From Capstone to Career: Baylor OTD Alumna Champions Inclusive Play Spaces

The playground is a go-to summer spot. But it’s more than just a space to have fun—playgrounds are where children get exercise, explore their imagination, and learn how to navigate emotions and social situations. However, many traditional play environments aren’t designed with different abilities in mind, preventing some children from accessing and engaging in play. That’s what Baylor University’s Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) alumna Ariel Mansholt, OTD, OTR, CPSI is working to change as an inclusive play specialist. 

Lived Experiences

At Landscape Structures, Mansholt develops Continuing Education Units (CEUs) focused on the development of play and how the company can facilitate acquisition of important skills within the playground setting. She also works part-time as an occupational therapist for her local school district.

“I’m bringing experiences of what I’m seeing in the clinic and asking the question, ‘How can we create these play spaces that will support them, their needs, and ability to engage?’” she explained.

Mansholt also regularly presents at conferences with fellow inclusive play specialist, Jill Moore White. Together, they travel around the country to educate professionals in the parks, recreation, and landscape architecture industries on the value and impact of inclusive play and design.

“We have so many people who will share their own personal stories and similar experiences. It is so validating to be in that space together and say, ‘What do we do from here? How do we evolve? How do we keep going forward?’ Personally, I’m very grateful to be able to share my own experiences and pave the way for other families to go to playgrounds and connect, because that is something I wish that my family had gotten to do,” she shared.

Mansholt was introduced to occupational therapy at a young age, when she was included in her brother Derek’s therapy sessions. He has autism spectrum disorder, and she remembers the excitement her family felt when he would learn a new sign or other form of non-verbal communication. The family would learn it together, and it became part of their bonding time. She recalls how playgrounds were a difficult space to navigate for her brother. 

“Derek would often get overwhelmed at these play spaces, and we would need to leave after five to 10 minutes,” she said. “There is a lot of sensory stimulation that happens on playgrounds and play spaces, and there just weren’t opportunities to promote that regulation and managing of our emotions.” 

That lived experience would go on to influence Mansholt’s work advising on inclusive playground design. 

A Shared Mission

Mansholt first had the idea to research playgrounds and present on inclusive play to landscape architects for a group project during her time in Baylor’s occupational therapy program. When she shared her idea, a professor recommended that she research a specific company—Landscape Structures.

When Mansholt visited its website, she felt an instant connection. 

“I immediately started bawling,” she recalled. “I thought, ‘Oh my goodness, the mission these people have is so wonderful.’ I saw they partnered with the STAR Institute, which is a foundation that does a lot of research on sensory processing, and there were so many things I recognized from my OTD classes.”

She quickly reached out to Landscape Structures to learn more about its design philosophy, and those conversations cemented her decision to center her culminating doctoral capstone project on inclusive playground development. 

Mansholt chose to relocate to Delano, Minnesota to complete her capstone experience at Landscape Structure’s headquarters. She evaluated the company’s existing education model and added to it with a new comprehensive curriculum covering common diagnoses, how those conditions may present, and how they can impact a child’s ability to engage in play. Her curriculum remains in use today to guide designers as they plan equipment for different children’s needs.

Mansholt emphasized the importance of context when designing an inclusive play space.

“Sometimes we get specific requests, such as designing a playground for a school that only serves kids with autism spectrum disorder. In those cases, we would look at the sensory, gross motor development, and socialization elements,” she said. “However, other times when we receive requests for local parks we consider more of the surrounding area. For example, if a rehabilitation hospital is nearby that sees a lot of kids with orthopedic disabilities and diagnoses, we would want to consider physical access.”

An example of equipment crafted with inclusivity in mind is the Smart Play® Volo Aire™, a play structure with several clear, spacious access points allowing children to have multiple route options that meet their ability and desired challenge. Various “perch points” exist throughout the structure to give kids a place to rest and promote regulation if they are overstimulated.

Another example is the Flexx™ Swing, a crescent-shaped swing that provides a comfortable full body swinging experience. The open design allows individuals using mobility devices to be easily transferred into the swing and supported. The swing also provides better back support than a traditional swing, making it ideal for individuals with weaker core muscles. 

The Right Fit

After graduating from Baylor, Landscape Structures offered Mansholt a job. 

“I am so proud to be a part of Landscape Structures because we know inclusion is a journey,” Mansholt said. “We’re never going to say, ‘It’s all done, we know everything.’ It will always continue to evolve as we learn and bring in user voices.” 

While Mansholt provides her perspective as an occupational therapist, her colleague Jill, a wheelchair user, provides valuable lived experience. In addition, Landscape Structures invites their junior play team, a group of local children with varying abilities, to test their equipment and provide feedback. 

“Play environments are not designed for one specific population or diagnosis. They’re designed for everyone to be there,” Mansholt explained. “Our goal is for everyone to be in this space and be able to find something that is the right fit for them and what they’re wanting to do that day.”

ABOUT ROBBINS COLLEGE OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SCIENCES AT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY

Established in 2014, Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences seeks to enhance health, quality of life, and human flourishing for all individuals and communities through education, research, and innovation. It includes six academic departments—Communication Sciences and Disorders; Health, Human Performance, and Recreation; Human Sciences and Design; Occupational Therapy; Physical Therapy; and Public Health—along with the Division of Health Professions, which houses the Master of Physician Assistant Studies program. Robbins College offers 13 bachelor’s degrees, eight master’s degrees, and six doctoral degrees, as well as nine graduate programs in partnership with the U.S. Army. Graduate programs in Robbins College are offered in a variety of modalities, including on campus, online, and hybrid.