Creating a place where every child can play

The smile on Charlie’s face said it all. The 11-year-old boy beamed at the grand opening celebration of the Legendary Adventure Zone in Noble County’s Belle Valley Park on July 8, 2025. The community came together to observe the new playground that was built for children of all abilities to enjoy.  

The Legendary Adventure Zone is the first public playground of its kind in Noble County and includes features designed especially for children with sensory processing issues like Charlie, who has been diagnosed with autism.  

Inclusive playgrounds are designed to give all children—including those with physical and neurological disabilities—an opportunity to play and develop social/emotional skills that will benefit them in school and later in life, according to the National Student Speech Language Hearing Association (NSSLHA). Inclusive playgrounds are outfitted with equipment that is accessible for children with physical disabilities as well as for those who may be nonverbal or have other communication challenges due to autism or other conditions.  

Charlie’s mother, Amanda Myers, initiated the construction of the playground. She teamed up with Ohio State University Extension Noble County, the Noble County Board of Developmental Disabilities and other community partners to make the playground a reality.

“The best thing about the Legendary playground is that people get to see how my little boy and my daughter are changing the world. They are making people see that whether you have a disability or not, you are worthy,” she said. “You deserve every opportunity as everyone else, and that you are loved and you belong. That’s what I want others to know, and that’s what this playground means to me.”