themed playground at Park Lakes Elementary is an example of how play can be both inclusive and inspiring,” said Humble ISD Superintendent Dr. Roger Brown. “From sensory elements to accessible equipment, every aspect of this playground was designed to ensure that all students, regardless of ability, can fully participate and experience the joy of play.”
The safari-themed playground includes a lion, an outdoor classroom with log-shaped benches, a water buffalo, slides, climbers, spinners, swings, overhead climbers, a bouncy Jeep, spring pod steppers, global motion, sway fun and a sensory wall. The playground also includes a decorative elephant on the main tower, which includes a telescope to look out over the land, cut out photos of a cheetah and a rhinoceros, a standing giraffe and hippo and an alligator head to hop on over the image of a pond in the playground flooring. Also, there is a pretend Jeep with steering wheels. The handicap-accessible playground flooring features depictions of a trail surrounded by grass, a pond and a sunset on the Serengeti.
Park Lakes Elementary is located at 4400 Wilson Road in Humble, Texas. Humble ISD elementary school playgrounds are open to the public when school is not in session.
