Reimagining Playgrounds
honest. And selfishly, closer to us would be brilliant. But I just think it’s something that all children should be able to access.” It’s not unusual for visitors to travel from faraway places to get the full Gympanzees Pop-Up experience, with some families staying overnight in accommodations to visit two days in a row. Others will even travel three hours each way in a day for a 1.5-hour session. The great appeal of Gympanzees for parents and guardians is that kids and young adults with disabilities get the exercise and health benefits they need without knowing it. They can improve their physical health, social skills, and sensory integration by playing, having fun, and exploring the world Gympanzees has created.
needed to ensure a fun and safe environment: a gym, indoor playground, outdoor playground, soft playroom, a trampoline room, a sociable café, a music room, and two sensory rooms. These facilities were created so that Wheen could offer an environment that best suits a child’s physical and sensory needs. So far, Gympanzees Pop-Ups have been a huge success, with over 14,000 visitors over the 95 days they have been open over the Easter and summer holidays when the schools are empty of students. “Gympanzees is just amazing because there’s nothing else like it,” said the parent of a Gympanzees participant who traveled up from Denton and stayed the night. “I’d love to see things like Gympanzees everywhere, to be
How Gympanzees is Making Exercise Accessible and Joyful for Children with Disabilities
Stephanie Wheen
PHOTO CREDIT COURTESY OF BUSINESS LIVE, GYMPANZEES, BATH ECO WRITTEN BY KEVIN JAMES JEFFERY
S adly, the vast majority of don’t have access to regular leisure facilities. And in case
physiotherapist by trade and founder and CEO of Gympanzees, a place for children and young adults with disabilities to play, exercise, and relax. Wheen came up with the idea around five years ago when she took on an accelerator program
recreational facilities exclude children with disabilities. In fact, it’s estimated that 84% of children with disabilities
that taught her everything she needed to know about business. That’s when she started a team around her, and together, they started dreaming up a big center for children with disabilities. But
“Gympanzees is just amazing because there’s nothing else like it”
you’re wondering, there are around three million children with disabilities in the United States, 750,000 in the United Kingdom, and 240 million worldwide. In most cases, kids with disabilities can’t play or exercise, and they’re usually stuck
before all that, they needed to prove that their bold concept could work. That’s when the idea for pop-ups came
at home with their families. This has a major impact on siblings, but parents are also affected. Fortunately, some people are attempting to increase the options for kids with disabilities. One of those people is Stephanie Wheen, a
into play. Opened in 2018, the Gympanzee Pop- Ups have been run in schools to provide families with a much-needed service and also to prove their concept for a main center, which is in the planning stages. The pop-ups include everything
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