Parks are essential elements of any city and it plays a crucial role in all phases of one’s life. The centre point of our local communities, parks help to uplift neighbourhoods. These welcome everyone by offering a meeting place. Parks are central points for social interaction. They improve social development, communication and interaction. Cooperative activities make children learn new things. A good park is which engages and excites people of all abilities and is inclusive in reality.

We have several parks in our city but very few have space for differently able children/people. Now, this park is being made especially for children of special needs. Designing space for people with special needs requires careful consideration. To provide a place where the objective is to include everyone, a barrier free environment where people of all abilities can come together. Here I have tried to incorporate this into various activities and play equipment. This was a learning lesson for me while designing this Sensory Park.

Since children are more prone to wandering, especially children with autism, I made the area even and barrier free so that the children can move freely anywhere. The whole area is fenced for their safety and the flat ground helps them to walk around the park and see what’s happening. The more they can observe and more comfortable they are walking around the park, the more likely they will be comfortable to delve in and start to play. To encourage interaction with each other I tried to keep equipment not very far off from each other. So, they can play by themselves and can also see other’s activities and share with each other.

Sensory play is very important for children of all kind of disability, especially children with autism. It benefits children with not only ASD but also any other kind of sensory disorder. Here I have provided various kind of textures, sounds and colourful things to look at. This will help all of them to use their tactile, auditory and visual senses.

Here I tried to provide various kinds of textures on the ground which can be called a sensory path, where different kinds of natural and artificial material are used, which will improve their tactile senses.

Another structure with various textures is provided which they can feel and differentiate. Apart from improving their sensory part, here is something for fun too. The other textural structure is fitted with a convex mirror. By touching it they can feel the opposite kind of surface and when they look at it, they can see a large part of the park in it and their own face will look a bit funny too because of the convex mirror.  Another structure is fitted with a wheel. They can rotate the wheel and feel its movement. Commonly children and especially differently able have the tendency of fidgeting. They love to touch, push or move things.  Along with it there is swing. This can also help them to overcome the fear of movement, spinning motion.   

One small structure is fitted with rollers with different surfaces. Children can move them and feel the texture. It helps them to learn differences and engaging their fidgety character/nature.

 Children often have trouble with balance. To improve their balancing ability, I have provided balancing steps where they can climb and jump to other steps. This will help them to learn static balance. Another balancing aid is hanging tyres where they can climb on the tyre and hold a chain. By holding the chain, they need to learn to balance and cling onto it. This will help them to learn dynamic balancing.

For children with auditory disability, I have added auditory sensory elements too.  Different materials are provided to create sounds. By playing children can differentiate between the different sounds. A Thongophone and a Talking tube are also provided. In the Thongophone they can play tunes as they wish. The different sizes of pipes create different sounds so that they can improve their sense of rhythm while having fun. The Talking tube is fun where one person is talking from one side and can be heard by another on the other side. This engages them in communicating with each other. Similarly, I created a window like structure where copper bells are installed. These bells are of various sizes and makes different tones. It can help them to understand the variation of sound with size. 

Other than these there are some fun activities like a toy like car front with steering wheel and seat where they can sit and have fun.

The other side of the park has a solar system image on the wall and a large (10ft. x 10 ft.) snake and ladder on the floor, on which children can play by standing and moving themselves. Next to it there is a Chauka Bara a traditional game. 

These children crave for moments of silence, particularly children with ASD. They get overwhelmed and will need a quiet and cosy space away from the noise to recharge. They need a secluded, hidden and enclosed corner where they feel comfortable. In this little space I have tried to provide them with an area for it. I made a semi-circular sitting area which is partially covered with a windowed wall which blocks the noise of the busy road and the other side is blocked with a textured wall. In this area they will feel like nobody can see them but their parent/guardian can still keep a watch on them. There are other areas where sitting places are made for resting and relaxing.

   One area is filled with sand and a big tyre at the Centre. Where children can sit, play and enjoy the sensory experience engaging with their companions.

Nature benefits everyone but when it comes to differently able people it helps them stay a bit more attentive. Garden, grassy area, trees, plants stimulate the mind, strengthen the body and help to develop a sense of imagination. It helps them to calm down and feel more centred before they run off to play. Keeping this aspect in mind I have tried to provide as much as possible greenery in the given area.

Apart from these there are information boards in print and Braille letters which provides knowledge about great personalities with disability and others. The sign language images, English and Kannada alphabets in Braille as well as in print help common people to understand their language of communication.

I have tried to make this park safe, comfortable, effortlessly accessible and user friendly.