We Found a Playground for Kids with Autism !

When my daughter reached her biological teenage years ,.playhouses started to not accept her in anymore coz they say she’s old . It was heartbreaking coz she loves these play places. Luckily we discovered Hatch a non discriminatory regardless of age playhouse for kids with autism.

My daughter has autism and I hardly post about her in my social media. Reason is she can’t give me consent if she approves or not being seen .  She’s none verbal and she can’t articulate her thoughts . So, I made a decision to limit her visibility in my feed as much as possible to protect her from the evil eyes and evil minds.  If you know what I mean.  Most especially the judgement we will both get especially now that people get so offended so easily. Plus I want to keep a part of my life still private even if I’m sort of a public image.

I have nothing against parents who flaunt every minute of their day with their children.  I think before my daughter became a teenager she was also very seen in my feeds and my posts.  Now that she’s biologically a teen and soon an adult in chronological years, she’s still is very fragile like a toddler that’s her mental age.

Which lead me to feeling sad when she reached her teenage years, all of the play place we go to no longer accept her in because she’s too old for the place.  They don’t put into account her mental age and her being a person with autism whose mental age is that of a toddler.

This is just one of the many ways we experience discrimination. One of the many things I try to avoid that’s why she’s not always seen on my feed.  Ageism is real, when you get  discirminated because of your age. When I believe in the internet everyone is the same it encompasses age we are all equal online. Then being discirminated coz you are different.  It’s the same as the things a lot are fighting for equality because of their sexuality, religion , gender, color.

Which lead me to feeling happy when I found out that a playground for special persons opened at the Podium Mall in Ortigas.

Hatch is a safe place for PWDs.  They have open play room where the kids can freely roam and just be their usual self.  There are play area staff to oversee everyone but an adult can accompany their child in there too.  Open Play is Php600 per hour for one kid and one adult guardian .

They also have special therapy and assessment area for those who want to have their kids assessed and go through therapy sessions.

I’ve seen a couple of kids and therapist with them while I was there.   I felt  happy and safe in there especially being surrounded by angels.  I think my daughter felt safe and happy too.  As soon as she entered the room she jumped around , laughed and played.  That was a great thing to see.

So for parents who wishes to take their kids to a playground that has an accepting and loving aura, come to Hatch.  I’m not paid to promote this but I am sure like me you struggled to find a safe place for you child with autism.

But!!!!

Hatch is also a therapy center, not just a place for sensory play. They offer therapy services like sensory integration therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, physical therapy, feeding therapy, oral placement therapy, social thinking therapy, and SPED tutorial.

Hatch is located at the 4th floor of Podium Mall, when you see Cuts for Tots turn left if coming from the mall entrance from Megamall.