SENSORY healing gardens have helped hundreds of disabled children in the country ... and plans are underway to set up more such facilities in government schools, it has emerged.
A total of 117 schoolchildren – 87 with multiple disabilities and 30 with autism and Down syndrome – are benefiting from the ‘Bathrat Attaa’ (Seed of giving) project since 2017.
The success has prompted the Education Ministry to expand the horticulture therapy scheme – described as a holistic approach to empower children with disabilities.
Horticultural therapy is rooted in the idea that interacting with plants can bring about well-being, whether it’s tending a garden or just having plants in your home.
Fatima Maki, a special education teacher in mental disability and Down syndrome at Saar Primary School for Girls, highlighted the improvement she noticed in children taking part in this initiative.
“Our students learned so much during the time spent in the garden, they helped in planting seeds and watering them,” she said.
“They enjoyed growing seasonal harvests such as tomatoes, parsley, spices and flowers.
“We also made a daily routine of activities such as learning about types of soils and seeds and parts of plants.
“The students are always excited when they start gardening and taking care of the plants.”
Sensory gardens are popular across the globe as they are designed to stimulate the senses. They may contain features accessible to the disabled such as scented and edible plants, sculptures and handrails, water features designed to make sound and play over the hands, magnifying-glass screens, Braille and audio induction loop descriptions.
“The gardens play a major role in the physical development of disabled children, it strengthens their hand-muscle co-ordination,” Ms Maki said.
“It also boosts their sense of responsibility.
“We noticed a significant change in their behaviour in a matter of a few months.”
The Covid-19 pandemic, however, dealt a blow and the project was shifted online in March last year.
“We thought it would be a setback, but we received a great response from parents who were willing to set time and resources aside to guide their children online during the tough times,” said Ms Maki.
“That encouraged us to move the project to a digital platform and we followed our students’ progress online.
“The children continued to plant new seeds and improve their home garden with the help of their parents.”
Globally, sensory gardens are known to provide experience for multiple senses; those specialising in scent are sometimes called scented gardens, those specialising in music/sound are sound gardens where the equipment doubles up to provide an enhanced opportunity for strategic developmental, learning and educational outcomes.
Sensory gardens usually have wheelchair access; the design and layout provides a stimulating journey through the senses, heightening awareness, and bringing positive learning experiences.
Ms Maki’s colleague Ehteram Alsari, another special education teacher in mental disability and Down syndrome, said the initiative helped students express their feelings openly and significantly boosted their confidence to interact with the outside world.
“Children suffering from autism and other disabilities picked crops and gifted them to their parents or teachers in school, besides selling it for money which reinforced their sense of being productive in society,” she said.
They were also taught about the importance of recycling to protect nature. Emptied water and shampoo bottles were turned into beautiful planting pots. “Our artistic students enthusiastically painted the pots with colourful themes,” Ms Alsari added.
“They are realising their potential and are now dreaming of a new life ahead.”
mohammed@gdn.com.bh
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