A new playground in Pelham Bay is expected to have a big impact on kids, including those with autism and their families.

The playground isn’t just fun for kids, it has equipment specifically designed to nurture fine motor skills, socialization and language development.

Birch Family Services, a leading provider of education and community support services for people with developmental disabilities, unveiled the new playground Thursday, located at the Pelham Bay Early Childhood Center on Theresa Avenue.

The playground was made possible thanks to a grant secured by state Assembly Member Michael Benedetto. He worked as an educator, teaching children with special needs.

"Our kids have been using it for the last week and a half or so, they love it and we are just here to celebrate it,” says Deanna Diamond, principal of Pelham Bay Early Childhood Center.

As part of Thursday’s festivities, Benedetto even went down the slide himself.

“It’s a joyful place and I am happy to partake in it, and I am just happy to have done a little bit to help the children,” says Benedetto.