Inclusion Training & Workshops

Providing truly inclusive programs requires learning and planning. The PlayGarden offers workshops and professional development opportunities, including site-specific training designed to help parents advocate for their children and for organizations to say, “Yes!” to children, youth and adults with disabilities.

Group of adults sitting in the PlayGarden field house working on a group activity during an introduction to inclusion workshop

How to Run an Inclusive Summer Camp

Date: Friday February 17th

Time: 8:30am-12:30pm

Location: In Person, at the Seattle PlayGarden 1745 24th Ave S. Seattle, WA 98144 

Workshop Curriculum:

How to examine our personal and professional attitudes, beliefs and practices that can often lead toward exclusion of children and youth with disabilities in youth programming. 

How to identify and break down common barriers to inclusion. 

Shift registration & enrollment, marketing and communication practices to be more inclusive.  

How to partner with parents, caregivers and aids to help an individual child.

Guidance on inclusive staff training practices and how to build an inclusive organizational culture. 

How to provide respectful age-appropriate support to children with all types of disabilities including physical, cognitive, intellectual, behavioral and social emotional related disabilities. 

Workshop Details: 

  • Cost: The workshops cost $20. If this is out of reach for you, please send us an email at Hannah@seattleplaygarden.org, we will make you you are able to attend.   

  • Audience: Workshops are designed specifically for programs that offer summer camp programming.  Youth-care providers at all levels within an organization and community members eager to learn more are invited to attend. 

  • Facilitation: Workshops are lead and facilitated by the Seattle Children’s PlayGarden’s Executive Director and Founder, Liz Bullard and Inclusive Programs Director, Hannah Gallagher. To learn more about the facilitators, please visit the PlayGarden’s Staff and Board.

  • In Person or Virtual? Workshops will be held in person at the Seattle PlayGarden, 1745 24th Ave. S. Seattle, WA 98144

  • Accessibility: If you need any accommodations to make this online workshop more accessible, please reach out to Hannah@seattleplaygarden.org to arrange accommodations. We will do our very best to make the programming as accessible as possible. 

Workshop Testimonials

  • “I wanted to convey that I am sharing the Playgarden’s Say YES! to Kids with Disabilities release with all WA Federation of independent Schools around the state as a feature in our bi-monthly newsletter. It is an unbelievably inspiring and important resource.” –

    Sharon Ricci
    Membership & Communications Manager WA Federation of Independent Schools
  • “I’m interested in purchasing a hard copy of the inclusion toolkit book. I have a library of resources I use for the inclusive education program I run through the Down Syndrome Community and I think this would be a great addition. “

    Erin Klones
    Parent Advocate
  • “I attended your, Say “Yes” to Kids with Disabilities workshop on Dec 7th. It was fantastic! At Woodland Park Zoo, we are looking to get another 2 copies of the book for our education department at the Zoo.”

    Karen Ofsthus
    Learning Facilitator | Public Programs Woodland Park Zoo
  • “The tools I received from your Say YES to Kids with Disabilities workshop have been very helpful for me in my work at the Seattle Aquarium and the work with the teens.” –

    Apryl Reed
    Youth Engagement Mentor, Seattle Aquarium

5 Things To Do if You Can't Make the Workshop

You can learn about inclusion in our Learning Hub!

There are so many resources there for you that can get you thinking about inclusion on a much deeper and practical level. 

Visit Inclusion Learning Hub 

Community Spotlight

We are so excited to share that the Seattle Children’s Theater (SCT) reached out to us and asked for inclusion training for ALL of their staff. Way to go SCT!  SCT has also sent some of their Teaching Artist staff to the PlayGarden to lead Story Drama sessions with our preschoolers. Our teachers learned so much and our kids had so much fun! 

We are so excited for this ongoing partnership and to know the SCT is committed to being a place of inclusion and acceptance for ALL children, youth and families in our community. 

Site-Specific Training

Want to be an inclusion champion like SCT?

Has your workplace, social network you are a part of or Board of Directors you serve on expressed interest in increasing its efforts toward greater diversity, equity and inclusion?

In 2022 you can be a catalyst for change and be the person who helps move from talking about DEI to taking action. 

The PlayGarden is now offering Site-specific inclusion training for youth-serving organizations in the community. 

For more information on the types of training we can offer your organization and our fee structure please see our

Site-Specific Training Guide

Map of Seattle