We've heard so many inspiring stories about how Funsquare Play Sofas have helped children develop and inspire movement and open play. So, we teamed up with NDIS to make developmental play as accessible as possible.
But we know a lot of people are wondering why it is that Funsquare is so NDIS friendly, which is we decided to bust all the myths and cut right to the chase about why Funsquare Play Couches are covered by the NDIS.
What is the NDIS?
The NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme) provides funding to eligible people with significant and permanent disabilities.
This insurance scheme provides financial and community support to individuals to gain more time with family and friends, greater independence, access to new skills, jobs, or volunteering in their community, and an overall improved quality in life. It ensures that families impacted by disability have the best possible resources, opportunities and education.
It’s available across Australia, and comes with some pretty strict criteria. Which leaves some people wondering how Funsquare snuck its way into this system…
Reasonable and necessary support
In order to receive financial assistance through the NDIS, the support requested must be related to a child’s disability, have value for money, and must be likely to not only work, but greatly benefit your child. And this is often based on evidence.
It has to be reasonable and necessary.
This can often include play equipment, as play has been proven to help children increase independence and improve their health in a number of different ways. But the NDIS usually doesn’t fund this kind of equipment if it’s considered to be an everyday item that most people have in their home…
Which is why we’re pretty grateful that the NDIS has deemed us worthy enough to support their participants.
But we’re also not surprised.
The Funsquare Play Couch was specifically designed with kids’ play in mind, with a priority in creating great quality products that are safe and multiFUNctional. It’s an open-ended play product that:
- Helps develop early cognitive skills
- Promotes creativity - there is no limit to how our couches can be used
- Improves their motor functions and provides sensory experience
- Helps kids recognise and express emotions and social skills
And Aussie Mums are amazed at the results.
“We have had this playcouch for more than a month now and it just keeps adding value! Not only do the kids love building and playacting with it, my husband has found that sleeping on it helped his sprained back, because he says it's just the right amount of firm and give. Even my son asks if he can sleep in the living room because it helps him fall asleep quicker to sleep on the thick base.”
~ Sharon
The importance of play for all kids
Playing is one of the most natural parts of being a kid. It’s embedded into all of us, as an enjoyable way for us to keep active, stay well and be happy in our early years. But it’s actually a necessary part of development, improving the cognitive, physical, social and emotional well-being of children and young people.
It teaches skills needed for work, study and relationships, develops physical health, social skills and is a great tool for parents and teachers to use in education systems (as kids actually learn by having fun!).
But the scholars say it all…
“Free play, in which children develop their own activities, including rough-and-tumble activities that, as the term play implies, involves physical activity such as running, jumping, play fighting, and wrestling, are increasingly recognized as essential components of a child’s development,” an article from Scholarpedia noted in 2020.
It concluded that both human and animal studies have provided evidence that periods of play improve social skills, impulsive inhibition and attention and result in specific neurochemical and dendritic changes in many neurons - notably in brain areas in which ADHD children are deficient.
But it’s not just helpful for children with ADHD.
Mayra Mendex told Healthline that “Play is important because it provides a primary foundation for learning, exploring, problem-solving, and building an understanding of the world and your role within it.”
“Young children learn how things fit together through play. It allows them to use their senses and encourages exploration and curiosity, and these skills are the foundation of intellectual development and cognitive processing.”
Mendez also noted that play encourages movement and the understanding of spatial relations, promoting motor planning skills, supporting balance of dexterity and gross motor skills.
And the evidence really doesn’t end here… There are thousands of different articles and studies available that back the importance of play for a number of different reasons, all of which are crucial to the healthy and happy development of any child.
Which is exactly why Funsquare Play Couches have been so well received by the NDIS. We make play simple, versatile, and safe - so they can put their imaginations to the test and enjoy limitless play.
“Delivery was so fast and the colours are beautiful. We absolutely love playing on the couch, and it's also a nice comfy spot for me to sit and watch while the little one plays. I can see how this will be such a valuable addition to our play space for years to come.”
~ Emily
How to claim your Funsquare Play Couch through the NDIS
If your child does have a disability and they don’t automatically receive funding entitlements - you’ll need to apply for them. You’ll find everything you need to know about how to go about that here.
But once you’re a participant? All you need to do is fill out our form here and we’ll send through an invoice within 24 hours. Because we really do care about making open-ended play as accessible as possible to all.
