Carnival Cruise Line recently became the first line of its kind to earn a “sensory inclusive” certification!
The nonprofit KultureCity awarded the first certification in October, with all of the line’s South Florida-based ships following. According to a press release, Carnival plans to certify the rest of its fleet by March 2020.
Vicky Rey, Carnival’s vice president of guest care and communications and the company’s ADA Responsibility Officer, said in a press statement, “Carnival Cruise Line and KultureCity share a heartfelt commitment to acceptance and inclusivity. Working together, all of our guests can maximize their enjoyment and be the truest versions of themselves during their time on board.”
Along with comprehensive staff training on sensory and other needs relating to autism, ADHD, PTSD and Down syndrome, Carnival Cruise Line will also equip its certified ships with KultureCity sensory bags—each of which contains a variety of calming items, such as noise-canceling headphones, fidget toys and a visual feeling thermometer.
Dr. Julian Maha, co-founder, KultureCity, said of the collab and certification, “We’re proud and grateful to partner with Carnival Cruise Line, offering guests with sensory needs an opportunity to more fully enjoy their vacations and create wonderful memories with their friends, families and loved ones. We appreciate Carnival Cruise Line for taking this important step in making their vacations accessible to everyone.”
Carnival didn’t stop at a sensory inclusive certification, either. The cruise line is also the first operator to complete an additional special needs certification program. The program, offered by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards, includes 17 continuing education credits of training in subjects such as autism, Down syndrome, mobility issues and other special needs.
The certification, bags and other upgrades are getting plenty of well-deserved attention. Renowned autism advocate and author Dr. Temple Grandin recently said of Carnival’s latest efforts, “Carnival Cruise Line is to be commended for training their staff about autism and offering sensory bags that will enable individuals with autism and their families to have an enjoyable cruise.”
For more information on Carnival’s guest services, visit the cruise line’s website here.
Looking for autism-friendly events for kids in NYC? We found lots of sensory-friendly and inclusive performances, museum programs and opening hours throughout the city, as well as story times, movie screenings, and more for kids on the spectrum or with special needs. In addition to sensory-friendly programming and events, many museums and theaters offer visual guides, social narratives, sensory maps, and in some cases, even aids on site to make sure your outing is as fun and enjoyable as it can be.
The New Victory Theater
Jeremy Daniel
One of our favorite theaters for kids in NYC is the New Victory Theater. (Check out what they have on stage this season here.) And one of the reasons we love them is their ongoing efforts to reach audiences of all kinds.
In consultation with Autism Friendly Spaces, Inc., select performances at the New Victory are adapted for individuals on the autism spectrum or with sensory sensitivity, with modified lighting and sound, a judgement-free atmosphere and calming corner and activity area. Additionally, Autism Specialists are available throughout the performances to provide assistance as requested or needed. See what shows currently offer sensory-friendly performances here.
LC Kids Relaxed Performances
Theatre des Petites Ames
Another venue for sensory-sensitive theater is Lincoln Center. The organization’s LC Kids program offers relaxed performances adapted for neurodiverse audiences, including children with autism or other disabilities. At these performances, there are no restrictions around noise or movement, audience members are welcome to leave and re-enter the theater, and adjustments are made to these productions to reduce sensory stimuli.
Lincoln Center also offers Passport to the Arts: A Program for Children with Disabilities and their Families, which includes programming across the complex’s many venues, including the New York City Ballet, the Metropolitan Opera, the New York Philharmonic and the Big Apple Circus, the last of which holds autism-friendly performances and Circus of the Senses. Register for the program here.
For autism-friendly performances of big Broadway shows, check out TDF Autism Friendly Performances. These Broadway musicals are presented in a supportive environment for children and adults who are diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder or other sensitivity issues and their families and friends.
Titles include Frozen, The Lion King, Aladdin, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child and others. You can see the list of upcoming performances here.
Kaiser's Room
Kaiser's Room
Kaiser’s Room offers arts-based classes in dance and acting aimed at social and skill development. Classes are inclusive and for all ages and held in a safe and supportive environment. You can read more about classes here, and they also run a summer camp for kids ages seven and up.
The organization also produces a sensory-friendly, interactive theater piece throughout the year, Treasure in NYC.
This winter, Kaiser's Room is staging a unique show on December 14 for people with developmental delays. Adventure in Winter Wonderland is a 45-minute multi-sensory, interactive theatrical experience. Five performers take a maximum of seven "Junior Adventure Guides" on a search for holiday presents in a safe environment. The show includes singing songs, making new friends, and using your imagination.
Sat., Dec. 14. Noon-1p.m. Tickets: $35/participant (families watch for free) The Studio Lab 32 Sixth Ave. Soho Online: kaisersroom.org
Marlene Meyerson JCC
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The Center for Special Needs at the Marlene Meyerson JCC offers classes and programming that is open to the community. Classes, which have a high staff-to-child ratio include supportive gymnastic and swimming, as well as events for teens, parents and siblings.
