In KidsLikeUs, the project partners, educators, public authorities and non-governmental organizations explored how contact with nature and appeal to all senses can improve mental well-being of children with traumatic experiences. With their knowledge and tools, the project aimed to create "Superhero sensory gardens” which could serve as a sanctuary and a therapeutic environment for children, providing them with stability and healing. These gardens should be understood in a different way than traditionally, as they consist of solutions ranging from simple creative activities, greenery, and interior design elements to more complex technological solutions.
Project partners have produced guided activities and solutions through which a child can practice movement and motor skills, acceptance, relaxation, creativity, interaction, survival skills, sensory play, emotional expression, and closeness to nature. Yoga and exercise, wet-on-wet watercolor painting, sand therapy, building forest shelters, sensory furniture, chest for multigenerational planting, virtual reality (VR) fairytale, games, apps and smart design elements are a few examples.
The SAMK KidsLikeUs team focused on technological solutions that support relaxation and sensory engagement of children as well as exploration of emotions.
Virtual Relaxation is a virtual reality activity for children that teaches simple calming breathing techniques in immersive, multisensory environments. Using VR goggles, children choose between a Night Forest or Sunny Lake setting, where friendly animals and a glowing dandelion guide them through stationary, relaxation-focused breathing exercises that support self-awareness and stress reduction in a playful way. It is available also as a video which works in a group setting.
Emoji digital game is a browser-based app that consists of two games: the emoji game and the human facial expression game. The idea of the game is to mimic the emotional expression shown on the screen (happy, sad, angry, surprised, disgusted or scared) through facial recognition.
The Emoji flashcards game is designed to help children explore and express their emotions in a fun and engaging way. Featuring a set of flashcards and various emoji cut-outs, the game challenges players to match descriptions or situations to the appropriate emoji. By scanning a QR code with a smartphone, players can see if their chosen emoji matches the one on the flashcard or if it differs, they can discuss the differences.
The Sensory board includes six soft textile tiles, each with a built-in pressure sensor linked to a board computer and a speaker. Touching a tile plays a corresponding animal sound stored on a memory stick. Teachers can use the board while reading stories with animal characters: whenever an animal is mentioned, children can press the tile that represents it. This adds an interactive, playful element to story time. Thus, the board provides calming tactile and audio input, supports mindfulness and focus, and encourages cooperation through shared play.
The Music Cushion is a cat-shaped cushion with a built-in pressure sensor that plays soothing audio—such as gentle meditations with positive affirmations—when a child sits or rests on it. The sound will pause if the pressure on the cushion is not sensed anymore. Audio files can be updated via a memory stick inserted into the external electronics box and listened to through wired headphones or a speaker. The purpose of Music Cushion is to promote relaxation and stillness, give children a sense of control by activating sound through calm behavior, and provide comforting audio for sleep, rest, or reduce restlessness.
The Magic Tent is an easy-to-assemble children’s play tent equipped with a portable projector that displays calming nature animations and sounds. The tent fits 1–2 small children, and it can include sensory-friendly items like pillows, blankets, or LED lights. Its purpose is to offer a safe, cozy space that supports relaxation, sensory stimulation, emotional regulation, and a sense of security.
The Sensory accessibility application for children helps determine how pleasant and functional an environment is from a sensory perspective, identifying spaces that might be stressful or, conversely, aid in recovery. Sensory-neutral solutions benefit everyone, and for some, they are essential for daily life.
As the KidsLikeUs project is approaching its end, all project solutions will be collected in an e-book format, but you can familiarize yourself with some of them already now on the interactive website below. The material is freely available, most of it downloadable and intended for everybody to utilize to their best potential.
