To access the database through a web browser on a laptop or desktop computer, click the following link. When accessing through a web browser on a laptop or desktop computer, the database currently has three main uses: 1) view parks and playgrounds categorized by affordance area rating, 2) search for a specific affordance of interest, and 3) confirm absence of a specific affordance.
To view parks and playground categorized by affordance area rating…
- Open the database and locate the map legend on the left side of the screen. The map legend lists the ten different subdomains and domains that comprise the assessment tool.
- Click the box next to the subdomain or domain of interest and the map will display how all the parks and playgrounds within the database are rated for that subdomain or domain using the following color scheme: black represents none, brown represents poor, green represents fair, blue represents good, and purple represents excellent.
- To learn more about each subdomain and domain, click here. Although multiple subdomains or domains can be selected simultaneously from the map legend, it’s best to select and view ratings for only one subdomain or domain at a time.
To search for a specific affordance of interest…
- Open the database and click the magnifying glass within the red banner at the top of the map legend.
- Type the specific affordance of interest into the search bar. Specific affordances you could search for include “extra large hill”, “interior ladder”, “zipline”, and “horseshoe pit”. Click here to learn about all the affordances within each subdomain.
- A list of parks and playgrounds within the database will appear under the heading “From your map”. Click any of these parks and playgrounds and confirm that the specific affordance of interest is listed in the description section.
- If the specific affordance of interest is not listed in the description section, it is not present at that park or playground and the search function did not work properly in that instance. While the search function works for a number of specific affordances, it does not work properly for all affordances.
To confirm absence of a specific affordance…
- Explore the subdomain pages to identify which subdomain the affordance belongs to.
- Open the database and locate the map legend on the left side of the screen.
- Click the box next to the subdomain the specific affordance belongs to and the map will display how all the parks and playgrounds within the database are rated for that subdomain.
- Click any of the map location markers to view more information about that park or playground. The description section lists the date the park or playground was assessed, the numerical score of the subdomain or domain, and the affordances that belong to that subdomain that are present at the park or playground. Below that, the descriptive term ratings of all ten subdomains and domains are listed, you can view photos of the park or playground, and get directions through Google Maps.
- If the specific affordance is not listed in the description section, it is not present at that park or playground.
For example, sand is an affordance within the touch subdomain that you might prefer be absent from the park or playground. To confirm absence of sand, click the box next to the touch subdomain from the map legend. Then, click any of the map location markers and confirm, within the description section, the affordances that belong to the touch subdomain that are present at the park or playground. If “sand playground surface”, “sandbox”, and “other sand” are not listed, then sand is absent at that park or playground. Although multiple subdomains or domains can be selected simultaneously from the map legend, it’s best to select and view ratings for only one subdomain or domain at a time.