Special needs families can have fun this fall
Fall is nature's perfect season. It is cool enough to enjoy being out and about while the sun is still warm enough to make us feel like we can hold onto summer for just a little while longer. This also makes it the perfect time to get in some family fun time.
For families seeking activities with special accommodations, there are an increasing number of options. More and more businesses are recognizing that with a little thought and flexibility they can offer special needs families, not just family-friendly, but special needs family-friendly accommodations. It may be as simple as creating special days, early-opens, or simply making a few changes in the way they approach their customers.
If you are looking to grab some family fun time this fall I have a few suggestions:
Special needs movie screenings
Enjoy first run, family friendly movies in a safe and accepting environment. Movies are shown with the lights up, the volume lowered and children (including siblings) are free to move around, talk or even dance in the aisles during the movie.
• Studio Movie Grill, Wheaton and Chicago. Movies are held on select Saturday mornings at 11 a.m. Special needs children and their siblings are admitted free. All other guests are $6/ticket. Upcoming features include: "Hotel Transylvania," Oct. 3; "The Peanuts Movie," Nov. 14; "The Good Dinosaur," Dec. 5. Details can be found at studiomoviegrill.com/Movies.aspx?F=movie_1570_0_0
• AMC Theaters, 12 locations. Movies are held on select Saturday mornings at 10 a.m. Upcoming features include: "Hotel Transylvania," Sept. 26; "Pan," Oct. 17; "The Peanuts Movie," Nov. 14; "The Good Dinosaur," Dec. 5. Details can be found at amctheatres.com/programs/sensory-friendly-films.
Sensory Story Times
The Nichols Public Library in Naperville offers monthly sensory story times geared for children ages 3 and up with fewer restrictions and more flexibility for children with special needs. During the half-hour story time, families are encouraged to sing, dance, share stories and take part in themed activities that are fun and educational. They are held the first Saturday of each month from 2 to 2:30 p.m. Contact the Nichols Library at naperville-lib.org/content/nichols-library. Check with your local library to find out if and when they hold their sensory story time.
DuPage Children's Museum
The DuPage Children's Museum Third Thursday program is the perfect place for little ones who loves to explore. Their exhibits offer multiple sensory experiences and opportunities to work on language development, social skills, and purposeful play. Offered the third Thursday of every month from 5 to 7 p.m., families can enjoy a less environmentally stimulating experience with a typically quieter, less crowded atmosphere. They also offer several other services that families may take advantage of while there. Closed due to water damage from a burst pipe, the museum will be reopening Sept. 19. More details can be found at dupagechildrens.org.
Chicago Children's Museum
The Play For All events invite children and families with disabilities to experience Chicago Children's Museum's inclusive, multisensory exhibits and programs. Held the second Saturday of every month 9-10am, the museum opens one hour early just for special needs families. Families are invited to stay afterward when the museum opens to the public. Preregistration is required and the first 250 visitors to register receive free admission. Complete details can be found at chicagochildrensmuseum.org/index.php/about/accessibility-inclusion.
Sky Zone Trampoline Park
Need to burn off some of that youthful excess energy? Sky Zone Trampoline Park, Elmhurst, can certainly do the trick. On their special needs nights they turn off the music and dial down the distractions to make it more sensory friendly. They invite families to jump for 60 minutes for a discounted price too. Details can be found at skyzone.com/elmhurst; call (630) 478-8339 to find upcoming dates for special needs nights.
Sensory Garden Playground
Want to keep family time simple and outdoors? Head on over to the new Sensory Garden and Playground. Located at the corners of Naperville, Lisle and Wheaton, the Sensory Garden and Playground more than a playground … it is a destination.
The Sensory Garden and Playground is a barrier-free and universally accessible play zone which allows all children, with and without disabilities, to play together. There are specific elements of the play area which were designed especially for children on the Autism Spectrum and those who have sensory processing issues. It also allows adults with mobility challenges to be able to play with their children at an inclusive, accessible playground.
Phase 1 of this 50-acre playground was recently completed. It boasts a Pony Stables playground created for ages 2-5. There are cozy domes to settle down in if a child becomes overwhelmed and rocking horses for those that need the rocking sensation. Both fragrance and sound gardens offer an amazing multisensory play opportunity. For those children who need more stimulation, there is the ability to touch and feel the plants and play music. Accessible paths, a central gathering area and portable accessible bathrooms are on site.
Complete details about the Sensory Garden Playground and directions to it can be found at playforalldupage.org.
• Sherry Manschot is the marketing/public relations manager at Western DuPage Special Recreation Association. She leads a parent network of special needs families at WDSRA. Manschot can be contacted at sherrym@wdsra.com. More information about WDSRA can be found at wdsra.com.