Nobody ever wants to feel excluded. It’s an awful feeling.
And no parent ever wants to have their child excluded. That is heartbreaking.
To make sure that doesn’t happen – or happens less often – is the reason why ‘We Rock the Spectrum’ opened its doors.
Some kids can get overwhelmed rather quickly, might need to take things slow, but still love to play and do the same things all kids love to do. We Rock the Spectrum is a sensory-based, fully-inclusive gym. A safe place for families and children of all abilities.
Sensory-based. Yes. Sensory-safe play for kids with autism, special needs, and neurotypical development. It’s a fun place for any child. Any day. Jessica Sills, who owns the local facilities with her husband, Jeff, says so far so good, “Our inspiration from the community has been beyond my wildest dreams. From the initial announcement, to the social media and live media coverage, to the build-out, and now, the everyday operations- I have been in constant awe of the love and support from the community.”
Jessica says, it’s about having a place for anyone to grow, play, and learn, “Our goal is for WRTS Buffalo to be a community resource- for individuals of all ages and all ability levels, for family members, for therapists, teachers, and schools, for support groups. We are here to serve a need.”
Kids are kids are kids are kids and Jessica stresses the importance of treating them that way, “Something that we notice with our families at WRTS Kid’s Gym is inclusion. We serve families and children of all different backgrounds and abilities, but when you’re at WRTS, it doesn’t matter. We have seen children of all abilities playing together and participating in classes together. We love being able to provide another environment for families to come together.”
It’s fun for the kids and an opportunity for parents to network, learn, and share. Jessica says this project has brought her family so much joy, “We Rock has completely changed our lives. We are here everyday, doing what we love- it honestly never feels like work. Our family spends more time together than we ever have before.” and she adds one final thought, “You can’t change the world in a day, but we can try our best to contribute to our community in the best way we know how.”
HOURS: M-F from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3 to 6 p.m. Weekends are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Always call ahead to be sure there isn’t a private party)
COST: Open Play is $12 per child, and $10 for additional siblings. (There are packages available as well)
LOCATIONS: 5427 Transit Rd, Williamsville and 6950 Erie Rd, Derby
More info: HERE
0 Comments