There are several play gyms across Virginia, designed to be inclusive for children with autism or other developmental or physical conditions, but most are in Northern Virginia. The New River Valley now has a new space for children of all abilities to play together.
The Barnyard Sensory Gym is located inside a former barn building in Floyd County. They have a climbing wall, several different types of accessible swings and a trampoline. Julie Ellis is the gym’s manager.
“There’s not a whole lot to do out here, other than farming and being outside, and so many families have to travel for a resource like ours,” Ellis said. “So we’re just excited to have one within the community.”
The company that built this gym, Strengthening our System, works to help children across Southwest Virginia with developmental and mental disabilities. One thing families said they wanted was a place that’s accessible, where siblings can play together, and children with all different abilities can interact, said executive director Stephanie Bakely.
“We want it to be an all-inclusive place,” Bakely explained. “That it wasn’t insurance based. It wasn’t diagnoses based. That all family members could come. And engage in play.”
There are play stations with blocks, sensory toys, art supplies and various different types of swings, including one that is similar to a hammock.
“It’s really good just to wrap yourself up in, and it’s really good for the spinners, anybody who likes a spinning sensation. You can go pretty quickly in here," Ellis described. “So you can wrap yourself up in it, and there’s really no fear that they’re gonna fall out or fling themselves off, like you may do at a playground or on a tire swing."
The gym also has a chill room, with bean bags, calming lights and music and a ball pit. “A lot of people quite interested in that, even the adults. They all wish that they had one of these chill bins at their own home,” Bakely said.
The gym is for any child between the ages of 2 and 14, and it costs between $6 and $12 an hour to use, depending on a child’s age. Toddlers aged 2-4 use a separate, smaller space designed for smaller children. Bakely recommends reserving a space ahead of time, though walk-ins are also allowed.
