At Giggles and Mess, every child has room to belong

Only a few letters separate “neurodivergent” from “neurotypical”. However, in everyday life, the distance between the children those words describe can feel much greater.

Special-needs teachers Sueveena Shalni, Kaminee Mahalingam and Nuha Damanhoori Hilal hope to bring these children closer through Giggles and Mess, a playgroup where they can meet, have fun and make friends.

“We want to create a safe space where kids who are neurodivergent and neurotypical can just be themselves, where we don’t restrict them by saying, ‘Oh no, you must do this, this and this.’ Just have fun,” Sueveena, 28, told FMT Lifestyle.

The idea is simple: for an hour-and-a-half to two hours, children participate in two or three activities, whether storytelling, arts and crafts or sensory play. Amid the fun, the trio hope the children will learn to understand one another.

“Neurotypical and neurodivergent children in the same space, communicating and showing kindness and love for each other. That’s what we want to achieve,” said Nuha, 27.

That starts by letting them play together without labels. “What we try to do from the start is avoid creating that separation, like saying, ‘Your friend is special and you are normal.’ We just start the session, and if they are curious, we explain nicely,” Sueveena said.

Kaminee recalled how a little girl once asked why another child was “a little bit different”. The boy, who has non-verbal autism and is hard of hearing, uses an iPad to express himself.

“We helped her understand that it’s his way of communicating,” said Kaminee, 34.

That small exchange captured what they hope to achieve through Giggles and Mess, which the three colleagues started last November. They aim to hold one session a month, always on a Saturday, at different venues across the Klang Valley.

Each session has its own theme, such as “Winter Wonderland” to “Walking in the Jungle”, with two or three activities, breaks for rest and snacks and a goodie bag to take home.

The trio prefer outdoor spaces, where children have room to run around and enjoy some gadget-free time in the open air.

Parents pay for each session, which is capped at 10 children. The playgroup welcomes children aged three to nine, although older neurodivergent kids can join too. Children with cerebral palsy, autism, ADHD and those who are hard of hearing have attended.

At a recent playgroup attended by FMT Lifestyle, the children were seen enjoying an engaging storytelling session, making textured houses inspired by the film “Up” and exploring colourful sensory beads.

Beyond the fun, the activities also give children the chance to practise listening, communicating, following instructions and solving problems – skills they need in everyday life.

The teachers also run hands-on workshops where children have made fruit juice, milkshakes and even pasta from scratch. The trio organise birthday parties too.

Over time the children grow more comfortable in the group. Kaminee recalled a little girl who cried through her first few sessions and needed to be held. Now, she settles in quickly and enjoys herself.

Nuha cherishes the small breakthroughs that might be easy for others to miss. “Some neurodivergent children need a routine and can be a bit rigid about how things are supposed to be. Our playgroups can be a bit chaotic – we jump from one activity to another.

“But I’ve seen progress: they’re more comfortable with going with the flow instead of needing to know what comes next. They’re calmer when taking part in our activities,” said Nuha.

The trio’s long-term hope is to find a permanent space for Giggles and Mess.

For the teachers, every chance to play together is also a chance for children to learn how to make room for one another.

“These kids are going to grow up, become more aware and be part of society. So we hope that this can help create a more inclusive community,” Sueveena concluded.

Follow Giggles and Mess on Instagram, Threads and TikTok.

For more information, send them an Instagram message or contact 019-505 1125.

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