Louise Weadock made Belle of the Ball look oh so Wee Zee last night at the grand opening of WeeZee World, a 16,000 square foot “sensory play space” of pure fun, joy and opportunity at 480 Bedford Road in the Chappaqua Crossing Business Development. I arrived expecting the ordinary and ran smack into the extraordinary: I was struck by the sheer number, some 35 in fact, of highly engaging, interactive and imaginative sensory experiences available to kids from babyhood through early adolescence. I was given a tour of various individual stations, and snapped photos, but in this case, ya really gotta see it to believe it!
The emphasis throughout is on sensory learning. With such stations as the “Rainforest & Storm Zone,” “Vibration Station” and “Cyber Action” Floor, the emphasis in virtually every area is on “sensory learning,” according to Weadock, a registered Child Psychiatric Nurse and owner of Access Nursing & Health Care Services, who created her “family’s fantasy come to life.” Weadock, whose daughter was diagnosed with a severe Sensory Integration Disorder, became fascinated with the effects multi-sensory experiences had on her child’s ability to understand, accept and adapt to her world. She purchased a diverse variety of sensory equipment and created a playground in the basement of her home for all the neighborhood kids to enjoy with her daughter.
Sixteen years later, she has opened Wee Zee World which is intended to be “the largest and most cutting-edge indoor play space for cognitive development in the county and the entire New York region.” “We want the sensory adventures and social relationships discovered inside WeeZee to inspire each child to believe, “Yes, I can!” Some 100 full and part time individuals are expected to staff WeeZee in fields including coaching, therapy, education, design and clerical. Hours are 8 a.m.- 9 pm. For more information, visit www.weezeeworld.com — Grace Bennett
