The Gillingham campus has recently added new fidget boards, which are a brilliant way for our students to improve focus, develop their motor skills, encourage independence, and support self-regulation.
🗣“The students have all taken such a keen interest in the boards – they love the noisy parts! Everyone is very curious about the wide range of sensory tools. They enjoy sitting on the indoor grass in our sensory corner and exploring the many different elements – even the staff enjoy them too! They have been put together so well. We love them.” – Sarah, Tutor
These boards were built by David and Natalie from D A Cowperthwaite Interiors, and David shared a few words about the process involved in crafting them:
“I was delighted after receiving confirmation of the commission to create these fidget boards. Most of our work focuses on room interiors and painting and decorating so it’s interesting to get to do something a little different, I would say outside the box but it’s more accurately put as inside the the box I suppose.
It would be easy to get carried away with the creative process. I have Natalie buzzing in the background restraining ideas where necessary! So, it began with the boards themselves, colour choice is an important aspect. Fortunately we have quite the palette stored in the basement, leftover paint from jobs completed. There is a science to how different colours make you feel, greens being calming and reds more lively.
Following that, decisions had to be made with regard to the fidgets themselves. Some of the simplest things are the most satisfying, personally I enjoyed the spring door stops. Natalie preferred the velcro. It was originally decided on 16 per board but what we found was that once we started, we couldn’t stop, and the number increased somewhat with time and board size being the limiting factors.
Variety is key, as is safety so no sharp edges, but plenty of things that twist, spin, twang, make noises etc. Perhaps the most difficult task was fixing the items to the mounting plates so that they could be removed from the front if necessary, for example if batteries need replacing, without having to remove the whole board from the wall.
All in all, it was highly enjoyable and almost addictive making these for EMA and we are very happy that you are pleased with the results. I still have plenty of unused ideas in the tank!” – David
We really could not be happier with the boards, and we’re so glad to see our students engaging with them. A huge thanks to David and Natalie once again for supplying them.
