Multi sensory packages on a budget from Apollo Creative

Not only is money tight at the moment, but space can be also. Add those two together and the prospect of a multi sensory room can feel a very long way away indeed.

It's for this reason that we've got a number of sensory packages. Simple bits of equipment which when added together can give the multi sensory feel. Some are also designed to be movable so if suddenly your circumstances change, the equipment can adapt with you.

If you've only got a spare corner, one of the best ways to make the most of it is by using mirrors. Mirrors make any space feel bigger, and also enhance the effect of coloured lighting. Anyone can put together our Mirrored Bubble Tube Corner making it easy for you to do yourself, another cost saver.

No matter how big or small your space might be, there's always something that you can do with it. Get in touch with us to find out how we can help.

Corner of the World wins Silver!

I'm just back from RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show, where Corner of the World won a Silver Medal. Congratulations to Nick, Clare and all the rest of the team.

Christmas Grotto Sensory room

The Halloween sensory space that we created in October has been changed to Christmas themed Grotto, complete with Father Christmas and bags of presents!

Instead of employing a witch, the Grotto uses the help of an Elf, who guides the children round the space exploring the different sounds, lighting and images and using the interactivity to tell stories and play games.

The highlight of the space is an interactive dice, that can communicate to a computer which way up it is facing. A different set of sounds is played depending on which side is chosen, and the projection also changes. All of the images are shown beneath the outline of a window frame to make it appear that the children are looking out into a magical world controlled by the dice. The multi-coloured dice also controls the colour of the bubble tube.

After playing games and telling stories with the Elf, the children enter into a second room and see Father Christmas who gives them a present and takes their photo.

The Interactive Christmas Grotto is open to the public throughout December at Creepy Crawlies, a children's adventure play site in York.

Halloween Sensory Space - Completed

With the help of Camel Event Productions we have completed the Halloween sensory space for Creepy Crawlies. Using the Apollo Ensemble system, a computer controls all sounds, lights and videos when triggered by hidden switches.

Featuring a bubble tube, projector, fibre optics, ultra-violet, colour changing lighting and a sound system, the space makes the best use of Halloween props to create a scary atmosphere. Add to that a reverberated microphone and a real witch, the space becomes a perfect place to tell scary stories and really get in the Halloween mood!

As you try to open a book containing a hidden sensor, a portrait of a ghost comes alive to tell jokes and rhymes. The highlight of the sensory space is the bubbling witches cauldron which starts misting when you walk up to it!

The Halloween Sensory Space will be open in Creepy Crawlies at the start of next week and last until Halloween.

Halloween Sensory Space

We have begun work on a Halloween-themed sensory area for Creepy Crawlies, a large childrens play centre just outside York. The space, a rather compact 2m x 4m, will house hidden floor switches which trigger lights, sounds and videos to create a spooky atmosphere. The space will be open for the week leading up to Halloween and we'll soon post some more pictures.

We will even have an interactive, bubbling witches cauldron!

KidsOut Filming

Today we made a video of how to build the KidsOut Portable Sensory Rooms at the National Centre for Early Music in York. The idea is for a DVD to accompany the units to allow people to move them between different venues.

New KidsOut Sensory Room - Frenchay Hospital

Today we installed a second Portable Sensory Room for KidsOut. Based on the prototype, currently based in a school in Reading, this unit features some changes based on feedback.

Featuring a bubble tube, fibre optics, colour changes lighting, star cloth, projector and sound system, the space will be used by children on the Barbara Rusell Ward whilst there is no school.

The unit will be based in the school room at Frenchay Hospital over the Summer, before being moved to a new venue in september.

Official opening of Sensory Room at Whitley Park School

The portable sensory room installed at Whitley Park Infant School was officially opened today with a reception. Since the initial installation last week, all 320 children at the school have been through and experience the area.

Ann Tanner, Headteacher, commented:

"We are excited at Whitley Park to be given the chance to explore with the children the possibilities for learning this brings. We aim to create stimulating learning opportunities for the children, develop their language and create wonderful learning environments that give them a sense of the world around us. Themes including seaworld, space, gardens, and jungles come immediately to mind but others will emerge as the staff team explore the possibilities.

"We are privileged to be part of this project and we will do our best to help 'KidsOut' provide more of these portable sensory rooms for other children across the UK. Our plan is to extend the use within our local community to the two Children's Centres in Whitley, for children to visit the room and have fun exploring it. My thanks to Mark and Kevin for the design, ideas and for making this dream a reality."

Portable Sensory Room

Today we built the prototype of the Portable Sensory Room at Whitley Park School in Reading. Funded by KidsOut, the room will be undergoing tests at the school over the next few months. It is hoped that the feedback from these will help us develop the design of the space.

Coloured lighting and background sounds are controlled by the Apollo Controller, with users inserting a USB stick to activate the different themes. Other lighting effects are controlled by front panel switches.

KidsOut visit to assess Sensory Space

KidsOut visited today to have a look at the Portable Sensory Space that we are putting together for them. This is a prototype which they are hoping to put into a school before the end of the year.

Due to the size we built it at the lighting company premises, which also meant we could try out different lighting effects. The structure turned out to be a lot larger than it looked on paper and it was immediately decided to only build half the structure as the final unit. The basic premise worked well, but we now need to develop some of the ideas further for a second assessment visit in July.

The unit will incorporate a number of key effects including colour change lighting, a gobo projector, a bubble tube, a mirror ball and soft play elements.

New Project - Portable Sensory Space

Today saw Apollo kicking off a new project to develop a portable sensory room for an organisation called KidsOut. KidsOut exists to "transform the lives of disadvantaged children and young people by providing fun opportunities and positive experiences that work to significantly enhance their wellbeing and outlook for a happier future."

I'll be designing a portable sensory space that can be built as a temporary structure in a school or village hall and left for a few months. It will incorporate Apollo bubble tubes and sensory equipment, as well as lighting and sound equipment.