The world has so
much to offer! Subtle fragrances and various shades of beautiful flowers, a
murmuring stream, and singing birds… Isn’t it great to sit and listen to the
whispering leaves combined with a melodious bell chimes, or walk barefoot on
flat pebblestones and bark, or touch a bouncy green lawn? To fondle a cute
little goat, cuddle a fluffy rabbit, catch the fountain drops, sit on a bench,
look around and feel great… all that isn’t merely a dream. You can experience
all those things if you come to the Boarding Home for Children with Special
Needs in Minsk. The sensory garden and contact zoo was opened there on
September 13 this year.
This project was
made possible thanks to School Piggy Bank programme of the Mother of God of the
Sign Cathedral in New York run by Prince Vladimir Youth Association together
with the Synodal Youth Ministry Department of the ROCOR.
A sensory garden is
a territory that provides favourable conditions for interaction with nature and
exploration of the world using one’s senses: eyesight, hearing, smell, taste,
and touch. It is designed using plants, substances, and patterns that help to
perceive the beauty of the environment to the fullest extent. The diversity of
colours, smells, tastes, and substances gives an excellent opportunity to
improve sensory skills and to have fun.
The sensory garden
in the Boarding Home is divided into several areas, each of which has its own
purpose, crucial for the development of the children’s nervous system.
When we enter the
garden, we get to the area of “good mood” that engages with hearing and
eyesight. It consists of two areas, the Rainbow of Sounds and the Sunny
Cocktail.
The Rainbow of
Sounds area of the sensory garden focuses on hearing. It is achieved by a
number of structures made of various stuff and called The Music of the Wind.
These structures consist of several hanging pipes and a swinging pendulum, and
give out pleasant melodious chimes.
The Hearing area
makes use of cereal plants, whose seeds whisper in the wind and create a unique
melody blended with the rustle of the leaves.
The Rainbow of
Sounds area smoothly transitions into the Sunny Cocktail area with lots of
colourful and pleasantly-looking flowers. Flowers with big yellow leaves that
resemble chamomiles are in full bloom here right now.
As we move from the
area of “good mood”, we enter the area of “tranquillity”, which is titled Quiet
Harmony. It consists of cool-hued flowers and aromatic plants. Lilac-coloured
asters, veronicas, irises, astilbes and other blue, pale blue, and purple
flowers will take turns in blossoming from spring till autumn and make children
happy. The area of aromatic plants contains various species of mint (apple
mint, chocolate mint, spearmint), marjoram, catnip, savoury, and common sage.
There is a
touch-and-feel area on a clear glade in the garden. It consists of a sensory
path where one can tread barefoot. Every element of this path is filled with
natural materials of varying shapes, sizes, and structures: pebbles, bark,
sand, pine cones, corn, and sawdust. Along the sensory path, there are various
flowers, e.g., woundwort and lady’s mantle, the leaves of which have different
surfaces: smooth, rugged, and soft.
This touch-and-feel
area also contains a sensory table filled with sand. It improves manual
dexterity, which in turn bolsters speech development. This is because the areas
in the brain that are responsible for manual dexterity are located close to the
speech area. That is why playing with sand is so helpful for children,
especially children with special needs. The table is supported by four thick
legs. Its height and width make it possible to play not only in the upright position
but also while sitting on a wheelchair.
There is a lawn on
a flat plot of land near the sensory area. It is designated for games and
walks. Tables for creative work can be moved out to this lawn when the weather
is fine. Children can spread out blankets, relax in the middle of the garden,
and play with animals on this lawn.
A big fountain that
binds all areas together is the focus of the entire sensory garden. The noise
of water harmoniously complements the area of sounds and joins the sound of wind,
the rustle of leaves, and the Music of the Wind in creating a very special
natural symphony.
The sound and
ripple of water have a calming effect on one’s nervous system, which is why the
fountain matches the tranquillity area perfectly. The outer and inner walls of
the fountain are decorated with multicolour mosaic of various shapes, made in
many workshops of St Elisabeth Convent. Aside from the fact that one can enjoy
looking at the fountain from all sides of the garden, its walls are interesting
to touch and look at, which has a beneficial effect on the children’s sensory
development.
There is a contact
zoo in the sensory garden, which is the most exciting and special area of the
garden. Children can not only look at the animals but also fondle them, hold
them on their hands, and take care of them.
There are hens and
chicken of two decorative breeds, namely, Silkie chicken and Millefiori
chicken. These breeds are very cute and noted for their fluffy feathers and
calm character.
There is a house
for two Pygmy goats near the coop. They never grow as big as other goat breeds.
They are known for their friendly character, and everyone can cuddle, feed, and
play with them.
There are five
cute, fluffy, and harmless decorative rabbits of two breeds (Lionhead and
Lop-eared) in the contact zoo. When children communicate with animals, when
they touch the wool and the soft noses, it does not only improve their tactle
abilities but also boosts their non-verbal communication skills. Children and
animals find good rapport with each other instinctively. When a little child
holds the little animal, he or she feels the life that is different from his or
her own.
Of course, there is
a human’s best friend in the zoo, too. It’s a kind, friendly, tender, and
attention-seeking dog.
All animal houses
were built specially for this garden and have a strong and insulated structure.
The animals are going to feel comfortable all year round.
The Sensory Garden
and Contact Zoo for Children with Special Needs project was built from the
ground up in just a couple of months, from late spring till early autumn,
thanks to our American friends and to the effort of many people from the
Convent and beyond, who are ready to help the children who live in the boarding
home.
Aside from what has
already been done, we plan to bring a xylophone to the sound area so that the
children could play it and learn to make sounds in harmony with nature.
We also plan to
provide children on wheelchairs with eco-therapeutic tables where they will be
able to look at, touch, and even plant some flowers and herbs on their own.
We also plan to
erect some stakes and poles made of various stuff (timber with and without
bark, metal, plastic, tied with rope, etc.)
The sensory garden
and contact zoo is a territory of relaxation, development, exploration,
treatment, education, and fun. Children will be able to learn about beauty,
diligence, kindness, and love of all creatures. We hope that the children who
live in the boarding home will have many a great discovery in the sensory
garden and contact zoo!
Prepared by Alexandra Ursalova
September 21, 2018
St. Elisabeth Convent
CONVERSATION