Sensory Friendly Maps: Making Your Location Sensory Friendly<br>
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What are Sensory Friendly  Maps?<br>
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A sensory-friendly map is a great tool to make your location more sensory-friendly.<br>
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It lets visitors  know things like:<br>
Where to find quiet spaces.<br>
What spots have noise.<br>
What areas have bright or flashing lights.<br>
What zones tend to be crowded.<br>
Where the bathrooms are located.<br>
Where food and drink are available.<br>
What spaces have natural lighting.<br>
Which sections might have smells or scents present.<br>
Where there are opportunities for a touch and feel experience.<br>
Where to find accessibilty help like sensory kits.<br>
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Follow these steps to create a sensory-friendly map for your location:<br>
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Step 1: Create a map of your location.<br>
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It is important to have a clear and easy to  understand outline of the location so visitors can navigate your space.<br>
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Step 2: Identify quiet spaces.<br>
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Visitors will appreciate knowing in advance if you have designated quiet spaces at your location. Quiet spaces can be a great retreat for someone with sensory sensitivity. <br>
Ensure your visitors know how to easily find  them.<br>
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Step 3: Identify noisy spots.<br>
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If you have spots at your location that are noisier, for any reason, indicate them on your sensory-friendly map. For example, you might have music playing in a particular spot. Let visitors know where noise is located.<br>
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Step 4: Identify bright areas.<br>
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Identify what areas are bright. Identify what areas have flashing, flickering or other changing lights. Brightness and changing lights can be bothersome to some visitors. Show visitors in advance where there are changes in lighting.<br>
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Step 5: Identify crowded zones.<br>
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Zones that are crowded may cause sensory overload for your visitors. Clearly indicate them on your map. That way, visitors can choose to avoid them, per their preference.<br>
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Step 6: Identify where bathrooms are located.<br>
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Let visitors know where the bathrooms are located. Indicate on your map if bathrooms are:<br>
Wheelchair accessible<br>
Gender-neutral<br>
Family friendly<br>
Changing station capable<br>
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Step 7: Identify where food and drink are available.<br>
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Let visitors know if there are places they can buy food and drink. Let visitors know if there are places they can eat or drink their own food. Let visitors know where to access water, like water fountains.<br>
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Step 8: Identify spaces with natural lighting.<br>
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Natural lighting and sunlight are enjoyed by some visitors and avoided by others. Let visitors know in advance where natural lighting is plentiful.<br>
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Step 9: Identify sections with smells or scents.<br>
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Some visitors will be sensitive to scents and smells. Let visitors know if there are scents or smells present at your location.<br>
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Step 10: Identify opportunities for a touch and feel experience.<br>
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Tactile exhibits and displays can be fun for some visitors. Let visitors know if you have interactive, tactile experiences.<br>
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Step 10: Identify opportunities for a touch and feel experience.<br>
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Tactile exhibits and displays can be fun for some visitors. Let visitors know if you have interactive, tactile experiences.<br>
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Step 11: Accessiblity help.<br>
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Let your visitors know where they can find  helpful items such as: <br>
Sensory-friendly maps<br>
Sensory kits<br>
Wheelchairs<br>
Portable stools/seats<br>
Described audio devices<br>
Any other accessibility supports you provide<br>
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Step 12: Follow readability guidelines.<br>
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It is important to make your map readable and easy to understand.<br>
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Pick simple fonts <br>
e.g. Arial, Helvetica, Calibri, Verdana.<br>
Avoid complicated or decorative fonts. <br>
Avoid fonts with thin strokes.<br>
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Choose a matte finish.<br>
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Keep background designs simple.<br>
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Write in sentence case (upper and lower case). <br>
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Use a large font size (bigger is better).<br>
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Ensure high contrast.<br>
Black or dark blue text on white or yellow background.<br>
White or yellow text on black background.<br>
Limit use of other colors in fonts.<br>
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No italics.<br>
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No underline (except for website links). <br>
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Change font size or bold for emphasis. <br>
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Keep plenty of space between lines of text. <br>
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Provide a legend for icons or color coding.<br>
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Step 13: Put it all together.<br>
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Step 14: Add a legend.<br>
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Quiet spaces<br>
Noisy spaces <br>
Bright areas <br>
Large crowds <br>
Bathrooms<br>
Food and drink <br>
Natural light <br>
Strong smells <br>
Touch and feel <br>
Accessibility help<br>
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Step 15: Findable.<br>
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Make your sensory-friendly map available online.<br>
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Have downloadable and/or printable versions too.<br>
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Show your sensory-friendly map in different places throughout your location.<br>
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Checklist:<br>
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Location map<br>
Quiet spaces<br>
Noisy spots <br>
Bright lights <br>
Crowds <br>
Bathrooms <br>
Food and drink <br>
Natural light <br>
Strong scents <br>
Tactile<br>
Accessibility<br>
Readability<br>
Put it all together<br>
Legend<br>
Findable<br>
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Dear Reader,<br>
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Thank you for downloading the Sensory Friendly Map Guide.<br>
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I hope this resource helps you create a warm welcome for visitors to enjoy your location.<br>
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It is OK and good to offer sensory-rich experiences for your visitors too! Letting people know what to expect, where and when to expect it helps everyone to plan, prepare and enjoy.<br>
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I founded Sensory Friendly Solutions to help people make the world more sensory-friendly.<br>
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Sensory Friendly Solutions’ resources will help you learn more about sensory challenges and discover solutions.<br>
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Join us on social media, download and subscribe to our podcast and visit our website to discover sensory-friendly solutions for everyday living. <br>
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With thanks,<br>
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Christel Seeberger Founder & CEO