A lot of thought goes into the design of our playground installations, and this is particularly apparent when working with special schools.
This “Theraplay” play area, was purpose built to meet the specific emotional, sensory and physical needs of students with intellectual disabilities. The design of the space was carefully planned by a team of educators, parents and occupational therapists based on current research. Jumping, swinging and bouncing equipment, an interactive panel and a calming “squeeze machine” were key elements requested in the design brief.
Here is the finished project!
This maze module was custom designed to suit the specific needs of the project. It features a mirror panel, crawl tube, port hole panels and “calming” squeeze panels.
The spinning flowers add colour, movement and interest. The multibars can be used with thera-bands, allowing the kids to partake in upper body exercises.
The swing module features pigtail attachments which allow different to equipment to be easily interchanged. The nest swing, featured left, provides a unique sensory experience.
The “bed of beads” (left) supports students with neurological processing disorders by providing deep pressure input which assists with mood regulation, motor planning and processing. The super shooter (right) gives students a chance to practice their hand/eye coordination skills.
Our internal design team and engineers worked closely with the school to ensure that the project accommodated the client’s specific needs whilst also meeting regulation standards. The blue and green synthetic grass and security fencing was also included in the project scope.
The play space is used all day, every day with students identified as requiring additional support to conditions such as manage anxiety and hyper arousal. It is a fantastic resource and perfect for our needs.
Tania ~ Assistant Principal at a Victorian special school
