Case Study:
A Sensory
Stadium Suite
Take everyone out
to the ball game
The Background
The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders wanted all
families - including those with special needs
children - to be a part of their community. As an
expression of their social responsibility, they
approached Fun and Function with a $10,000
budget to create a sensory suite in their stadium.
The Vision
To create a calming sensory space within the
stadium where guests could relax and calm
down from the sensory overwhelm typical of
public places.
The Challenge
Ball games can last for hours! The sensory space
would need to have lots of engaging equipment that
would support kids with a wide range of abilities and
ages during hours-long games! In addition, the
sensory room needed to be easy-to-maintain with
tools that are easy to clean, organize, and store.
The Process
Step 1: Choosing the Sensory Tools
The Fun and Function Sensory Room Design Team first considered the unique needs of a stadium suite (that would service dozens of families), choosing products that were both durable and wipe clean.
Comfortable seating is a MUST during long ball games so that was the first goal they tackled. The team chose the SensaSoft™ Squeezie Seat and the SensaSoft™ Compression Canoe, two alternative seating options that offer soothing pressure. The Mega Mushy Smushy was also included as a great seating solution for those who like to wiggle.
The second task was adding calming sensory tools that could be used anywhere in the room. Kids can enjoy proprioceptive input from the colorful Weighted Disc Blanket, engage in visual and tactile exploration with the Busy Fingers Weighted Sensory Pillow and minimize stress-inducing auditory input with the Noise Reduction Headphones. A bin of popular sensory tools was included to support the many kids who would simultaneously use the space.
The next step was to address the needs of playful kids who need movement. To that end, the Musical Hopscotch Pad, the Spot Markers and the Round Gel Tiles were included to enable kids to move and jump in a fun, colorful, contained space!
In order to create a soothing atmosphere throughout the room, several lighting elements were chosen to be featured. These included a relaxing Bubble Tube with accompanying mirrors, a fun but calming Bubble Table and a Sensory Image Projector that creates soothing wall visuals.
Step 2: Design & Layout
The designers presented multiple CAD options to the RailRiders team. The Railriders’ final design choice reflected their forward-thinking vision. They opted for a design that worked well with their current budget and could also easily be enhanced with more sensory tools in the future.
The End Result
Despite Covid closures and organizational
restructuring, the RailRiders were committed to
seeing this project to completion! With
cooperative coordination, the RailRiders' vision
was realized and today they are proud to offer
accommodations for families with special
needs with this beautiful sensory space. They
only dream of being able to double their
budget for sensory offerings in the future!
Case Study:
A Sensory
Stadium Suite
Take everyone out
to the ball game
The Background
The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders wanted all families - including those with special needs children - to be a part of their community. As an expression of their social responsibility, they approached Fun and Function with a $10,000 budget to create a sensory suite in their stadium.
The Vision
To create a calming sensory space within the stadium where guests could relax and calm down from the sensory overwhelm typical of public places.
The Challenge
Ball games can last for hours! The sensory space would need to have lots of engaging equipment that would support kids with a wide range of abilities and ages during hours-long games! In addition, the sensory room needed to be easy-to-maintain with tools that are easy to clean, organize, and store.
The Process
Step 1: Choosing the Sensory Tools
The Fun and Function Sensory Room Design Team first considered the unique needs of a stadium suite (that would service dozens of families), choosing products that were both durable and wipe clean.
Comfortable seating is a MUST during long ball games so that was the first goal they tackled. The team chose the SensaSoft™ Squeezie Seat and the SensaSoft™ Compression Canoe, two alternative seating options that offer soothing pressure. The Mega Mushy Smushy was also included as a great seating solution for those who like to wiggle.
The second task was adding calming sensory tools that could be used anywhere in the room. Kids can enjoy proprioceptive input from the colorful Weighted Disc Blanket, engage in visual and tactile exploration with the Busy Fingers Weighted Sensory Pillow and minimize stress-inducing auditory input with the Noise Reduction Headphones. A bin of popular sensory tools was included to support the many kids who would simultaneously use the space.
The next step was to address the needs of playful kids who need movement. To that end, the Musical Hopscotch Pad, the Spot Markers and the Round Gel Tiles were included to enable kids to move and jump in a fun, colorful, contained space!
In order to create a soothing atmosphere throughout the room, several lighting elements were chosen to be featured. These included a relaxing Bubble Tube with accompanying mirrors, a fun but calming Bubble Table and a Sensory Image Projector that creates soothing wall visuals.
Step 2: Design & Layout
The designers presented multiple CAD options to the RailRiders team. The Railriders’ final design choice reflected their forward-thinking vision. They opted for a design that worked well with their current budget and could also easily be enhanced with more sensory tools in the future.
The End Result
Despite Covid closures and organizational
restructuring, the RailRiders were committed to
seeing this project to completion! With
cooperative coordination, the RailRiders' vision
was realized and today they are proud to offer
accommodations for families with special
needs with this beautiful sensory space. They
only dream of being able to double their
budget for sensory offerings in the future!
