Inclusive Kids Activities in Adelaide: What Makes a Real Difference for Families
- Marcal Watson
- Jun 29
- 3 min read
An open letter to activity providers and councils in Adelaide.
Hi, I’m Marcal. Mum to a beautifully autistic, nearly seven-year-old and carer and activity organiser to a slightly chaotic, generally overstimulated family. And honestly, I’m often completely overstimulated just trying to figure out whether an activity is actually going to work for us.
Inclusive Kids Guide came about because I was exhausted. From the endless scrolling. From the vague promises. The “everyone’s welcome” — which we’ve tried, and I can tell you... it’s not that welcoming when it’s so loud your child won’t even walk through the door. From the phone calls — sometimes many phone calls, just to find out if one activity is inclusive or suitable for my son.
Feeling often let down, frustrated and sad that my son has to miss out yet again, I wanted to create a place that gave parents real, useful information. Without all the chasing.
Speaking on behalf of parents like me
We don’t expect perfection. We really don’t. And we know not everything will suit every child. But what we’re desperate for is the chance to see, upfront, whether something is even worth considering.
That’s why on the Inclusive Kids Guide website, every listing includes something we call the "inclusive aspects checklist". It’s a simple way for businesses to share exactly what they offer. Things like: Step free access ☑️
Accessible bathrooms ☑️
Changing Facilities ☑️
Smaller group sizes ☑️
Sensory friendly hours ☑️
Quiet spaces ☑️
Visual supports ☑️
Click here to see the full list
Businesses tick the options that apply to them, and these show up clearly when families are scrolling through the site.
So instead of hoping, second guessing, and making more phone calls, parents can actually see straight away whether an activity might work for their child or their family.
That’s the part that changes everything.
A real example of what we go through
About a year ago, I was online trying to find something fun and inclusive during the school holidays. I saw my local council advertising on a popular Adelaide kids activity website, it said there were 22 school holiday sports programs with “activities for all abilities.”
I was a little shocked. Don’t get me wrong, there was a mixture of feelings — relief, hope, excitement. Without hesitation, I called the number for the council coordinator. I left a message letting them know I was both a parent of a child who needs additional support and someone who works in this space. I told them how excited I was and that there are so many families wanting and needing this type of school holiday activity. I would 100% be happy to promote it to my community free and couldn’t wait to chat more.
The call back was not as exciting. I was told the council hadn’t written the advertising, and out of the 22 sports programs, only 3 might be inclusive for some kids depending on their needs. And none were suitable for my son. Two may have made it as an inclusive listing on this site.
It was absolutely deflating! But it also wasn’t overly surprising. Because this is what families like ours go through. All. The. Time.
This is why the Inclusive Kids Guide exists!
I built Inclusive Kids Guide so that families don’t have to chase clarity. So we don’t have to guess. So we don’t get excited about something only to find out, once again, that it’s not for us.
On the site, the inclusive aspects checklist gives businesses a way to show what they offer without needing to rewrite their entire program or guess what to say. And it gives families a way to see what’s actually available before they start mentally packing the bag, prepping their child, or planning how to get through the day.
This isn’t about labels or buzzwords. It’s about honesty, transparency and trust.
Want to be included?
If you’re running an activity or event for kids in Adelaide and you think it might have a few inclusive factors, a quiet hour, sensory friendly supports, a fully accessible building, or anything to support families like mine, even in small ways, we’d love to include you.
Free listings are available, and the inclusive aspects checklist only takes a couple of minutes to fill out.
You don’t need to be perfect. You don’t need to tick every box. You just need to be clear, because that’s what parents are really looking for.
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