This dissertation examines the role of sensory play interiors in fostering learning, engagement, and overall well-being among children with diverse sensory processing disorders, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and other developmental disabilities. Sensory play is recognized as a vital component of cognitive, emotional, and physical development, offering children opportunities to explore, self-regulate, and develop essential motor, social, and communication skills. Children with special needs often encounter challenges in interacting with their environment and thoughtfully designed sensory play spaces can mitigate these difficulties while fostering independence, confidence, and creativity. The study focuses on principles of sensory-friendly and inclusive design, emphasizing the integration of elements, such as texture, color, lighting, acoustics, spatial layout, and interactive features, to create environments that engage multiple senses simultaneously. Adaptive furniture, modular structures, and flexible layouts are highlighted as strategies for accommodating varying sensory needs and enabling both structured and unstructured play experiences. Through a combination of literature review, case studies, and user-centered design analysis, the research identifies best practices and innovative strategies for designing sensory play interiors. The findings demonstrate the therapeutic benefits of these spaces, including stress reduction, emotional regulation, cognitive stimulation, and improved social interaction. This dissertation provides practical guidelines for architects, interior designers, educators, and therapists to create inclusive, engaging, and safe sensory play environments. By integrating sensory design principles into educational and recreational spaces, the study emphasizes the potential to enhance developmental outcomes, learning engagement, and overall quality of life for children with special needs, advocating for environments that are both functional and enriching.

Keywords: Sensory play, special needs, interior design, autism, multisensory environments, inclusive design

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1. Little LM. Activity participation and sensory features among children with autism spectrum disorders. J Autism Dev Disord. 2015;45(9):2981–2990. doi: 10.1007/s10803-015-2460-3.
2. Unwin KL. The use of multi-sensory environments with autistic children. J Autism Dev Disord. 2021;51(2):431–440.
3. Javed H, Burns R, Jeon M, Howard AM, Park CH. An interactive robotic framework to facilitate sensory experiences for children with ASD: A preliminary study. ACM Trans Hum Robot Interact. 2019;9(1):3. doi: 10.1145/3359613.
4. Bauer V, Padovano T, Gianotti M, Caslini G, Garzotto F. MusicTraces: A collaborative music and paint activity for autistic people. In: CHI EA ’24. 2024;247:1–7. doi: 10.1145/3613905.365110.
5. Ring SG. Empowering Caregivers through Occupational Therapy: A Comprehensive Approach to Adolescent Mental Health Education.
6. Wagner K, Olsen L, Kellems R, Sorensen M, Lowder A, Roberts K, Charlton C. From Innovation to Integration: Classroom Strategies for Using VR With Students on the Autism Spectrum. Journal of Special Education Technology. 2025 Oct 8:01626434251387307.
7. Rogers SJ, Dawson G, Vismara LA. An early start for your child with autism: Using everyday activities to help kids connect, communicate, and learn. Guilford Press; 2012 May 20.
8. Fan Y, Chong DK, Li Y. Beyond play: a comparative study of multi-sensory and traditional toys in child education. InFrontiers in Education 2024 Mar 4 (Vol. 9, p. 1182660). Frontiers Media SA.
9. Obaid MA. The impact of using multi-sensory approach for teaching students with learning disabilities. Journal of international education research. 2013;9(1):75.
10. Wang J, Hirai Y, Lee Y. Strategies for inclusive playgrounds: a case study from Japan. Journal of Asian Architecture and Building Engineering. 2025 Feb 8:1-7.
11. Gillett-Swan JK, Burton LO. Amplifying children’s voices: Sustainable Development Goals and inclusive design for education and health architecture. International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology. 2023 Jan 2;25(1):87-91.

This dissertation examines the role of sensory play interiors in fostering learning, engagement, and overall well-being among children with diverse sensory processing disorders, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and other developmental disabilities. Sensory play is recognized as a vital component of cognitive, emotional, and physical development, offering children opportunities to explore, self-regulate, and develop essential motor, social, and communication skills. Children with special needs often encounter challenges in interacting with their environment and thoughtfully designed sensory play spaces can mitigate these difficulties while fostering independence, confidence, and creativity. The study focuses on principles of sensory-friendly and inclusive design, emphasizing the integration of elements, such as texture, color, lighting, acoustics, spatial layout, and interactive features, to create environments that engage multiple senses simultaneously. Adaptive furniture, modular structures, and flexible layouts are highlighted as strategies for accommodating varying sensory needs and enabling both structured and unstructured play experiences. Through a combination of literature review, case studies, and user-centered design analysis, the research identifies best practices and innovative strategies for designing sensory play interiors. The findings demonstrate the therapeutic benefits of these spaces, including stress reduction, emotional regulation, cognitive stimulation, and improved social interaction. This dissertation provides practical guidelines for architects, interior designers, educators, and therapists to create inclusive, engaging, and safe sensory play environments. By integrating sensory design principles into educational and recreational spaces, the study emphasizes the potential to enhance developmental outcomes, learning engagement, and overall quality of life for children with special needs, advocating for environments that are both functional and enriching.

Keywords: Sensory play, special needs, interior design, autism, multisensory environments, inclusive design

🔒 This is a subscription article

Full text is available to subscribers and institutional members. Please choose an option below to access it.

1. Little LM. Activity participation and sensory features among children with autism spectrum disorders. J Autism Dev Disord. 2015;45(9):2981–2990. doi: 10.1007/s10803-015-2460-3.
2. Unwin KL. The use of multi-sensory environments with autistic children. J Autism Dev Disord. 2021;51(2):431–440.
3. Javed H, Burns R, Jeon M, Howard AM, Park CH. An interactive robotic framework to facilitate sensory experiences for children with ASD: A preliminary study. ACM Trans Hum Robot Interact. 2019;9(1):3. doi: 10.1145/3359613.
4. Bauer V, Padovano T, Gianotti M, Caslini G, Garzotto F. MusicTraces: A collaborative music and paint activity for autistic people. In: CHI EA ’24. 2024;247:1–7. doi: 10.1145/3613905.365110.
5. Ring SG. Empowering Caregivers through Occupational Therapy: A Comprehensive Approach to Adolescent Mental Health Education.
6. Wagner K, Olsen L, Kellems R, Sorensen M, Lowder A, Roberts K, Charlton C. From Innovation to Integration: Classroom Strategies for Using VR With Students on the Autism Spectrum. Journal of Special Education Technology. 2025 Oct 8:01626434251387307.
7. Rogers SJ, Dawson G, Vismara LA. An early start for your child with autism: Using everyday activities to help kids connect, communicate, and learn. Guilford Press; 2012 May 20.
8. Fan Y, Chong DK, Li Y. Beyond play: a comparative study of multi-sensory and traditional toys in child education. InFrontiers in Education 2024 Mar 4 (Vol. 9, p. 1182660). Frontiers Media SA.
9. Obaid MA. The impact of using multi-sensory approach for teaching students with learning disabilities. Journal of international education research. 2013;9(1):75.
10. Wang J, Hirai Y, Lee Y. Strategies for inclusive playgrounds: a case study from Japan. Journal of Asian Architecture and Building Engineering. 2025 Feb 8:1-7.
11. Gillett-Swan JK, Burton LO. Amplifying children’s voices: Sustainable Development Goals and inclusive design for education and health architecture. International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology. 2023 Jan 2;25(1):87-91.