By PTA Pelletstown Educate Together
We are looking to create a Sensory Garden and Outdoor classroom, that values and respects all individuals. These gardens allow children to connect to nature and explore freely, engaging all 5 senses.
In delivering both a Sensory garden and an Outdoor classroom, we are encouraging creative play, exploring, imagination and also stimulating and engaging the 5 basis senses. These surroundings allow children with additional disabilities to explore their senses in a safe environment. Also, for children who do not suffer with disabilities, it is beneficial as a fun educational tool that allows them to explore and learn about their senses and nature. Our ideas will compose of biodegradable seating benches in a theatre style set up with enclosed fencing, recycled plastic stepping stones pathway to these benches, tree trunks, insect hotel, large planters of sensory plants such as lavender, mint, rosemary etc, raised sand pits, treated timber activity walls. We are surrounded by a biosphere with beautiful views of Tolka Valley Park.
What we'll deliver:
Why it's a great idea:
We are committed to making our School community an all exclusive one. We are creating an environment that values and respects all individuals, regardless of their differences. One of the main benefits of inclusion is it can lead to improved peer interactions. Being part of a diverse classroom allows them to learn appropriate social behaviours and communication techniques through observation and peer interaction. Anecdotal evidence has shown that children who are engaged in learning in an outdoor setting are less likely to exhibit behavioural problems. Positive classroom environment helps improve attention, reduce anxiety and support emotional wellbeing. It enhances enjoyment and relaxes busy minds, it aids physical health and exposes children to natural light. Our project in bringing inclusivity in an outdoor setting will compose of biodegradable resources, use of our surrounding biosphere and beautiful nature and views of Tolka Valley Park.
Steps to get it done:
We as a school community encourage integration and inclusion of all our students. We have a weekly schedule where children from the mainstream classes can sign up to engage in fun and games with the children from the Autism classes. Our main focus with this project is to create a sensory garden and an outdoor classroom, in doing both of these together we are encouraging this inclusivity.
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Thank you so much to Paul in Denios for his generous donation of barrels to the Sensory Garden! Paul visited us yesterday from England to see the garden in person! The barrels will be used as planters for different types of Sensory Plants. Thank you much for your generous donation, we cant wait to start planting!
Brilliant news, thanks everyone!
Whoop, 70 people have pledged since fundraising began!
Whoop, 60 people have pledged since fundraising began!
Whoop, 50 people have pledged since fundraising began!
How will the money be spent?Target (inc. fees) €6,223
Costs Breakdown
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Overfunding
This project is enabled for overfunding. If the project hits its funding goal before the end of the campaign period, any extra funds raised will be spent (in order of priority) on:
Target (inc. fees) €6,223
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VolunteerWe are the Parent Teachers Association of Pelletstown Educate Together N.S, Ashtown, Dublin 15.
We are committed to making our chldrens environment an inclusive one. We are creating an environment that values and respects all individuals, regardless of their differences.
We need vital funds to develop our Sensory Garden and Outdoor Classroom and integrate our Autism Classes with Mainstream through creative play, freedom and exploring while stimulating and engaging the 5 main senses.
It has been proven that outdoor play and connecting to nature relaxes busy minds, aids physical health, develops resourcefulness and imagination and instills important life skills.
Our Sensory Garden and Outdoor Classroom will compose of a biodegradable seating, theatre style set up with enclosed fencing. We will plant many sensory plants such as Lavender, Mint, basil, Willow and Coriander. We will use recycled stepping stones to make a pathway to the seating areas. We will use old tree trunks for seating, we wil use our surrounding biosphere to introduce a Bug Hotel and get the children involved in planting with a Greenhouse and large planter pots. We have already started to grow our own Apple, Pear and Plum trees.
We will develop our Sensory Garden with the addition of sensory plants, activity tables with Sand and Water play, a raised sand pit and a Sensory eggchair.
We have the volunteers, gardeners, a leading horticulturist from the Phoenix Park. We have the committment and the heart, we just need the funding!
Our children need you.
Any help is much appreciated.
Thank you.
Project Owner: PTA Pelletstown Educate Together The Project Owner takes legal responsibility for receiving and spending the funds raised and ensuring the project is delivered.
