World's first pop-up sensory play den from Sussex engineer
and live on Freeview channel 276
The PODSpop has been designed by Alex Ford, aka Professor Pods, for children with special sensory needs and physical disabilities and for parents simply wanting a calm, safe space for their children to play in.
Newhaven based Alex has spent the past two years reconfiguring his successful sensory environments to create PODSpop, a scaled down den that pops up in just 40 seconds to provide a 360-degree immersive play space at home or for smaller spaces.
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Hide AdAlex said: “The Covid-19 pandemic caused unprecedented disruption to children’s daily lives. Some children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing were deeply affected and the number of children reporting persistent stress – everyday or most days – is worryingly high.”
Alex has run PODS Play selling especially designed sensory spaces to hospitals, hospices, hospitality, and entertainment venues for 10 years.
It packs down into a small handy backpack that can easily be transported from room to room at home or to another location, e.g. grandparents or childminder’s homes,
like any favourite toy. You literally plug it in, pop it up and play.
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Hide AdAles added: “PODSpop was created to help children with different sensory and learning needs, physical disabilities and raised stress levels to have an amazing play experience.
“We all know that play is essential to development because it contributes to the cognitive, physical, social, and better mental health for children. As a child I grew up with disability in the family and at school I had a friend with autism. It was obvious to me, even then, that when they became frustrated or agitated, they would need to take themselves off to a safe space to calm down.
“I’ve worked hard to create an inclusive and immersive environment where imaginations can run free – a safe personal portal to calming, creative play. And it had to be cool and fun.”
Each PODSpop comes with themed audio books and eBooks to complement interchangeable graphics and technical wizardry, helping users to remotely control
the sounds and lights inside the pop-up den.
To find out more go to www.podsplay.com