Kanics Inclusive Design Services, LLC.

Kanics Inclusive Design Services, LLC. Inclusive Play in every community! Ingrid M. She was senior play environment specialist at the Center for Creative Play, Pittsburgh, PA.

Kanics, OTR/L is an Occupational Therapist who has worked for 10 years helping communities create and run amazing places where all children can play together. During that time she worked with numerous communities and children’s museums helping them expand their understanding of Universal Design and the importance of Sensory Play in every childs’ development. She continued this work as Therapy Dire

ctor at Hattie Larlham, Mantua, OH, where she oversaw therapy and recreation programs for children of varying abilities. She now owns her own consulting business (Kanics Inclusive Design Services LLC) focusing on creating great play spaces in communities where everyone can play. She has presented at local, state, and national conferences on the topics play, sensory integration and Universal Design. Conferences include the Association of Children’s Museums, American Occupational Therapy Association, Parents As Teachers, and National Association of the Education of the Young Child (NAEYC).

04/17/2026

Why Messy Play Is Worth It 🧼🎨

What may look like a mess is actually rich play-based learning in action! When children explore materials like mud, water, paint, and sensory bins, they are discovering the world through hands-on messy play experiences.

Messy play supports many important areas of early childhood development. As children scoop, pour, mix, and experiment, they strengthen fine motor skills, sensory awareness, and creative thinking while building confidence and curiosity.

Why messy play matters:
🖐 Encourages sensory exploration and body awareness
✏️ Strengthens hands and fingers for early writing skills
🔬 Supports STEM thinking through experimenting and problem solving
💬 Builds language, storytelling, and social interaction

Messy play also invites children to imagine, test ideas, and tell the story of their creations—turning simple materials into meaningful learning experiences.

Sometimes the best learning moments happen when children are free to explore, experiment, and embrace the mess. 🌈✨

04/16/2026
https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240116313
04/15/2026

https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240116313

This guide, developed by WHO, UNICEF and UN-Habitat, highlights the importance of public spaces for optimizing children's health and well-being, and realizing their comprehensive rights. It provides support for practitioners in developing and improving public spaces for children in planned urban con...

True design at work…
04/02/2026

True design at work…

In Finland, some planners have learned that the smartest way to design a path is not to force one onto people, but to first watch where people naturally choose to go. After the first snowfall blankets a park and hides the official walkways, the landscape becomes a blank page, and every footprint tells the truth.

Those tracks across the snow reveal the real routes people trust, the shortcuts they take, and the lines that make sense in everyday life. Instead of treating those snowy trails as mistakes, planners study them as quiet wisdom, using them to decide where permanent paths should be built. It is such a simple idea, yet it says something powerful: good design begins with humility. Sometimes the best way to lead people is to notice where they are already trying to go.

01/27/2026
01/25/2026

Unpopular opinion (that’s actually grounded in brain science): Snow play builds what children’s brains need more than any formal lesson does. 🧠⛄❤

Remember: the brain is built from the body up. Nothing provides the developing brain with stronger infrastructure than movement, sensory-rich feedback, and child-led play (alongside secure and responsive relationships, of course). So if your children are home because of a snow day, this isn’t a learning setback. It’s actually a brain boost.

01/21/2026

If you forget everything else, repeat this: play is enough! 🙌

Thank you! Janet Lansbury

12/18/2025

FYI! 😉

11/29/2025

"Borrowing our calm" is co-regulation. It helps children of all ages understand and begin to manage their emotions, especially in tough moments. Over time, it leads to strong self-regulation. Image courtesy of The Contented Child, Child Wellbeing Consultancy Thank you!


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Our Story

Ingrid M. Kanics, OTR/L, FAOTA is an Occupational Therapist who has worked for 15 years helping communities create and run amazing places where all children can play together. She was senior play environment specialist at the Center for Creative Play, Pittsburgh, PA. During that time she worked with numerous communities and children’s museums helping them expand their understanding of Universal Design and the importance of Sensory Play in every childs’ development. She continued this work as Therapy Director at Hattie Larlham, Mantua, OH, where she oversaw therapy and recreation programs for children of varying abilities. She now owns her own consulting business (Kanics Inclusive Design Services, LLC) focusing on creating great play spaces in communities where everyone can play. She has presented at local, state, and national conferences on the topics play, sensory integration and Universal Design. Conferences include the Association of Children’s Museums, American Occupational Therapy Association, Parents As Teachers, and National Association of the Education of the Young Child (NAEYC).