Active zones and mini-retreats: Designing preschools that support neurodivergent children

Inclusive preschool and long day care environments play a central role in children’s engagement, wellbeing and smooth transitions into school. Emerging research suggests that when environments are designed to reduce sensory stress and increase children’s choice, participation improves, not only for neurodivergent children, but for every child. 

A recent expert consensus study examined the design features that help or hinder inclusion in early learning settings. The findings highlight a set of practical, achievable shifts, many of which align closely with expectations under the National Quality Standard (NQS) for environments that are safe, suitable and inclusive. 

An estimated 15–20 per cent of children are neurodivergent, including children with diagnoses such as autism and ADHD. Many experience sensory information differently, which means environmental factors can influence comfort, regulation, and engagement in learning. 

The study’s headline message is clear: sensory overload is a major barrier in preschool environments, and it often comes from predictable hotspots in room layout, transitions and the way spaces are used. 

Sensory overload hotspots: what to look for

Visual clutter in playrooms was identified as a common stressor, particularly where walls and ceilings are heavily covered in displays and materials are constantly visible. Busy spaces can be distracting and overwhelming. 

Kitchens, dining areas and circulation zones, hallways and open-plan areas were also flagged as high-risk for overload because they tend to be noisy, unpredictable and crowded, especially when integrated into learning spaces. 

The experts also highlighted smell as an under-examined stressor. Strong food and kitchen smells can contribute to distress for children who experience multi-sensory processing challenges. Where possible, separating kitchen and dining spaces from learning areas can reduce this load. 

High adult-to-child ratios support safety and supervision, but the study noted an unintended impact: more adults in small rooms can intensify crowding, particularly when additional support staff are present. Some neurodivergent children require greater interpersonal distance, and “too many bodies” in a compact environment can increase stress. 

This has practical implications for service design and rostering. It may require considering whether rooms are fit for purpose for the number of children and adults using them at peak times, a question that sits squarely within NQS expectations for environments to be suitable, inclusive and supportive of engagement. 

Open-plan classrooms have long been criticised for noise and poor acoustics, but the expert group identified a different issue in preschool contexts: open plans without visual structure can feel confusing and overwhelming. 

The research points to several design strategies that can help:

• reduce visual clutter by storing materials in cabinetry rather than leaving everything on display
• create clear sightlines so children can see what is ahead
• use colour cues (for example, mats or flooring tones) and age-appropriate signage (pictures/symbols) to clarify what each space is for. 

These features support predictability and independence, both of which reduce cognitive load during play.

Rather than creating a single “calming room” reserved for neurodivergent children, the experts cautioned against segregated spaces that risk stigma or over-attachment to specific supports. Instead, the study points to the value of “micro-retreats”, small, accessible places where any child can briefly withdraw from the main group to regulate. 

Micro-retreats can include:

• a nook, cubby opening or window seat
• soft seating (beanbag-style chairs)
• small terraces or courtyards
• nature elements, where available, and opportunities for calming movement. 

When these spaces are embedded as a normal part of the environment, they support self-regulation without singling children out.

Transitions were identified as a key pressure point. Research cited in the article suggests preschoolers spend 20–35 per cent of the day moving between activities. The expert group noted that unnecessary transitions between high- and low-stimulation zones, especially where light, temperature or noise levels change suddenly, such as moving indoors to outdoors, can cause distress. 

Practical design responses include:

• locating similar-sensory activities together
• strengthening visual cues that support children to anticipate what happens next
• adding a sheltered “pause point” such as a verandah for indoor–outdoor movement, giving children time to adjust before entering a new sensory environment. 

A consistent theme in the findings is that neuroinclusive design cannot be done to communities, it needs to be done with them. The experts recommended involving educators, children and families in the design process because they hold essential knowledge about what works in context. 

This aligns with broader early childhood expectations that learning environments are responsive to children’s strengths, interests and capabilities, and that services create welcoming, inclusive spaces for all. 

Not every service can rebuild, but most can make meaningful changes by auditing how space is experienced across the day.

Environment and layout

• Reduce visual clutter in core play spaces (review displays; introduce closed storage).
• Create clearer zones with colour cues, labels and consistent placement of resources. 

Sensory hotspots

• Review kitchen/dining integration and manage noise and smell impacts where possible.
• Identify the “busiest” zones (doorways, corridors, transitions) and adjust traffic flow.

Choice and regulation

• Add micro-retreat options across indoor and outdoor environments (nooks, soft seating, quiet corners).
• Avoid segregating “calm spaces” as a special provision for a subset of children. 

Transitions

• Map transitions across the day and remove those that are unnecessary.
• Add sheltered transition points for indoor–outdoor movement where feasible. 

Consultation

• Build co-design into planning cycles: engage educators, families and (in age-appropriate ways) children. 

A final point from the research is that many neuroinclusive design features are considered good practice but are not necessarily mandated in design codes or licensing guidance. The authors argue that embedding minimum spatial and sensory standards into policy could reduce the risk that inclusive features are sidelined by budget or time pressures.

Read the full research study here.