According to the 2001 New Zealand disability survey, 11% of children and 15% of adults have a disability and two thirds of these are reported to be physical. Despite a high ratio of people with disabilities, issues regarding accessibility and social attitudes persist in their everyday lives. One example is the exclusion of children and adults with disabilities from outdoor public play areas, which are intended to be the hub of a community. The benefits of play are astounding, from physical and cognitive development to social and cultural acceptance. According to Lev Vygotsky, the way to enhance this growth is to encourage interaction between children with different abilities (Sluss and Stemmel, 2004). Inclusive play equipment, however, is a relatively new concept in New Zealand. From the origins of a student project, through the theoretical and qualitative research of the first author’s PhD and continuing with the design work of the second author, this design story investigates three steps towards achieving inclusive play in one local area: awareness, education and implementation. This paper concludes with considerations on the future of inclusive design education.