Function

Parquinho incorporates activities for both children with autism as well as those without disabilities. Because of the growing rate of autism, this type of integration in a playground is necessary, and takes the playground industry in a completely new direction. The activities that Parquinho provides are specially developed to supply the necessary sensory input that children with autism need. As children with autism receive more sensory input from the activities provided by Parquinho, they become more comfortable in their surroundings and are more willing to play and interact with children without disabilities. Parquinho is designed to provide an extremely entertaining new playground experience. Comprised of individual sections for both indoor and outdoor use, Parquinho provides all children a more comprehensive and fun experience than a traditional playground. This revolutionary new playground includes all children in the same activities, and helps those, with and without disabilities develop important physical and psychological skills. Parquinho is modular, allowing the buyer to purchase their favorite activities all at once or each piece separately to add later. In conclusion, Parquinho is fun, affordable and beneficial for all schools, parks and families and changes the way we think about playgrounds in the future.

Inspiration

Children with autism have always fascinated me. Although they have difficulties expressing themselves to the world because of their sensory disorder, I have always believed that they are extremely smart. In addition statistics show that autism is growing in our society, and we are finally being able to accurately recognize the spectrum symptoms in young children. “In the USA, 1 out of every 115 children are born with autism” A Mother’s Courage: Talking Back to Autism. Autism is the “fastest-growing developmental disability; 1,148% growth rate” Autism Society. “25% of children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder have been excluded from school at least once” The National Autism Society. “People with autism often want to make friends but due to their disability find it difficult ” The National Autism Society. Parquinho playground directly addresses this problem by integrating therapy into everyday life and pure interaction.

Development

Market research about special needs products for children with sensory processing disorder, such as Abilitations Special Needs Catalog. Field research, such as interviews with specialists: occupational therapists, teachers, parents, and people with autism, and observations at Sewall Child Development Center and at Sensory Pathway 4 Kids in Denver, Colorado - USA. Research shows that many schools and cities cannot afford to purchase large playgrounds due to the high cost and that sensory therapy is extremely beneficial for children with autism. Children with autism “fight for life” everyday because their neuro systems don’t process sensory signals, necessary for everyday skills. For these reasons, living can be very hard for them. Therefore, Occupational Therapists use different types of activities to help children with autism develop their neurological organization. These exercises give them a lot of sensorial input, making them feel more comfortable with themselves, which allows them to enhance their interactions throughout the day. As a result Parquinho would be able to organize their sensory disorder, making it easier for them to be at school, at home and in our society.