After visiting Gympanzees this Summer, we spoke to blogger Adventures of Azaan about visiting Gympanzees with her two sons, A (6) and R (11).
My son A is six years old and has a neurological condition called Jouberts Syndrome which has affected some of his organs and his ability to swallow and talk. A has no vision, he is fed by a tube, has severe hypotonia, so he doesn’t sit or stand, is non-verbal and is on dialysis as his kidneys have failed. I was told at the 20-week scan that my baby would be a vegetable and that he wouldn’t live a good quality of life. Fast forward a few years, and my boy doesn’t let anything hold him back. He’s living life to the fullest! And that includes his visits to Gympanzees!Â
A is blind and non-verbal but communicates through smiles and vocals such as crying and laughing, and we can see just how much he loved visiting Gympanzees! He loves jumping on the trampoline, going on the swings, and using the Innowalks. Â
A is a great music lover and found a passion for the drums this summer at Gympanzees. He was rocking it out, dancing and hitting the drums with the support of holding the drumsticks and hitting the bases.
My son prefers the butterfly sessions as its little quieter and less busy. He can become overstimulated by too much background noise, so it’s great we get the chance to choose a type of session that fits our family’s needs.Â
We first visited Gympanzees a few years ago when I heard about it via social media. It was a shame when Gympanzees had to close because of covid, but the lending library kept my boys busy during isolation!Â
A great space for both my boys to be free!Â
Both my boys love going to Gympanzees and look forward to it. Even R who finds it difficult to play with A at home most of the time. Gympanzees gives us the space and opportunity for both to play together as well as separately. R feels confident exploring the different rooms, and I, as a single parent, can have quality time with A and R in turns. It’s hard to find one place where both my boys are happy and can get something from it. Gympanzees is perfect for us.Â
The music room and trampoline room are a hit with A; he could spend all day there! R loves to venture into every room.Â
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Gympanzees is an excellent place to meet with friends we have made from previous visits. It’s an opportunity to catch up with friends in a safe space for us all.Â
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To other families thinking about visiting, I’d say do it! Gympanzees offer a safe space where no one stares or judges, and everything is under one roof! Also, make sure to book several sessions as one session is not enough to explore all Gympanzees 🙂Â
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Gympanzees inclusive Pop Ups will return in 2023 for the Easter and Summer holidays as we continue to fundraise for a permanent home in Bristol. Find out more about our appeal
