DUNEDIN — When it comes to your average playground equipment, sometimes a regular slide or swing set just isn’t good enough for families living with Neurodiversity.
So, one Palm Harbor family decided to create their own playground, and now they are sharing it with the entire community.
“We’ve been doing down syndrome meet-up groups for two years, and through those meet-ups, it was really hard to find a space where we could let our kids play, where it was safe and inclusive,” said mother Christine Rittenhouse.
Rittenhouse decided: why not design her own playground, meant just for kids like her daughter, Scarlette? It’s called Little Victories Sensory Gym.
“Raising a child with special needs you celebrate those little victories, they mean so much more, because it’s harder for them to come to those victories,” said Rittenhouse.
Some of the specialized equipment includes a sensory swing, roller slide, and platform swing.
“It’s a little bit different than your typical swing that you would see at a park, where it’s hot and it’s hard," said Rittenhouse about the platform swing. "This is actually really soft and calming, and offers a repetitive swinging, just like you do normally, but kids can lay on their belly, or on their back, or sit crisscross."
Over the past year, Little Victories has traveled to churches, community centers, and libraries across North Pinellas County, like their latest visit to Coastal Christian Church in Dunedin.
Mother Kayleigh Zahn said she doesn’t know who benefits more, her or her daughter Summer.
“The equipment is great because it keeps the kids running around and playing, and then you can actually talk with the other parents and get information,” said Zahn.
Christine said she hopes to be a voice in the community for all families out there living with Neurodiversity.
“There’s a lot of special needs families that don’t feel like they belong,” said Rittenhouse. “The kids belong in a place where they can be themselves and have play equipment that can help them grow and build their confidence. And there is just not a lot of accessibility for that, so it’s just super important for us to help provide that.”
Little Victories Sensory Gym is also collecting special-needs-related equipment for at-home use, which will be distributed to families in need later this summer.
For more information, click here.
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