Introducing a first-of-its-kind design concept in Israel, a new space by Early Starters International Israel in Shlomi has turned design itself into a therapeutic tool for children recovering from trauma.
Rather than simply offering play or stimulation, the space integrates all five senses - sight, sound, touch, smell, and taste - to create an environment of safety, calm, and predictability.
This sensory approach is intended to convey optimism and support emotional and physical healing, according to the creators.
Extensive research by neuroscientists, designers, and mental health professionals underlines the premise that trauma affects not only emotions, but also the body, the senses, and an individual’s perception of reality.
“In the Shlomi safe space, we set out to turn design into a language - not as decoration, but as a tool that speaks directly to the body and the senses, even before words,” said Hila Naftalovitch, director of Early Starters International Israel.
“When children experience trauma, they often cannot articulate what they feel, but the body remembers.”
Unlike conventional play areas that emphasize stimulation and high energy, the Shlomi space was created as a protective bubble. Every element - light, materials, sound - was selected to reinforce the core message ‘you are safe.’
“Every design decision here, from light to texture, is meant to communicate one message: You are safe. You can slow down,” Naftalovitch said.
The architecture uses soft, rounded forms, warm diffused lighting, and a muted pastel color palette. Natural, elastic, and tactile materials encourage physical reconnection, while slow-tempo soundscapes and familiar scents such as vanilla and butter cookies serve as sensory anchors associated with home and security.
Fabric-wrapped walls with illustrations support a quiet visual narrative, drawing children into a protected imaginative space.
The layout is organized into five flexible zones: a soft area for calming and regulation; a creative art space; a socio-dramatic, home-like area; a physical activity and construction zone; and a dining and parent rest area.
The space promotes independent exploration and emotional development, with age-appropriate challenges and activities that reinforce the parent-child relationship and help build children’s sense of agency.
From emergency relief to permanent change
Early Starters International is a non-profit humanitarian organization that creates safe spaces for children living in crisis or conflict zones. Its mission includes promoting systematic change through policy advocacy, educator training, and improvements to existing early-childhood facilities.
The organization established the first safe spaces in October 2023 for displaced communities in Israel, aimed at providing routine stability and psychological support during wartime displacement. Located in hotels and community centers, they helped children maintain a sense of normalcy during the conflict.
In November, the organization sent a team to Jamaica following Hurricane Melissa, where they constructed temporary schools and trained local educators in trauma-responsive practices.
Today, Early Starters International operates dozens of permanent safe spaces in northern and southern Israel, part of a long-term effort to help children recover and thrive.