For those with sensory sensitivities try these gentler experience next time you’re in town…
The Workshops Rail Museum
The Workshops Rail Museum is a Best of Queensland recognised tourism experience that offers sensory days during the holidays. During these sessions less tickets are sold and lights and sounds are lowered allowing access to events like Day out with Thomas to those that need a gentler experience. Noise cancelling headphones and sensory kits are available for every visit though.
Ipswich Nature Centre
Take a walk through the Ipswich Nature Centre, in the morning, during the week to enjoy the nature refuge in the middle of Queens Park. After you can head to the children’s playground which includes a liberty swing.
Robelle Domain
Enjoy a day surrounded in nature at Robelle Domain. Take a walk through the parklands, past waterfalls and a small stream. Play at the all-abilities playground and use the interactive play equipment.
Environmental Education Centre
Visit the Environmental Education Centre located in Queens Park. There are interactive displays and sensory boxes designed for children to learn about the natural environment.
Ipswich Children’s Library
Head to the Ipswich Children’s Library where you can feed life-sized dinosaur colourful scarves through an interactive pipe experience. Design your own colourful fish and watch them swim around the digital display. There are also visual activities such as an augmented reality butterfly experience and quiet areas to calm and soothe.
Tales and Trails
Tales and Trails is an outdoor self-guided reading experience in parks and locations of interest around the city. It is a gentle experience featuring 12 books created for First 5 Forever printed on large metal signs spread along a nature walking trail with braille for increased accessibility. The books are being rotated throughout different locations during the year but include Hotel for Bees, Koalas Like To…, Once, I Munched a Mango and more.
Bob Gamble Park
At Bob Gamble Park there is a water play area above the shooting spouts which is great for sensory play. You can pump water through the channels and feel it running between your fingers. The boardwalk nearby is also a nice wheelchair accessible experience.
Little Day Out
Little Day Out, Ipswich’s signature children’s contemporary music and arts festival has been designed to be inclusive for all children and features a quiet zone with sensory activities. It also features a silent disco, seedling planting, loose parts play, dancing and more.
Little Day Out is a part of the SPARK Ipswich festival, see the Ipswich Festivals website for information.
