What does it mean to be inclusively playful?

By Noelle E. C. Evans,

Published June 22, 2026 at 3:20 PM EDT

Three people wearing headphones and eyeglasses sit at a table in a radio talk studio: a woman at left has long dark braids and is wearing a black polo shirt; a woman at center has short blonde hair and is wearing a short-sleeved white shirt over a purple t-shirt; a woman at right has long brown hair and is wearing a sleeveless grey dress, beaded necklace, red tights and black knee- high boots.

1 of 2 — Kendra Hayle and Anita O'Brien with guest host Noelle E.C. Evans on "Connections"

Kendra Hayle and Anita O'Brien with guest host Noelle E.C. Evans on "Connections with Evan Dawson" on Monday, June 22, 2026

Don Perry / WXXI News

A woman with very short grey hair is outside wearing glasses and a red polo shirt.

2 of 2 — Ingrid Kanics

Ingrid Kanics

Provided

A smiling woman with long brown hair sits in front of a microphone wearing glasses and a sleeveless orange dress. — Noelle Evans guest hosting "Connections with Evan Dawson"

What is the value of play?

WXXI education reporter Noelle Evans guest hosts this episode. Her guests are experts in play, and they say it's powerful: it can bring people together; it can foster learning and growth; and it can heal.

But it’s not always accessible to everyone. What does it mean to be inclusively playful? We explore that question — from design to reality.

Our guests:

Kendra Hayle, director of center operations for the city of Rochester
Ingrid M. Kanics, OTR, FAOTA, CPSI, president of Kanics Inclusive Design Services
Anita O’Brien, founder and executive director of Rochester Accessible Adventures

This conversation is reported from WXXI's Inclusion Desk.