The Utilization of a Multiple Functional Playroom
in a Facility for Disabled Children- Place for Providing Sensory Stimuli, Relaxation and Den Masako

Ichikawa*Ⅰ．Introduction
For a child with disabilities who stays in hospital, it is easy to imagine that the changes inenvironment and the absence of his/her understanding family create significant stresses to that child.
To understand the meaning of subtle signs that a child in hospital sends out, making a trust
relationship with him/her is the first step. The environment in hospital is hard for a child to feel atpeace since it is filled with constant strange noises that are different from home and with many
people who come and go incessantly.
In our ward for children with disabilities, there are 40 children with impaired motor functions areliving together. Because a playroom in the ward had no divider (Pic. 1 & 2), children in a wheelchair,with a walking aid or with other devices were freely able to enter the room and anyone could playthere during their spare times. It was, however difficult that children with particular conditions
including visual / hearing problems, autistic spectrum and hypersensitivity to noise were able toenjoy the playroom as other children do. In this article, a re-construction work of the playroom is
described in detail. It was done in order for every single child in the ward and their families to beable to relax and enjoy the space.

Picture 1．A playroom with no divider

Picture 2．A relaxation room before renovation（blackout curtains and mattresses were used）

II. Objective
To create a play space where children and their families can relax and where they can enjoy theircreative work together.
III. Procedures１．To make a relaxation room by renovating a part of the playroom.（Pic. 3）

Picture 3．The renovation had begun by taking away the blackout curtains
２．To create a Black-Room where all lights are blocked.
1) Apply black cut-out stickers on walls (Pic. 4). Place a curtain rail in four directions. The room
can be used for other purposes by replacing the curtain rails.
2) The curtain is double. An inside curtain is black one for blocking lights and an outside one iscolorful one with sound proofing. To make the Black-Room look natural even it is in theplayroom, the colorful curtain was used on the side of the playroom (Pic 5 & 6).

Picture 4．Apply cut-out stickers on the walls

Picture 5．Inside of the Black-Room

Picture 6．Colorful curtain

3. To design the room especially for individuals with the following conditions:1) Having communication difficulty and difficult to understand what he/she tries to speak2) Having severe muscle tensions and difficult to retain one’s posture3) Having visual/auditory impairment
4) Having difficulty to control one’s behaviors and easy to feel panicked5) Having difficulty to enjoy the ordinal playroom or not showing he/she enjoys the room
4. To bring out children’s desire of self-expression and provide opportunities to practice one’simaginations.
1) To place tools and toys effective for sensory stimulation depending on the level of child’sdevelopment
2) To use relaxation music (ex. sounds of music box/ nature, nursery rhymes, ethnic music, etc.). To
select soothing and quiet music that a child likes to listen.
3) To talk calmly to a child by observing his/her facial expressions, the tone of voice, physical tension,etc.
4) To encourage his/her voluntary behaviors and observe their play with least restrictions
5) To have gentle physical contact to make his/her relaxed and use toys and tools that a child canhave sensory experiences, such as fluffy animal toys and aluminum foils.
6) To refresh one’s mind, provide some visual images and music by using devices such as iPad

Picture 7．Glowing bubble patterns on ceiling

Picture 9.

Glowing curtains

Picture 8. A child who enjoys the color variation

Picture 10.

iPod, speaker and glowing toys

IV. ResultThe renovated room was offered to children depending on their conditions. The following changes
were observed among children while using the room.

1. A child who had severe muscle tension was able to release his/her own nervousness by
him/herself.
2. A child who often showed restless behaviors and was making loud voice became calm in the room
and was able to focus on his/her play (Pic. 11).
3. A child who was crying when her mother left hospital was able to switch her attention to a movieand music while warming her body in the room.
4. A child who was frustrated with his/her long-term hospital stay was using the room as a den andplaying actively in it.
5. A child in a cast acquired a different point of view and played differently. Eventually his/her facial
expressions became brightened.
6. The room was used for families for relaxation.
7. No matter the conditions of a child, everyone including healthcare staffs was able to enjoy theroom as a private space.
8. A child who showed little his/her own feelings became more expressive and vocalized than before(Pic. 12)

Picture 11

Picture 12

V. Discussion
In hospital, a situation around a child can be changed every second. No matter how linguisticallyable a child is, he/she becomes more expressive naturally when one is given a place where he/she canrelax. As the severity of one’s disabilities contributes how well the child can communicate with others,
the feelings of nurvousness and tention seem also a significant factor. When a child becomes lonely,
frustrated or restless, a place where he/she can relax seems very important. Consequently it providespositive effects on families and staffs all together.
VI. Conclusion
The result of this study broadens our image of a “playroom”, and it indicates that the importanceand the necessity of play space designed for an individual’s needs and conditions through thoroughunderstanding of each child. The idea of the hand-made relaxation room was greatly inspired byfacilities in England and Sweden, including hospitals, a sensory room in schools and Snoezelen
facilities.
Snoezelen is a therapy used for producing one’s sense of balance through controlled multisensorystimulation1）. According to Krista Mertens PhD., the leading scientist for research on Snoezelen,“Snoezelen has a relaxation effect that makes people calm down. At the same time it has the effect ofactivating one’s mind. It brings out one’s sense of interest and methodizes received stimuli bycontrolling them. It evokes one’s memories. It reduces one’s anxieties and provides the sense of safety.
It gives one a sense of leadership, encourages to acting out and provides better communication skills.
Above all, it is great fun1）.
We applied the idea of Snoozen as one of relaxation tools for children in hospital but not as atherapy. It was a great discovery that the idea of “relaxation room” was rather well accepted even
within the ward where available space was extremely limited. We also leant that relaxing one’s body
would make him/her open up psychologically as well. Though the Black Room had a very limited
space, we leant how to make efficient use of such space. Since children created their own uniqueways to enjoy the room more than we expected, the relax room was used for broader purposes.
Anxieties and distresses during hospital stay will not vanish unless we work on every single aspenctof hospital environment so that children would feel safe and relaxed while staying hospital. The
result of this study brings up some of our future assignments regarding the improvement of medical
environment for children and its effectiveness.
Cited reference
Krista Mertens. Snoezelen – in action (Berichte Aus Der Padagogik): The world of multisensory
environment that provides therapeutic effects, 2nd edit. UNIVERSITY EDUCATION PRESSReferencesHiroshi Anezaki (2012). A Study for the Signification of “Snoezelen Education” on Jilitsu-Katsudo
for Children with Severe Motor and Intellectual Disabilities. Bulletin of Mie University, 63,pp.297-314.
Hiroshi Anezaki (2005). A Welfare Practice of Snoezelen for Children or People with Disabilities inEngland II. Bulletin of Integrated Center for Educational Research and Practice Faculty ofEducation, Mie University, 25, pp.53-58
This study was prepared also with reference to the following foreign facilities
１．Worcester Snoozlen/UK
２．Pool Hospital/Child Development Centre/UK
３．Edinburgh Royal Sick Children’s Hospital/UK
４．Leicester Royal Infirmary Children’s Hospital/UK
５．Southampton General Hospital/UK
６．Kingston Hospital NHS Trust/UK
７．Sachsska Barns jukhuset/Sweden
８．Soders jukhuset/Sweden
９．Vinstagårdsskolan /Sweden* This study was prepared, implemented and reported as a research grant project funded by Support
Kids Program of Manulife, 2012.