Yankees superstar Aaron Judge and his wife Samantha have teamed up with the nonprofit organization KultureCity to create a brand new sensory room at Madison Square Garden.
The inclusive space sponsored by Aaron Judge is designed to cater to guests with sensory processing needs, as well as those who use wheelchairs. It features adjustable lighting, calming visual elements, and comfortable seating to provide a soothing environment.
Aaron Judge’s charitable donation helped bring this important new amenity to one of the world’s most iconic sports and entertainment venues.
“Aaron Judge and Samantha have been incredible partners in our mission to create sensory-inclusive environments,” said Uma Srivastava, Executive Director of KultureCity. “Their generosity and commitment to this cause will have a lasting impact on the millions of guests who visit MSG each year.”
What is a sensory room?
A sensory room is a specially designed therapeutic space that aims to stimulate and develop a person’s senses through the use of specialized lighting, music, and interactive objects. These rooms are commonly used as a treatment approach for individuals, particularly children, who have limited communication skills or sensory processing challenges. Sensory rooms fall under a broader umbrella of “multi-sensory environments” created to promote self-organization, relaxation, and positive change, with many different types of sensory rooms, each with their own unique purposes and benefits.
When used appropriately, sensory rooms can help create a safe, calming space, facilitate positive therapeutic relationships, and provide opportunities for engagement in crisis prevention and de-escalation strategies, as well as promote self-care, resilience, and recovery. The advantages of sensory rooms are wide-ranging and can benefit individuals of all ages and abilities, including improved focus and concentration, encouraged communication and socialization, enhanced balance and motor skills, facilitated sensory exploration and integration, and enabled calmness and better self-regulation.
Sensory rooms are commonly found in settings like pediatric clinics, schools, hospitals, and nursing homes, and they can also be beneficial in private homes, helping to manage negative thoughts, emotions, and even aggressive behaviors. Ultimately, these specialized environments aim to improve the quality of life and therapeutic outcomes for those who utilize them.
Aaron Judge expects families to benefit
The new sensory room is part of the Aaron Judge’ ongoing philanthropic efforts to improve accessibility and enhance the experience for all attendees at sporting events and live shows. It marks another positive step in making Madison Square Garden a more inclusive destination.
Aaron Judge is hoping that other families, who are usually a bit afraid to go out and have certain experiences, can now have those same experiences with their families. He expressed that whether it’s young kids or young adults, they just want them to be able to enjoy this new space and create memories, just like the Judge family has been able to do.
“We’re just hoping now other families that usually are a little afraid to maybe go out and, you know, have those experiences, they can have those same experiences with their families. If it’s their young kids, young adults, we just want them to enjoy this space and, you know, create memories like we have,” Aaron Judge said.
The brand new Aaron & Samantha Judge Sensory Room at MSG provides a welcoming space for fans who may need a quieter, more accommodating environment during games. This special room is located on the 9th floor suite level.
To access the sensory room, visitors will need to check in at one of the guest experience booths first. Staff members will then happily escort guests to the room.
For those who may benefit from sensory support items, sensory bags are also available at the Guest Services Office. These handy bags contain useful tools like special badges, fidget toys, noise-canceling headphones, and more to help make the stadium experience more comfortable.
Aaron Judge isn’t the only ones making their events more inclusive. Radio City Music Hall has partnered with KultureCity to provide sensory bags to audience members who may want to utilize them during shows and performances at the iconic venue.
Making public spaces and entertainment events more accessible to those with sensory needs is an important step in ensuring everyone can fully enjoy pastimes like baseball games and live performances.
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