MUNCIE, Ind. – Happy Hideaway Sensory Gym is Muncie’s first sensory gym within the community. It is tailored to families with neurodivergent children, and after owner Crystal Atlic saw that there was nothing in Muncie for parents to take their children to have fun and be themselves, she took that into her own hands.
Atlic created the Happy Hideaway Gym after her four-year-old daughter was diagnosed with Autism. She had one goal in mind: making the gym a welcoming, inclusive, and supportive space for all children.
“The most beautiful thing that I don’t think people see yet is just the support that the parents are going to have when they come here with their child, like they’re going to know that they’re in a safe and inclusive environment,” said Behavior Analyst and family friend of the Atlic family Katie McDonald.
After hearing about the unexpected death of Atlic’s oldest daughter, Brooke, it influenced her even more to bring the gym to life, honoring her daughter's dreams.
“Brooke’s passing had a major influence on this; she was so excited to come to work at this gym…it really put a fire under us to get this going and to not give up,” said Atlic.
With the gym being a non-profit, many organizations donate play sets and food which has helped the gym move up its opening date. The gym has also received lots of support from the community as well as from family and friends.
“This is genuinely going to be a safe place for kids to come and be who they are and express themselves beautifully, in unique ways,” said McDonald.
The Happy Hideaway Sensory Gym is set to have a soft opening on November 30 and the grand opening on December 1. For more information about the gym, contact Crystal Atlic at happyhideawaygym@gmail.com
Contact Ava Lens with comments at ava.lens@bsu.edu.
