15 Sensory-Friendly Family Attractions in the US You and Your Little Ones Will Love

In April 2018, this Sesame Street theme park was designated a Certified Autism Center (CAC—it's claimed to be the first theme park in the world to receive this distinction). The park's officials worked in conjunction with the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards to implement staff-wide autism sensitivity and awareness training. As for families, Sesame Place includes a sensory guide on its park website to help parents plan activities in advance. While there, perhaps meet Julia, a Sesame Street Muppet with autism, who made her debut at Sesame Place in 2017 as a walk-around character.

In June 2018, this popular zoo kicked off "Rise and Play," a sensory-friendly morning-programs series held on the first Tuesday of each month from August to November within a section of the zoo known as Hasbro's Our Big Backyard. Children and adults can spend an hour in nature by carrying out activities that range from building mud pies and climbing a treehouse to taking in the outdoor splendor. This playtime also features a large-scale building toy that serves as an imaginative playground where visitors can construct tall towers and ramps and perhaps design cities at their own pace. Also, near the zoo in Roger Williams Park, the Carousel Village holds "Sensory Friendly Days" on the first Tuesday of each month from April through October, which means there will be no music or indoor lights.

This children's museum has worked with Monarch Center for Autism's Welcoming Spaces program to develop various customized supports for adult and child visitors with autism spectrum disorder and developmental, sensory, and learning differences. The museum has put in a sensory-friendly room on its first floor, where guests can go to unwind and take a break. Other offerings range from call-ahead accommodations (in which families can inquire about entering the museum without experiencing a waiting line) to ticket desk tool kits (where they can pick up noise-canceling headphones or sensory toys). And on their website, find visual schedules for planning long or short visits or make your own via a template.

In July 2018, this movie theater chain launched a monthly Sensory Sensitive Screenings program at participating theaters in Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island, and Ohio. Moviegoers can attend the morning program on the first Saturday of each month, with pre-selected films to be screened in a comfortable setting with reduced sensory outputs. For example, attendees will be able to move freely throughout the auditorium during the film and interact with characters, there won't be any trailers prior to the start of the movie, and all presentations will be shown in 2D. To further meet kids' needs, Showcase Cinemas works with Autism Speaks for proper staff training and advising on creating a sensory-friendly environment.

Described as the world's first accessible family fun park, this Texas park caters to children with different kinds of special needs. Its founder, Gordon Hartman, was actually inspired to create this park because of his daughter, Morgan, who is on the autism spectrum. It's said that Morgan's Wonderland was designed to be a safe space where she would play with others who knew how to interact with her. For children with autism, the park caps attendance to avoid long lines and large crowds and has rest areas for youngsters to have some quiet time when needed. Additionally, visitors are given special RFID bracelets to reunite families if they become separated.

Towering more than 200 feet above Myrtle Beach's oceanfront, this year-round attraction has special practices for making visitors enjoy this ride. The SkyWheel Myrtle Beach is a partner with Champion Autism Network (CAN), a South Carolina-based nonprofit organization that helps to promote travel for families with children on the autism spectrum. The SkyWheel's staff allows CAN members to skip lines and ride the SkyWheel for as long as they would like (after four rotations, the ride comes to an end, but visitors and CAN members can be asked if they wish for their time to continue).

This hands-on, all-ages science museum recently launched "Access MOXI," a free app designed as an aid for families with members on the autism spectrum or with other sensory processing disorders, to prepare their visit beforehand and/or adjust their plans while being there. Available on both iOS and Android devices, the app provides guests with a preview of this museum and other helpful features. It includes a sensory-friendly map of the museum, social guides providing detailed exhibit descriptions and video previews, and a MOXI memory game in case the user needs a break from the exhibits. It also acts as a communication tool by enabling non-verbal communicators to express their feelings and needs by selecting a text-to-speech icon.

The Oklahoma City Zoo has partnered with KultureCity, a nonprofit organization creating sensory-inclusive community spaces, to become a sensory-inclusive location. It's also now the second of its kind in Oklahoma. Zoo visitors can obtain complimentary sensory bags holding items such as fidget toys, noise-canceling headphones, and weighted lap blankets at no cost. KultureCity's program trains zoo team members and volunteers on how to properly respond to guests with sensory needs. On-grounds signage will show locations for designated quiet zones and headphone zones.

The Arizona Science Center teamed up with Phoenix startup Pal Experiences to create a video social story that acts like a guided tour. The video shows visitors with developmental disabilities and sensory needs what to expect on their visit in advance. The Pal video tour and other new resources such as insider tips can be accessed online.

Minnesota Children's Museum sought advisement from a disability and inclusion expert from the University of Minnesota to develop a full-inclusion program for all visiting families. The museum has put helpful information on its website in the form of sensory-friendly tips. These tips include the calmest times to visit the museum, the most convenient entrance and exit, and areas in the museum that have some of its lowest visual stimulation levels. Onsite at the museum, visitors can find comfort rooms (quiet break rooms), trained museum experience assistants, and adaptive equipment such as noise-reducing headphones, timers, a visual schedule, and universal cuffs.

This museum makes sure its play-and-learn exhibits are accessible to all children. In particular, its exhibit "The Nest" has acoustic buffers and a pod swing that provides deep pressure and vestibular stimulation. Low-sensory mornings are also offered six times a year on select Saturdays. Recently, the museum launched a low-sensory workshop program with educators trained in sensory-friendly facilitation and a curriculum designed to be flexible for various cognitive and sensory needs. For neuro-diverse children, the museum makes a "How We Play" guide available on their website. Museum schedule boards, noise-canceling headphones, and weighted vests are also available onsite.

Families of children with special needs can get an early start in seeing this museum through a program called "Just for Me Mornings." From 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., these visitors are able to explore the museum comfortably for about an hour before it opens to the general public. The experience also features a sensory-modified setting and adjustments to lighting and sound. Youngsters can partake in hands-on exploration and discovery in select exhibits and view a showing inside the museum's planetarium. Admission to this program is free, but advance registration is required.

Throughout the course of the year, this children's theater puts on a variety of specially adapted plays for those with sensory needs. These once-a-month productions are announced far in advance so families can not only purchase tickets but also determine if the play's subject matter will be OK for them. During the play, the house lights are left up a few levels higher and sound levels go down a bit. There's also a children's quiet room for those that need an intermission.

In New York State, this play-centered museum works with AutismUp, a local nonprofit, to give families the chance to experience this attraction before it opens to the general public. Guests who might require a quiet space can access the museum's guest rests, and quieter activities such as book nooks and a seasonal outdoor Discovery Garden are also offered.

Specifically offered for sensory-challenged visitors, the Children's Museum of Indianapolis provides a variety of options free of charge, including fidget toy kits, noise-reducing headphones, and sensory maps. On the website's Sensory Stories page, families can view photos of some areas that a child may find appealing and others that might be overstimulating or anxiety-producing.