Being a parent of an Autistic Child is overwhelming and challenging too. Our utmost responsibility as a primary caregiver of the child is to attune to the child’s needs, feelings/emotions, and safety. For a child, the first interaction in the world is parents, family, and HOME. A well-designed playspace surrounded with thoughtful autism-friendly ideas plays a major role for children with autism. It creates a safe and comforting environment, and the child feels supported. It is vital to create an autism-friendly playspace, as these elements greatly impact the sensory experience. By understanding the effects of minimalism, sensory play, yes space, storage design, and clutter-free spaces, we create a space that allows autistic kids to thrive and explore their full potential. As we dive deep into what an ideal playspace is, let’s talk about what are the essentials to one, and how you can create a fully functional playspace for your child.
1. What is a YES space ?
The term YES space was termed by Janet Lansbury, and she emphasizes on creating safe spaces that empower children to explore independently and confidently, free from
unnecessary limits or corrections. It encourages play, learning, creativity and a strong sense of self. As the child explores and masters the world around him, It is important for
the child to have a designated space/room in the home that enables him/her to understand what is expected. Creating a playspace for the child shows the child that you
support, facilitate and encourage their play and curiosity while minimising stress and overstimulation.
2. Why are minimalistic and simplistic play spaces at home important?
It is a common fact that many children with autism struggle with sensory input, especially with overwhelming sound, light, and smell, thanks to the chaos that is surrounding us. In
such a situation, it becomes important to prioritise creating a calm and soothing space, free from sensory overload in home. While choosing colours for walls, choose neutral,
soothing and earthy tones,calm blues or mellow greens or maybe beige undertones for the right amount of tranquility. Keep the space minimal by avoiding cluttered patterns
and designs too!
As much as it is underplayed, natural light makes an immense difference to any room, by bringing a certain amount of warmth and glow to the room. It helps make a simplistic and
inviting space that makes the cold feet go away, and also shows multiple health benefits.
3. What is visual clutter and how can it be avoided?
Visual clutter is an overwhelming and chaotic display of items, patterns, or toys kept on open shelves, which tend to overstimulate the senses, especially in autistic kids, and make it difficult for them to focus, feel calm, or feel comfortable. Autistic children are known to process sensory information differently, making them all the more sensitive to clutter, and it could even be anxiety-inducing. Visual clutter can be dealt with by organizing and categorizing toys into picture-labeled bins and baskets. This makes it easier for the child to find and put away things, reducing mess. Also, make sure to provide clear zones, create designated areas for playing, reading, or movement. Keep wall decorations and colors simple and intentional, and make sure to avoid clashing colors and patterns.
Just like a kitchen with neatly labeled spice jars and flour containers, a playspace needs well-labeled, neatly organized storage. It plays a crucial role in reducing visual clutter. This can be done by allocating a right place for each item present in the room, using bins, plastic trays, and shelves. This not only keeps the space tidy, but also makes it easier to access. The storage is divided into different sections, some storage the child can use and access on their own, and some will be out of the child’s reach, which requires adult supervision. This allows autistic children to develop and thrive freely, to their full potential.
4. Why is it important to create specific zones in a playspace, and what are these zones?
An effective way to structure the environment and cater to the unique needs of an autistic child is by dividing the playspace into certain zones, again ensuring that the space is mess-free, and visually appealing. We usually focus on 5 zones:
a) Movement Zone – This is a safe space where the child can bring his/her gross motor muscles to use, by engaging in light exercises. This zone is designed for physical movement, which is also known to change the mood of the child. Sometimes, we may not have access to outdoor space where kids can play freely, and hence creating a small space is often advised. Include equipment like aerial swing, balance beams, ladder, ninja bars, and soft play pads where the child can jump, roll over, etc.
b) Sensory Zone – The sensory needs of an autistic child are very high, and they regularly need sensory inputs. We focus on creating a designated sensory zone where the child can play or experiment with different sensory toys/material at their own pace in their own environment. And as taxing as these may sound, you would love to know that they are in fact mess-free and hardly take 2 minutes to set up/wind up!
c) Focus Zone – For activities that require no distractions and a quiet area, such as puzzles or educational games, this special zone helps foster attention, and cognitive skills.
d) Reading Zone – A cozy corner for kids to curl up with their favorite books! Soft seating or maybe a floor bed space with a couple of cushions, a comforter, and a quiet space make for the perfect reading experience. This not only encourages a love for reading, but also improves language skills and literacy. It’s also important to have the bookshelves at a spot that is easily accessible to kids, so that it develops a sense of independence in them.
e) Imaginative Zone – Imagination broadens the mind. An imaginative space is where the world has no boundaries, and includes but is not restricted to a dollhouse, kitchen set, a car space, or even building blocks. This zone supports creativity, communication, and role-playing that comes naturally to the kids. It is a space for pretend play.
Conclusion:
When designing a playspace that truly supports your child’s needs, it’s important to focus on creating a safe, clutter-free, and thoughtfully planned environment that promotes their holistic development. There are professionals like NINOS who specialize in creating these tailored spaces, ensuring both safety and inspiration, with services available online globally and across India.
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