Jamison Elementary School welcomed children back for the 2021-2022 schoolyear with a playground specially designed for youngsters with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). FOX29 Philadelphia’s Bob Kelly got to experience the fun firsthand.

The playground memorializes Renee Ford, a Jamison special needs instructor. She lost her life to breast cancer in early 2021.

Her husband was on hand for the opening. “It’s tremendous,” he said. “This was a second family for her.”

Fifth-grade teacher Jared Hottenstein explained several of the play areas.

“These are outdoor musical instruments,” he said, standing beside a garden of huge flowers on metal stems. “You bang on them.”

The kids’ inventiveness with this equipment surprised even Hottenstein. “The kids did stuff I didn’t even think about doing,” he said. “They would touch and feel the vibrations.”

The area also features a variety of sensory ground coverings the kids can run over. Or dig their fingers in. A waterfall feature, perfect for some low-level splashing, provides both sensory and auditory stimulation.

Although the site is primarily for students at the school, members of the public can also bring their ASD children there during off-hours.

More on this special playground, designed for kids with autism spectrum disorder, is at FOX29 Philadelphia.