EDEN Learning Spaces has officially launched the UK’s first education-specialist line of soft seating, specifically designed to inspire a love of learning.
The innovative soft furnishings designers unveiled their exciting new range of bean-filled and foam-filled seating in March 2014 at the nation’s biggest education conference, the Education Show.
The expert product team at Eden Learning Spaces has purposefully designed the bright and contemporary collection to also be used as engaging teaching tools for various age groups and learning environments.
Extensive research and close work with educational establishments from around the UK provided vital insight to develop specialist products, custom-designed for the educational market. This produced a range of specialist fabrics and textures for sensory environments as well as practical and contemporary products for early years, primary and secondary learning environments.
Versatility is upheld as a core design trait throughout the range with the vast majority of products intended for use both indoors and outdoors with 100% waterproof durable polyester fabric. The sensory bean bag range has been specially designed for special education needs learners, but also with the aim of promoting inclusive learning for all.
Eden Learning Spaces managing director Mark Dolder said: “Our product range provides a fresh approach to the educational environment by creating a relaxed and engaging atmosphere that encourages participation.
“Our research and development has focused on creating products that are a multipurpose and practical investment combined with being a bright and lively addition to any learning environment. To provide further added value we also utilised our research to create free downloadable activity resources for use with the different curriculum based products.”
Kerrie Highcock is the autism assessment and training coordinator at the North East Autism Society and has used a variety of the Eden Learning Spaces bean bags. Kerrie explains: “Bean bags are a wonderful product for special education needs as they provide a source of proprioceptive input. Children with autism in particular find the large bean bags soothing as they make them feel supported, comfortable and safe. The attention to textures and fabrics has also been useful for desensitising children who have hyper tactile sense.”
The SEN and sensory collection includes an extra-large bean bag designed to fit around a fibre optic light or bubble tube with enough room on one side for wheelchair users to get up close to the lighting fixture. The Sensory Touch Tags Bean Bag is made in a giant floor cushion shape, trimmed with multiple textured fabric tags providing a tactile sensory experience.
Mark Dolder continued: “The lightweight mobility of the bean bags means they can be moved around a school for multiple uses, which is beneficial as the concept of the outdoor classroom has become quite popular recently. Different age groups throughout a school can make use of the products as outdoor furniture.
“In special education environments we’ve seen pupils feel more relaxed and not fidgeting whilst sat in the large bean bags, allowing them to engage with their teacher more fully. We’ve also seen children using the Emotions Cubes to help express themselves and to learn and understand about other people’s emotions.
“The animated reaction of children of all ages when they first see the products is really inspiring to see, so we are looking forward to witnessing the full extent to which the products can impact teachers’ work as well as the multitude of different learning environments that could stand to benefit from them.”
The post A New Education has Landed and it’s Full of Beans appeared first on Disability Magazine | Able Magazine.