At Giant Steps Montreal, a unique playground is redefining what outdoor play can look like — not just for autistic children, but for all kids.
Designed with inclusivity at its core, the outdoor courtyard features natural elements, sensory equipment, quiet zones and climbing structures. It was created to serve the diverse needs of the school’s students, who are all on the autism spectrum — but advocates say it offers lessons for every playground.
“For autistic and neurodivergent kids, it’s even more important to have these kinds of spaces,” said Thomas Henderson, director of research and innovation at Giant Steps. “Outdoor play lets them be themselves, take the lead, and be free.”
On Saturday, Giant Steps, which also includes an autism research center, hosted educators, researchers, and families for Play, connect, thrive, an event focused on neuro-inclusive outdoor play. Among them was Outdoor Play Canada, a non-profit that promotes equitable access to outdoor spaces.
“I look at this playground and I’m in awe,” said Louise de Lannoy, the organization’s executive director. “It has all the features we look for — areas of privacy but still in view, varied heights, different zones. This is almost the gold standard.”
The playground’s design blends traditional structures with natural play features. There’s a hill slide with scoot steps for climbing, cocoon spinners for vestibular stimulation, and parallel play options for those who prefer to engage side by side.
At the heart of the schoolyard is a large berm — a nod to the train tracks students loved at the school’s old location, explained Andrew Harvey, one of the landscape designers behind the project
“I wanted it to be the first thing you see when you come in,” said Harvey. “It’s a visual invitation to play.”
He said the space was carefully engineered for inclusivity — despite being built atop a parking garage with limited soil volume. “We’ve incorporated ramps, reintroduced beloved features like the saucer swing, and created both active and quiet play areas.”
The design also allows for a degree of independence and exploration that parents of autistic children like Kelly Bron Johnson say is often hard to come by.
“When there’s a diagnosis, especially when we’re talking about kids with disabilities, a lot of families put their kids in a bubble,” said Johnson, who’s also the founder of the advocacy group Completely Inclusive and the mother of a Giant Steps student. “But kids need space to grow — to try, to fail, and to learn.”
She believes that means giving them opportunities for what she calls risky play — the kind that might include climbing, roughhousing, or even, eventually, handling tools.
“Yes, things can happen but that’s part of life,” Johnson said. “We start small, we build trust and kids build confidence. That’s how they become more independent.”
Henderson said letting kids be kids is about helping them assess and navigate challenges.
“We’re talking about joy, wonder, and thriving,” Henderson said. “These experiences are part of what it means to grow up.”
Margaret Fraser, co-founder of the play advocacy group Metalude, said objects like cardboard boxes and ropes — which she calls “loose parts” — can be powerful tools for inclusive play.
“There’s no one way to use them which means there’s no wrong way to play with them,” she said. “That opens up a world of possibilities, especially for kids who face judgment for how they move, communicate or think.”
Fraser said she’s witnessed moments when autistic children surprise their peers with new ways to use play materials — and suddenly, the whole group is following their lead. “Playing is the first form of participation; it’s how you meet others and it’s only free when you have options.”
For Ronan McGuire-Johnson, a student at Giant Steps, the playground is simply fun.
“I like to climb stuff, it’s really cool,” he said. “It’s also freeing.”
While he often prefers to play on his own, it doesn’t change how beneficial this is for him. “I think playing outdoor is very important. Sometimes it’s just taking walks, other times it’s cutting wood chips, [playing with] pebbles, sand, and other such things that are around.”
The freedom Johnson’s son described is something she wants more people to understand and embrace and especially when it comes to autistic joy.
“My son still skips and flops and hums in public — and he’s happy,” she said. “But sometimes when people see someone who’s almost six feet tall and 15-years-old doing that, it scares them,” she said.
Johnson said she wants that to change and for people to not be afraid of seeing joy in all its forms.
The message from the playground is simple: inclusive design creates room for all kinds of play. And that play can lead to growth, confidence, and connection — not just for kids on the spectrum but for everyone.
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