SEND Friendly Play Sessions

Our SEND Friendly Play Sessions are designed to offer a calmer, lower-sensory experience for children who may find our usual sessions a little overwhelming.

We reduce the number of families attending and keep music, microphones and other sounds at a lower level wherever possible. Children can explore the role play village at their own pace, and joining in with our story and activities is always completely optional.

These sessions are for children with additional needs who may benefit from a quieter, lower-capacity environment.

There is no requirement for your child to have a formal diagnosis, and siblings are very welcome to attend too.

Not at all. Everything we do at Discovery Village is designed to be optional.

Children are welcome to join our performer for as much or as little of the story as they like, watch from a distance or simply enjoy exploring the village and role play areas instead.

We reduce the volume of music, microphones and other sounds during our SEND Friendly Sessions, but Discovery Village is still a children’s play environment, so we cannot guarantee complete silence.

There will still be other children playing, talking and enjoying the village.

We have sets of sensory ear defenders for your little one to borrow if required.

Yes. We reduce the capacity of these sessions to help create a calmer environment with more space for children to explore.

Absolutely. Siblings are very welcome and can enjoy the session at Discovery Village together.

That’s absolutely fine. Children are free to move around the village throughout the session and do not need to stay with the performer or group.

Our Woodland Café also gives families somewhere to sit together while still being able to see much of the village. We have a decompression space away from the hustle and bustle of village life by our toilets with cushions, beanbags and woodland theming.

No. Our sessions are designed around play rather than expectations.

There is no pressure to answer questions, speak to the performer, follow instructions or complete activities. Children can experience Discovery Village in whatever way works best for them.

Of course. Some families find that our standard sessions are already calm enough for their child, particularly at quieter times.

Our booking system now shows the current availability of upcoming sessions as Quiet, Steady or Busy. This can be really useful if you are thinking of visiting on the day and would prefer to choose a session that is looking quieter.

Please remember that this reflects bookings at that particular time. If you book a session several days or weeks in advance, we cannot guarantee that it will remain quiet as more families may book before the session takes place.

If having a reduced-capacity session is particularly important for your child, we would recommend choosing one of our dedicated SEND Friendly Play Sessions or please feel free to call the centre ahead of your visit.

Our dedicated SEND Friendly Play Sessions usually take place on the third Wednesday of each month from 3:45pm until 5:45pm.

Upcoming dates can be found on our booking page.

We understand that knowing what to expect can make visiting somewhere new much easier.

We have a familiarisation video showing families around Discovery Village, including our role play areas and facilities, which you can watch together before your visit. You are more than welcome to pop in a see the centre for yourself ahead of a visit and our team will be more than happy to facilitate this. Please give us a call and we’ll get a visit booked in.

There is never any pressure to continue with an activity.

If your child needs to move away from the story, take a break or explore somewhere else in the village, that’s completely fine. Our team are used to children enjoying Discovery Village in lots of different ways.

Absolutely. If there is something specific that would help your child feel more comfortable during their visit, you’re very welcome to get in touch before you come.

We can’t always accommodate every individual request, but we’re always happy to explain what to expect and help you decide whether a session is right for your family.