First Sensory Integration Gym in South Carolina Opens in Harbison Area
All Ages and Abilities Welcome
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO)- The Ausome Gym is a new facility that features sensory integrated technology owners said will help children with special needs learn development skills in a safe atmosphere.
“We offer virtual projectors so the kids can interact. They can roll through leaves, walk through bubbles, pop different things, walk through the creek, things that they are not capable of or very interested in the actual world. It’s overwhelming to them, it’s painful, they just cannot quite get through the whole thing so it will help them function easier and better in the real world,” said gym partner Emily House.
Owners of the gym said the facility is one of a kind for the Palmetto State, telling ABC Columbia the closest sensory gym before this one was in Atlanta.
“There just isn’t one in South Carolina. This is the first one to be apart of this community, especially right here in Columbia, It’s going to help a lot of people,” said Ausome Gym partner Emily House.
At The Ausome Gym, people learn basic sensory skills like cause and effect. “It will work on their sensory diet if you will. It will increase that, the same way adults go and work out at a gym, this works on their brain and their mind, trying to get them to function in the right direction,” House said.
Leigh Lowery with Special Olympics South Carolina says the gym is an inclusive way for people to sharpen their skills.
“Our mission kind of goes parallel to what we do at Special Olympics: promoting opportunities for those children and adults with intellectual disabilities. This just gives them one more opportunity on top of all the other wonderful things we have going on,” Lowery said.
Though the sensory items enhance the experience for those with special needs, staff members encourage everyone in the entire family to come out and enjoy it as well.
The Ausome Gym is located at 2 Harbison Way in Columbia. Learn more about the gym by visiting, theausomegym.com.
