The most unique component of the learning space is the Sensory Garden. A sensory garden involves engagement of all the senses – sight, smell, touch, taste, and sound – to benefit children and adults, especially those who have sensory processing issues. The distinctive features of a multi-sensory environment provide therapeutic benefits for children suffering from emotional anxieties, for children with autism and other sensory processing disorders, and for adults and seniors who may be experiencing sensory changes or recovering from strokes and other brain injuries.
In creating a sensory garden, we envision many opportunities to provide therapeutic benefits and experiences, such as:
- Musical/sound elements via wind chimes, water features and sound-inducing plants;
- Varied surfaces that feel different from one another and incorporate mosaics, pebbles, gravel, polished glass pieces and shingles;
- Creative mini-gardens, such as a fairy garden and a dinosaur garden, where children are invited to explore and imagine;
- Tantalizing smells and tastes, such as basil and mint; and
- Interactive options throughout the space.
