Sensory Play Area
WHAT IS IT?
SPA in Finland
The Nature Explorer’s Backpack
​
​
The Nature Explorer’s Backpack is a portable, mini sensory play space that invites children and adults to discover nature together. The backpack contains multisensory and accessible tools that make it possible to explore and observe nature wherever the child and family may go - to the backyard, park, nearby forest, or even more distant destinations. The backpack offers families an inclusive, engaging, and inspiring way to explore the natural world like a traditional sensory play space, but without the limitations of a fixed structure or location.
The backpack is designed for all children and includes tools that make nature exploration accessible and enjoyable for children with disabilities as well. The tools included allow the children to practice sensory processing and environmental awareness, which can enhance positive nature experiences. The goal is to boost the child’s self-esteem, nurture curiosity, and provide a safe and exciting way for everyone to engage with nature free from barriers and pressure, but full of joy and discovery.
Conveniently packed with a variety of tools (such as a magnifying glass, tongs, invisibility cloak, identification cards, and more), the backpack enables children to see, hear, smell, and touch their surroundings in ways that suit their individual abilities. Families can embark on their own kind of research expedition, for example spotting species, examining textures, recording discoveries, and sharing experiences together.
The backpack is based on the principles of sensory play. In sensory play, the senses — touch, hearing, sight, smell, taste, balance, body awareness, and proprioception — can develop and strengthen in a natural and enjoyable way. The tools inside the backpack make environmental exploration more accessible, inclusive, and, above all, fun for all the children.
SPA in Turkey
Utopia is a nature-based learning center located in Antalya, Türkiye and has been organizing nature-based activities for many years to support the sensory development of children with additional needs. Through this project, the center aims to further develop its sensory play activities from a more professional perspective. As part of this effort, a specific area within the camp has been redesigned as a SPA (sensory play area). This area includes various pathways and activity zones that children can explore either independently or with the support of a parent or guardian. The activities are especially focused on balance, body awareness, deep pressure stimulation and reducing hypersensitivity. One key feature is a sensory walking path that allows barefoot exploration of different natural materials, such as sand pits, grass and surfaces with varying textures and firmness.
SPA in Slovenia
The Garden Sensory Play Area
​
​
For several years now, we have had a SPA on the playground of our kindergarten, made of natural materials (stones, sticks, logs, cobs...). Children love to play in it and are very creative in the game. Play in the SPA supports the sensorimotor development of children in the tactile area (touching, grasping, shifting...), in the proprioceptive area (squeezing, throwing, pulling...) and in the vestibular area (balance).
As part of the project, we have therefore designed a garden that will support the development of children in other sensory areas as well. We set up four corners.
-
Corner: We planted fragrances in it: lavender, sage, rosemary, lemon balm, mint. Children grasp the plants, smell them, they can also taste them. By doing so, they primarily develop their olfactory sensory system.
-
Corner: We planted strawberries in it. Children observe the growth of plants, water and care for them. When the berries are ripe, they are tasted. By doing so, they primarily develop their taste sensory system.
-
Corner: The kids planted peas in it. They also take care of this corner by watering, loosening the soil. They observe the growth of the plant. When the fruits are ripe, they are tasted. Also, this space is dedicated to developing a sensory system for taste.
-
Corner: Mud. In this corner, children have endless possibilities for play and thus the development of their tactile sensory system.
