Families staying at Center Parcs Elveden Forest in Suffolk can now borrow sensory equipment for free, thanks to a new library launched by the holiday park group. The idea is simple: instead of packing your own noise-reducing ear defenders, visual timers or fidget toys on every break, guests can pick them up at guest services when they arrive.
The library was developed with SENNIES, a special educational needs agency, and opened on 18 September. Everything is free to borrow and available on a first come, first served basis — and crucially, no diagnosis or proof of any kind is required. The kit on offer includes ear defenders, feelings wheels, visual timers, fidget toys, puzzle mats, calming lights and colour-changing eggs.
While the scheme is aimed squarely at making breaks easier for neurodivergent guests — children with autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia or sensory processing differences — Center Parcs says any guest with sensory needs can use it. Village director Richie Williams explained the park had heard from parents who routinely travelled with a bag of comfort items just to help their child settle away from home, and that better provision on site could make families more likely to book regular breaks.
SENNIES founder and CEO Georgia Sargeant made a sensible point about why a library model works: no single adjustment suits every neurodivergent child, so what families really need is choice — a range of tools they can mix and match depending on how their child is doing that day. Turning guest feedback into equipment you can actually borrow is a rare bit of practical accessibility in the UK holiday market.
For now, the library only exists at Elveden Forest, though Center Parcs has said it hopes to roll the concept out more widely across its villages. So if you're considering a break at another site, it's worth asking guest services before you go — or waiting to see whether the scheme expands. The news comes as Center Parcs also looks ahead to its first Scottish village, expected to open in 2029 on a £450m site.
Why does this matter? Family holidays with a neurodivergent child often involve serious planning — new environments, loud communal spaces, unfamiliar routines. Anything that removes even part of the packing burden, at no cost, lowers the barrier to actually taking a break. If Elveden Forest works for your family, this is a genuine reason to pick it over other Center Parcs villages or comparable UK holiday parks. And if it rolls out across the group, it could nudge the wider UK holiday park sector to treat sensory support as standard rather than exceptional.
