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Community Accessibility Consultancy

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Grades 6-875-90 minSource: Creative Dad Company

Students become accessibility consultants. They check a real local space, like a classroom, park, or store entrance, to see how well it works for people with different movement, vision, or hearing needs. Then they build a low-cost fix to test. This hands-on work turns the feeling that something is not fair into a design you can test.

Budget levels

Amazon prices checked Oct 9-10, 2026 and may change

Materials links go to Amazon. Prices are estimates and may change. As an Amazon Associate, Creative Dad Company earns from qualifying purchases.

Quick Start

Digital downloads only.

$0 to buy. Printing noted separately.

Student time: one class period, one day.

Teacher prep / build-ahead: separate from student time.

Scale it

The default plan is one class period on a single day.

Scale back: Fit it into a shorter period, use fewer effects, or run a demo instead of a build.

Scale up: Add one extra effect, or spread the share-out across another day.

Ambiance video

Ambiance video coming soon from Creative Dad Studio

Full Experience

Required materials for the class.

About $59.94 (estimate, some items still being priced) per class (class of about 30, 6 groups). Exceeds $25 per class.

Classroom cardboard or boxes can lower the cost.

Student time: one day.

Teacher prep / build-ahead: separate from student time.

Scale it

The default plan is one school day.

Scale back: Fit the build into one period with fewer effects.

Scale up: Spread the work across days, or add more effects.

  • Spring scale or rubber band with rulerRequired61 scale$9.99Amazon
  • toy wheelchair or weighted toy carRequired6price not confirmed

Total Transformation

The bigger kit, with every optional item included.

About $59.94 (estimate, some items still being priced) per class (class of about 30, 6 groups).

Student time: one day (one session, one-day event).

Teacher prep / build-ahead: separate from student time.

Scale it

The default plan is one session, a one-day event.

Scale back: Shorten the event, or run a demo for a smaller audience.

Scale up: Spread the build and the event across days, or invite a bigger audience.

Materials

Measuring tape or ruler; Cardboard (model); Toy wheelchair or blindfold (test); Paper for before-and-after sketches; Spring scale or rubber band with ruler; toy wheelchair or weighted toy car

Materials links go to Amazon. Prices are estimates and may change.

As an Amazon Associate, Creative Dad Company earns from qualifying purchases.

  • Measuring tape

    Measuring tape or ruler

    Shop

  • Cardboard sheets

    Cardboard (model)

    Shop

  • Toy wheelchair or blindfold

    Toy wheelchair or blindfold (test)

    No link

  • Paper

    Paper for before-and-after sketches

    No link

Steps

  1. Walk through a real space, like a classroom, playground or store entrance. Predict three spots where someone using a wheelchair, a cane or a hearing aid might struggle.
  2. Measure ramp slopes, door widths and counter heights. Write criteria using real standards (a ramp rises no more than 1 inch per 12 inches, doors at least 32 inches wide, a counter section no higher than 36 inches) and constraints (a set budget from a provided price sheet, available space, materials). Explain that a steeper ramp needs more pushing force and list impacts on users. List one impact on the natural environment, such as concrete use or paving over plants and soil, and add a constraint: the fix may not remove trees or add more than a set amount of paved area.
  3. Build a cardboard model of the trickiest spot and at least two different fixes, such as a long ramp versus a switchback ramp.
  4. Test each fix: pull a weighted toy wheelchair up each ramp with a spring scale or rubber band and record the force, roll it through doorways, and record pass or fail and time.
  5. Score each fix in a decision matrix against every criterion and constraint, using the test data.
  6. Improve the top-scoring fix where it falls short, and retest it.
  7. Present a one-page access report with before and after sketches and the matrix to a real person, like a teacher or shop owner.

Standards mapped

  • NGSS · MS-ETS1-1

    Define the criteria and constraints of a design problem with sufficient precision to ensure a successful solution, taking into account relevant scientific principles and potential impacts on people and the natural environment that may limit possible solutions.

  • NGSS · MS-ETS1-2

    Evaluate competing design solutions using a systematic process to determine how well they meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.