sensory-inclusive play spaces for neurodivergent children ages 5-12.
A series of interviews were conducted with a Mild Intellectual Delay (MID) class and one instructor at Essex-Hawthorne Alternative School in Toronto, Ontario in October 2023. Interested in their play-yard – an empty, fenced-in stretch of pavement – I decided that I would invest in a direction towards play spaces for neurodivergent children. Below are notes taken from students and a director from these classes, showing neurodivergent needs towards outdoor play and their own OPAL system.
what is SENSY?
As of 2019, 1 in 50 Canadian youth aged 1-17 were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The Public Health Agency of Canada identifies ASD as a “neurodevelopmental disorder that can include impairments in speech, non-verbal communication and social interactions combined with restricted and repetitive behaviours, interests or activities”. As a strong instance of neurodivergence in Canada – with children and adults affected having unique leisure needs – the urgency for neuro-inclusive playspaces in public leisure infrastructure, particularly for children, is clear. Neuro-inclusivity, in this project, will address the divergent multisensory play tendencies typically affecting those with ASD (Marco 2011). It is demonstrated that stronger sensory needs, coupled with other preferred behaviours, including ritualistic and non-symbolic patterns, incline play in children with ASD to differ from that of neurotypical children (Baron-Cohen 1987; Brown 2001). SENSY is a proposal of vaggregable additions of sensory play “interfaces” to the common outdoor playground for children ages 5+ with a basis in ASD research. In each play “module” - clustered in groups of three iterations - users are encouraged, with clear choices in intensity, order, and variablility, to engage one major sense. Play structures are prefabricated and spatially integrated into existing playground stock to improve diverse play and include a diverse user base. Aggregations of play modules within each type of the SENSY proposal are recommended to allow for repetitive play behaviours and diverse one-sense options.
interface 1: swiss cheese
Holey moly! A visually-oriented experience with different patterns of opaque-to-transparent polycarbonate panels for play with gestures, faces, and more.
interface 2: xylo-trees
Ding ding! A “forest” of A440-tuned xylophone segments of varying heights and octaves.
interface 3: tactile donuts
Different textures combine to create a varied sensory experience conducive to ordered play, climbing, or taking a break.
interface 4: quiet boxes
We all need a sensory break sometimes. These boxes, made to comfortably fit sitting 7-12 year-olds, feature soundproofing acoustic panels, comfortable seating, and sound-resistant double-plywood frames.