Our facilities

 

Both our Manchester and Liverpool centres have a soft play area, light and sensory room and a toy and tape library. 

Light and sensory rooms

A sensory room makes it possible for adults and children with special needs to engage with the environment around them through sensory exploration and manipulation of interactive toys and equipment. Features in a sensory room make use of different mediums including sound, light, and tactual sensation which can be used together or in isolation to customise the experience. 

What specific features does the sensory room at Henshaws have?

Our sensory room is located in a quiet and secluded part of the centre making it the perfect retreat. It is furnished with a bean bag, padding, and soft mats so that users’ experiences will be both safe and comfortable. The room is brimming with intriguing objects and decorations – turn on the UV light, flick a few switches, and watch it transform into a glowing, captivating, magical wonderland. Below is a list of the main features that we have in our sensory room.

Visuals constitute the most diverse set of features: the room incorporates several interestingly shaped mirrors, animals, flowers, and shapes that glow in UV light, a large bubble tube, a projector that casts entrancing patterns, fibre optic leads and tubes, and coloured light strips.

Various tactile objects hang from the ceiling and are easily encountered. There are brightly coloured disks decorated with tangible patterns and chimes that make relaxing sounds.

Interactive Equipment – the Hopscotch Pad is guaranteed to be great fun! When the user presses a coloured square on the Hopscotch Pad, a corresponding colour square illuminates on the wall panel and a musical note or tune is played. 

The Water Bed is a little different to the average bed – as the name suggests, it is a mattress filled with water. This is what makes the Water Bed especially comfortable and suitable for relaxation.  The temperature of the bed can be adjusted to the appropriate level and the bed moulds itself to the shape of the body so that the user can move freely without any subsequent discomfort.

A CD player allows users to select an appropriate relaxing, therapeutic, or ambient soundtrack to accompany the sensory experience.

The light and sensory rooms in both centres are free to hire every weekday from 9.00am – 4.00pm 

Soft play areas

A soft play area is a dedicated playroom where children can climb over and around soft objects, interact with toys, and engage with one another. All these aspects of play are vitally important for wellbeing, education and development. Not only is play fun and invigorating, it also allows children to explore their senses to the full and learn from new experiences. It also provides parents, family, and friends with the opportunity to unwind.

What features does the Soft Play Room at Henshaws have?

 

The room is fitted with soft foam/air mattresses for maximum safety and comfort during play.

 

Exciting soft foam/air shapes (e.g. geometric shapes, animals, and vehicles) to climb over and around.

  Tactile objects and toys are dispersed around the room and hang from the ceiling.

 

 

A small ball pool equipped with child-friendly steps for ease of access.

A large interactive hopscotch pad that responds to pressure and movement.

A broad selection of themed toys and musical instruments allowing children to develop their creative and imaginative skills through pretend and role play.

A broad selection of children’s books to engross young readers.

Walls decorated with educational posters and lively, colourful pictures.

Adjacent seating area for parents and supervisors to relax in, monitor their children, and browse the information literature from a comprehensive selection provided.

 

 

 

Toy and tape library

Specialist toys are often expensive, so we lend them out to families free of charge. 

We have a wide variety of noisy, bright and tactile toys to choose from at both our centres.  We can explain the benefits of each toy and whether it would be right for your child. 

We also have story tapes and CDs, audio described videos and DVDs, and a good selection of Braille, large print and tactile books.

 

The Vision Charity generously donated £10,000 of new toys and specialist equipment to us this year.