Meet Lindsey Gabriel of Dayton

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lindsey Gabriel.

Hi Lindsey, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I was a Registered Nurse with a master’s degree in nursing administration and leadership for 11 years. I found out I was pregnant with twins , Cooper and Conrad, smack dab in the middle of the Covid Pandemic. I had the twins in November of 2020 and both had extended NICU stays. Conrad was born with Spina Bifida and had surgery at 2 weeks old. This was the start of MANY tests, appointments, therapies, and surgeries that occurred over the next few years. We knew from Birth that Conrad would be different but when we took the twins places together and watched the difference in what they could do, how much that statement was true became clear. This is ultimately what led to the development of Capabilities- Play for ALL Abilities. Even since we have opened in November of 2024, Conrad has gained two new diagnoses of Epilepsy and Autism. Capabilities is an indoor playspace with a wide variety of fine/gross motor, wheelchair, and sensory equipment mixed in with standard so that all kids play side by side. No separation, no isolation, no feeling different. We do not play music and have noise canceling headphones available, We have universal changing tables and have the only indoor wheelchair swing in the state of Ohio. We host a variety of sensory friendly events, adaptive craft & Cooking classes, and chose to not set an age limit so that adults with disabilities can also experience what we have to offer because after all, you can’t put an age limit on having fun.

We partake in multiple ways of giving back to our community. Each year we partake in Kindness week and do a random act of kindness every day for 7 days. This year we fed dinner to the Clearcreek PD & Clearcreek Station 21 FD, we took pantry donations to both Dayton and Cincinnati Ronald Mcdonald Houses, took personal items and toiletries to Artemis Center for Domestic violence, Took breakfast to a local physical therapy office and a Dayton Children’s Pediatrician office, and lastly fed the nightshift ED staff at Dayton Children’s South. We also are the first ever in the greater Dayton region to host a pediatric equipment swap and recently had our 3rd one. We collect donations of medical equipment for kids who may not have insurance coverage or be able to afford it otherwise. The swaps are entirely ran by volunteers like PT/OT/med students/engineers/etc, and they make modifications and fit the kids to the piece of equipment in real time so they can take it home the same day completely free. We have helped around 100 families obtain equipment like Wheelchairs, gait trainers, medical car seats, etc. We also work with like minded organizations in the community to help adults with disabilities volunteer here while learning work skills. We have won Best of Dayton best playspace 2024, Best of Dayton Best children’s birthday parties 2025, Community Excellence award 2024-25, and BusinessRate Benchmark award for Best indoor playspace in Dayton 2026. We are also part of the Safe Space Alliance to be a safe space for LGBTQ+ families to come to.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Ha! Smooth would not a word I would use to describe our journey here at Capabilities. From the jump, we discovered zoning issues that neither the Landlord or listing agent were aware of. This started a multiple month long process of applying for the zoning to be changed at our location. This required us to go to City Council and present our case which ultimately did lead to our win and we successful changed the zoning for this parcel of land to allow recreational use. After some blood, sweat, tears, and heavy use of our first aid kit, we successful renovated the space on our own as a family with some help from friends. From knocking down walls, to painting, installing flooring, etc. We put every ounce of energy into opening Capabilities. Over the course of two years it quickly became evident that we had plumbing issues. This resulted in frequent backups with waste water coming up out of the floor drains and flooding main areas, so we would have to close each time this happened due to the safety risk. We began working with Main Drain Plumbing from Middletown and he was an absolute God send, each time this happened was an extreme stress on our budget, to the point we didn’t know if we were going to make it. Jeremiah with Main Drain worked with us to take partial payments, gave us grace and time because as a Grandfather of a boy with Autism, he believed in our mission. We FINALLY were able to find a solution after dozens of visits from Main Drain and that has kept us up and functional to this day. We owe Jeremiah so much for what he has done for us!

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
We are an inclusive indoor playspace.
We are known for inclusivity, kindness, acceptance, and advocacy. We are known for being the previous, but also for being a Special Needs Mom Owner and a Special Needs Mom for the facility manager as well. The two of us run operations 24/7 and are able to meet the needs of the disability community because we live the same life everyday. We know what it’s like to get looks and judgement when we go out. To go somewhere and have to leave because it won’t work for our kids.
I am most proud of our reach we have developed. With almost 11k followers on our facebook alone, we have visitors that have came from all over the US to see us and one even from the UK! People know about us from all over the world!! That is a huge thing to accomplish. I’m also the most proud of our equipment swaps. They require a heavy amount of work and if people didn’t believe in what we were doing, the work would likely be too much for many but each time I have people show up and give there all to help the lives of these kids.
There is nowhere, exactly like Capabilities. While some specialty playspaces do exist, most are condition specific. We focus on be accessible for ALL, any diagnosis, any abilities and focus on educating that everyone can exist in one space together.

Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
The biggest resource we utilize is the parent’s of other special needs children. Nobody can speak regarding their experiences and what would make their lives easier, except from them. Otherwise we look to other like minded agencies in the community, and our experience as special needs parents. One particular book turned into a movie that absolutely took my breath away was the book written by a girl with Cebral Palsy called “Out of My Mind.” As the mom of a child who is nonverbal, but understands everything around them, it’s absolutely gut wrenching to see how they experience the world when everyone believes they don’t understand and can’t participate. I’m guilty of rushing even my own child at times when I may be struggling to understand him. Lastly, I chose to surround myself with positive and kind people. I whole heartedly believe that what you put out into the world is what comes back to you. I live my life trying to be as kind as possible as often as possible.

Pricing:

• 3 & up- $13
• 2 & Under- $10
• Adults Free
• Monthly membership $35
• 6 Months and Year Memberships available

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.capabilitiesplay.com/info
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/capabilitiesplay/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100091272612914