The Westport Recreation Department would like to thank the Westport Commission on Disability for their generous donation of a communication board that was purchased to be hung and used at the new Annex playground located at 856 Main Road.

A communication board is a visual tool designed to help children with communication challenges (such as those with autism, speech delays, or nonverbal conditions) express themselves and interact with others while playing. The board has visual symbols or icons that represent various playground activities (such as “swing,” “slide,” etc.) in addition to social phrases (such as “help,” “want,” etc.). A communication board promotes inclusion, encourages social interaction, and supports language development in children.

“We are grateful to the Westport Commission on Disability for purchasing the communication board in order to provide this resource for the community. If anyone visits the annex playground, we encourage families to view the board and try it out with your children,” recreation director Dana Stewart said.

"We were excited to work with the recreation department concerning our new annex playground. It’s important that children of all abilities have ample play opportunities to develop both their social and physical skills. The recreation department did a wonderful job in assuring the annex playground is a playground for everyone," Martin costa, the vice chairman of the Westport Commission on Disability, added.

For more information about the programs and services that are offered through the Recreation Department for the Town of Westport, visit www.westportrec.com. For more information about the Westport Commission on Disability, visit www.westport-ma.com/commission-disability.

Dana Stewart
Westport