In Bornem, a village south of Antwerp, a schoolyard innovation has been installed to prevent playtime exclusion. The HAPPY Speeltijd is a large, wall-mounted wheel that kids spin to decide what to play next. A key feature? Any child who touches the wheel's widely-extended arms is automatically part of the game.
When a HAPPY Speeltijd is installed, the school gets all children to agree on one thing: any child touching the object's arms or high-fiving its hands is included. That basic rule lays the groundwork for inclusive play and removes the barrier of a child having to ask if they can join in. Games are indicated with pictograms that kids of all ages and language backgrounds can understand. Since every region has its variations, a school's pupils pick their own set of games and corresponding pictograms.
Designed by Dentsu, HAPPY Speeltijd builds on a previous playground object the creative agency developed for Mattel's UNO; the new concept takes up less space than the earlier version, making it easier and cheaper for schools to install. HAPPY Speeltijd was revealed last week; it's now being marketed to primary schools in the Benelux.
