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| Overview of the hand-over ceremony |
The event is among activities to celebrate Vietnamese People with Disabilities Day (April 18).
The project is expected to positively impact the physical and mental development of children with intellectual disabilities, as well as raising awareness about the value of water-based therapeutic design.
In February 2024, the Tan Binh District Support Centre for Inclusive Education collaborated with Think Playgrounds Social enterprise to build the first therapeutic water playground for 140 children with intellectual disabilities, designed with water play activities based on the water therapy method. This playground was funded by the New Zealand Embassy and received 14,723 contributions via the MoMo E Wallet platform.
The outdoor playground covers an area of 72.5m2 and features 8 water jets, 3 sets of showers with 4 shower heads each to spray a fine mist from above, and a wading pool with a water depth of 20cm suitable for the age of students at the centre. It serves not only as a place for fun and entertainment, but also where teachers can conduct physical therapy activities for students.
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| Children enjoying fun at the therapeutic water playground |
Ms. Ha Thi Thanh Van, Director of the Tan Binh District Support Centre for Inclusive Education, said: “The therapeutic water playground is a meaningful gift from the New Zealand Embassy to students with disabilities. With the new facilities, they will not only have fun playing with water in a familiar space (where they already study), but also improve their physical and mental health through therapy. It provides a comfortable and pressure-less environment to reduce stress and hyperactivity.”
Mr. Nguyen Tieu Quoc Dat, Creative Director of Think playgrounds, said: "This is the first therapeutic water playground that Think Playgrounds has implemented. Through great collaboration with Ms Van and the Tan Binh District Support Centre, we have been able to combine our solid experience of designing playgrounds for children with intellectual disabilities with the energy and ideas of the Centre to create something that will benefit so many children and their families.”
“The playground has been consciously designed using soil, sand, water, wood and other natural materials in colours such as blue and green – known to stimulate flexibility and surprise. This encourages children to constantly explore and learn,” he added.
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| Mr. Scott James, New Zealand Consul General gave some gifts of milk and apples to disabled students at the Center. |
Mr. Scott James, New Zealand Consul General expressed his happiness, saying: "I am delighted to see the enjoyment of the children using the therapeutic water playground. We hope that the experiences drawn from this project, such as the participation of children with disabilities and experts in the design process, can be replicated to bring more play-learning space models, ensuring greater accessibility and inclusion for children with disabilities.”
Under this project, a training workshop was also held to strengthen teaching capacity for children with intellectual disabilities and autism spectrum disorders on behavioural adjustment and development through hydrotherapy for 56 teachers and management staff at the Tan Binh District Support Centre for Inclusive Education Development, as well as at other specialised educational centres and facilities in Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Dak Nong, Dak Lak and Tien Giang.
In addition, Mr. Scott James, New Zealand Consul General gave some gifts of milk and apples to disabled students at the Tan Binh District Support Centre for Inclusive Education.
Water therapy through play is known as an effective method that provides numerous benefits for children's physical and mental health, especially for those with disabilities. However, there are currently very few outdoor water playgrounds in Viet Nam suitable for children with intellectual disabilities./.