Allison Schreiber and Dr. Peggy Honey, Visual Arts
Kids on the Move, is an organization that helps children with mental handicaps become integrated into society. With this cause, comes a special need to create the right environment for these children. Great care must be taken with every material and component, as to not distract, irritate, or create a lethargic feeling in the environment.
The three aspects of design that can be the most impacted are: Space, lighting, and color.
Space
The needs of young children often tend to be overlooked when planning physical environments (Olds, 1998).
When furnishing the space, use quality, functional furniture. Quality furniture is especially needed when working with small children. Key factors to consider are wear and expense. It is always better to know that the children are safe. There are catalogues as well as websites that carry furniture suited for such environments. “Child Technologies, Playschool furniture”, is one of many such carriers.
Therapy for autistic children covers many different areas. With each area comes a different set of furniture as well as toys. These areas can include: Gross motor skills, Creative expression, Social concepts, and book and language. The space is best used when divided up in the different areas. These are some ways to give the space its own identity through materials and components.
Gross Motor skills – Create a safe and well-defined space. Use a variety of stimulating equipment, which provides appropriate challenges. Also, create soft, safe places for play- time.
Creative Expression – Create an area that can get messy and be easily cleaned up. The flooring should be something other than carpet. A colorful vinyl composite tile (VCT) would not only add color, but is also very easy to maintain.
Social Concepts – Create a special space that is recognizable as the dramatic play area. This can be done with different colors of paint, murals, and/or carpet color.
Book and Language – Create an area that would be considered quite time. This can be achieved by using a soft area rug or distinguishing carpet colors, as well as an adult sized rocking chair. (Environments Inc.)
Autistic children do not react well to confusion and chaos. The children need absolute structure and organization in their lives. This rule should always reflect in the therapy room. Toys and extra supplies for therapy should be kept in a place that is not accessible to the children. Organization can be done by: high open shelving, locked shelving, or storage rooms.
Lighting
Exposure to light is essential to a healthy life (Schreiber, 1996).
Natural light is very important to the health of a person. If at all possible, design big windows for the view and the exposure of the sun. If the room doesn’t have the possibility of windows, artificial lighting is an option. The technology of artificial lighting is rapidly growing. The use of fluorescent lighting is becoming more popular, as well as the most economical. Full-spectrum lighting is a good way to light therapy spaces. This type of lighting is very cost effective, as well as creating the type of light needed in a learning environment. “…not having enough light can affect children’s learning experiences and affect children’s feelings of security and comfort when they are indoor away from home” (Schreiber, 1996).
If there is a need for artificial light, a dimmer would be useful – remember to put it at an adult height in order to control for nap time.
Color
Color creates a nurturing environment as well as bringing comfort and joy to a child’s day (Environments Inc.)
Autistic children don’t have the same reactions to bold, bright primary colors as children without autism do. The bold colors distract autistic children if used on the wall, or as a fabric. “Security come psychologically to children with softness of colors” (Olds, 1998). Wall colors should be non-distracting colors, such as: soft blues, warm buttery yellows, subdued greens, and sandy terracotta. The use of natural materials is something autistic children respond well to. The wood should be very light in color and as natural as possible. Wood laminates are also suggested. Toys are a good way to bring in bright, bold colors. The toys that are used for therapy should be as stimulating as possible.
The children should be exposed to some textures to create a variety in the space. But, remember that autistic children tend to be easily distracted, and if they find a texture they like, they could rub it all day. A few places that textures could be used: fabric, furniture, carpet, area rugs, blankets, and pillows.
Autistic children react to the environment around them. By implementing these three basic points: space, lighting, and color, the productivity in therapy would increase, and help these children integrate faster in society.
References
- Olds, A. 1988. Places of Beauty. In Play as a medium for Learning Development. Portsmouth, NH, Heineman: 181-85
- Durrett, C. Design Process for Children’s Environment. 1997 URL http//:www.ehsnrc.org/ftdesign.htm
- Schreiber, Mary Ellis. Lighting and the Classroom Environment. National Association for the Education of Young Children. Vol. 51 no. 4. May 1996
- Environment Inc. 1-800-EI-CHILD