The first playground of its type in the country, KidSense, officially opened at Pontchartrain Elementary School in Mandeville last week. Built by parents with private funding, the playground integrates play with therapy to develop motor skills, balance, focus and even communication skills.

The playground is not limited to special needs children; in fact, it is built to accommodate inclusion classes of up to 20 students.

The playground is located between Pontchartrain Elementary and Tchefuncte Middle Schools and both schools’ students will benefit from the unique playground.

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LeAnne Cantrell, the mother behind the project, said, “I am humbled and gratified. Cole (her autistic child) has already succeeded in life.

“If he had never been born, I would not know as much about sensory integration. If I had worked half as hard as he does every day, I would have finished the project in half the time,” she said.

Cantrell said that sensory integration helps kids process information and regain their control.

This included children that are diagnosed with ADHD or even autism. A regular playground can be overwhelming. With this playground, the buddy slides allow for the student’s paraprofessional or a friend to go down the slide with them.

The symbol of the group is a puzzle piece, and Cantrell thanked the four corners of the puzzle: Christie Bourgeois, Angels on Earth Foundation; developer Bruce Wainer, for construction; Eve Werner, the playground guru that designed KidSense; and Franklin Kyle, donor of the design and installation of the yard and landscaping.

Cantrell said, “The four corner pieces are critical, but everyone is needed to complete the puzzle.”

Bruce Wainer said that he couldn’t resist helping. “How do you say no to putting smiles on kids’ faces?” he asked.

At the official ribbon cutting ceremony, Pontchartrain principal Kathleen Wiseman thanked everyone for their assistance in making the dream a reality. “We are proud of our special needs program,” she said.

The school’s Circle of Friends group, 100 strong, meets monthly.

In conjunction with the special needs department, the school is decorated with a mural portraying Zink the Zebra.

“We are all special and different,” said Wiseman. “Zink is different because he was born with spots instead of stripes.”

Cantrell has received calls and inquiries from throughout the country about the unique play area from schools and community groups wanting to include sensory integration play for their special needs students.