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Opening the Doors to the Game: How This Arena Embraced Inclusion for All Fans

From Shutout to Win: Creating a Quiet Room to Enjoy a Sensory Friendly Hockey Game

After they tested out a sensory-friendly quiet room during a hockey game at their arena, community volunteers with the Miramichi Timberwovles and the Executive Director of Autism Resources Miramichi, asked Sensory Friendly Solutions to audit the space. They wanted sensory-friendly recommendations to seek funds to update their quiet room into a welcome haven for all fans.

The Challenge: Hockey games are a Canadian tradition, filled with excitement, and fast-paced action. For instance, the roar of the crowd, the flashing Jumbotron, the cheers and jeers – hockey games are always a sensory-rich experience. But for individuals with autism, ADHD, or other sensory processing difficulties, excitement quickly turns to overwhelm.

split image of a young girl and two family members sitting in a sensory friendly quiet space at a hockey arena, and the score board above the crowd

Sensory Friendly Solutions: A Winning Game Plan

To deliver recommendations for a sensory-friendly hockey game, our team assessed the quiet room through photos, video and virtual interviews and virtual site visits. So, we identified areas for improvement and crafted a comprehensive set of recommendations into a report. Essentially, the room was part office, part storage. Moreover, they also wanted some simple options that didn’t need a lot of work! As a result, here are some examples from the report:

  • Movement Matters: Add a rocking chair or glider to the room. Movement is a calming strategy for individuals experiencing sensory overload, and this addition provides a comfortable option for self-regulation. This is a nice example of something that could be donated from the community.
  • Add a Focus Corner: For example, keep one desk with a designated chair for people to sit, play with toys, write, colour, read, etc.​ Activities and tools can be brought from home or provided in-house.​ Alternatively, add a child-size desk and chair.​ Furthermore, knowing that families, with family members of all ages might be in attendance to watch a hockey game, creating options for different activities in the room is helpful.
  • Create a Tactile Corner: Designed to encourage sensory exploration.  ​ Remove the existing furniture from one corner of the room, to clear an area. Add carpet tile and/or a folding, foam mat.​ For instance, include beanbag chairs or other soft-textured seats. These types of changes again offer options to people of all ages using the room.
  • Clean up: Clutter was also flagged for removal, to promote a clean and organized space. Additionally, use of scent-free cleaning products to minimize potential triggers for those with olfactory sensitivities.
  • Sensory Tools: Weighted toys and lap pads often have a calming effect. We provided a list of sensory tools that could be added to the room. 

Signs

Clear Communication is Key: Replace the nondescript “Authorized Personnel Only” sign with a”Sensory Friendly Space” sign. In addition, pair the text with a universally recognized visual symbol, to ensure everyone understands the room’s purpose at a glance.

Signage and communication are important parts of sensory-friendly changes. Let people know what to expect and what things actually are. Signs throughout any environment should be simple and clear and point to all key places.

Toilets

Although not part of the quiet room, toilets are an important part of any environment.

  • Bathroom Bliss: Beyond accessible toilets, improve signage to show the location of toilets.
  • A Breath of Fresh Air: Well-filtered air is crucial in any enclosed space. Add an air filter if needed to maintain a comfortable environment.
  • Minimizing Noise Triggers: Hand dryers, the flush of toilets, and water from taps can be surprisingly loud for people with auditory sensitivities. Our recommendation: make sure automatic flushing is well-calibrated. Add signs to inform users of hand dryers or automatic flushing systems in place.
  • Offering Choices: Providing paper towels alongside noisy hand dryers.
4 Ideas for a Sensory-Friendly Hockey Game Quiet Viewing Room Infographic

The Result: A Winning Season for Inclusion

Empowered by our shared knowledge this hockey team has a path forward to include even more fans of all abilities to enjoy the excitement of hockey in a comfortable and inclusive environment. The examples of our recommendations can be added to any sports arena’s quiet room. Please consider them for your! A win for the community, the team, and most importantly, the fans.

Ever dreamt of creating a space where everyone feels welcome and comfortable, regardless of sensory sensitivities? Sensory-friendly design is no longer a secret, and it’s within your reach! Watch this short video about our training membership.

Beyond the Arena: Dive into more inspiring case studies showcasing sensory-friendly solutions across diverse environments! Because sensory-friendly design goes far beyond the arena!

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Making Sensory-Friendly Spaces a Reality: Funding Your Vision

Creating a sensory-friendly space is a fantastic way to foster inclusion and improve the user experience for everyone. You might be wondering, “how can I make this vision a reality?” The good news is, there are funding options available to help you achieve your goals!

Explore our blog post, Making Inclusion a Reality: Funding Your Sensory-Friendly Transformation to discover a range of possibilities.

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