Sensory Affordances in Outdoor Play Environment towards Well-Being of Special Schooled Children

What is it about?

This paper focuses on exploring user engagements with outdoor play features that encourage sensory stimulations, physical mobility and social skills among children with special needs, and their adult carers. Interviews, observations and behaviour mapping of on-site activities were recorded as anecdotal evidence. These methods were applied in conjunction with the affordance theory. The findings showed that areas that offer sensory affordances are more significant for experience than areas that have higher usage. This reflected in the duration of time users spent in engaging with features in the garden.

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Why is it important?

The main finding should assist to inform the theory and practice of professional designers when they create future sensory gardens in special schools.