The Samuel Priest Rose Building 334 Amsterdam Ave at 76th St. Upper West Side 646-505-4444 Online: jccmanhattan.org
Liberty Science Center
Liberty Science Center
The Liberty Science Center in Jersey City offers a Sensory Map, which idenitifes areas in the building with bright lights, high volume, tight spaces, strong smells, live animals, and other points to help people plan their visit. You can download it here.
The museum also developed a Social Narrative Map that helps prepare learners for the new experience and environment of visiting the museum. You can download it here.
The museum also hosts Special Needs Days for school groups, that require pre-registration. Find more info here.
Liberty Science Center 222 Jersey City Blvd. Liberty State Park 201-200-1000 Online: lsc.org
A drop-in program designed for families with children ages six and up, Guggenheim for All invites children on the autism spectrum and their families to explore works of art in sensory-friendly experiences in the galleries and create their own art in the studio. It’s free, although registration is required.
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum 1071 5th Ave. Upper East Side 212-423-3500 Online: guggenheim.org
Family Fun for All at the Whitney Museum of American Art
Whitney Museum of American Art
Every three months the Whitney invites families with children ages six and up on the autism spectrum to enjoy sensory-friendly gallery activities and a hands-on art-making workshop before the Museum opens to the general public. Families explore a current Whitney exhibition and create their own art inspired by works on view. Registration is required.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art has developed a robust library of museum-specific resources for visitors on the Autism Spectrum, including tips for parents, sensory-friendly maps, social narratives, a “My Met Tour”, a visual checklist and tour, and an interactive map.
The Museum also hosts a monthly Discoveries program for children and adults with a range of developmental and learning disabilities and those on the autism spectrum. These multi-sensory workshops, which explore a different theme each session include tactile opportunities and art-making activities. Workshops are free, but you must register, which you can do by calling 212-650-2010 or emailing access@metmuseum.org.
Metropolitan Museum of Art 1000 5th Ave. Upper East Side 212-535-7710 Online: metmuseum.org
The American Museum of Natural History: Discovery Squad Tours
The Discovery Squad is a unique tour program designed for families affected by autism spectrum disorders. Developed in collaboration with the Seaver Autism Center at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, the tours take place before the museum is open to the public, and are free with regular museum admission. Click here for upcoming tour dates. Advance registration is required; email accessibility@amnh.org or call 212-313-7565 to register.
American Museum of Natural History Central Park West & 79th St. Upper West Side 212-769-5100 Online:amnh.org
Access Family Programs at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
The Intrepid offers many resources and programs for children on the autism spectrum. You can access social narratives, sensory guides, and visual vocabularies prior to a visit, and sensory bags, containing noise-cancelling headphones, fidget toys, and other tools can be borrowed as well.
On the programming front, the Intrepid Museum offers Early Morning Openings and for children ages three to 18 and their families, when they can experience the Museum in a sensory-friendly environment. In the morning, educators lead short, interactive tours designed for all learners, as well as drop-in art activities and structured social/play opportunities.
The Intrepid Museum also offers monthly programs for children (ages 5-17) with learning and developmental disabilities. Similar family programs for teens ages 15 and older and adults with developmental disabilities are offered six times a year. These two-hour programs take place on select Sundays during regular Museum hours. Families take a guided, interactive tour of the museum and participate in art-making activities.
Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum Pier 86 West 46th St. & 12th Ave. Midtown Manhattan Tickets: $25 Adults; $18 children 5-12 (free for 4 and under) Online: intrepidmuseum.org
Access Family Workshops at The Jewish Museum
Jewish Museum
These workshops invite visitors with learning or developmental disabilities to examine current exhibits and permanent works in the museum and then create a work of their own. Workshops include gallery activities and an art project. For more information or to register for a workshop, call 212.423.3289 or email access@thejm.org.
Jewish Museum 1109 5th Ave. Upper East Side 212-423-3200 Online: thejewishmuseum.org
Created with an advisory committee of scholars and professionals with experience serving children with Autism Spectrum Disorders the Brooklyn Children's Museum's Sensory Room is an inclusive space where children of all abilities can engage with their peers and explore their senses. Sessions in the space are balanced between self-guided exploration of the space and a facilitated program by one of BCM’s Educators. Let the educator facilitating know if your child has any particular needs or sensitivities.
The Alamo Draft House Alamo for All program is for young families and guests with special needs. (So the audience may include some new moms with babies, and the films aren't always for kids.) Screenings feature reduced sound, the lights turned up, and noise and latecomers are allowed. You can also move around if you need to.
The first showings of each film on Tuesdays follow Alamo for All rules, with more shows on the weekends. Note that the schedule may vary during holidays. Click here to see what's screening now.
AMC Theaters partners with the Autism Society to offer movie showings when the lights are up, the sound is down, and you can move around as you please. The Sensory Friendly Film program is available on the second and fourth Saturday of every month for family-friendly films and Tuesday evenings (for mature flicks). You can find AMC locations in Bay Plaza in the Bronx and Magic Johnson Theater in Harlem. Check your local theatre listings for specific showtimes.
Sensory Storytime and Events at Your Local Library
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It’s well-known that libraries host loads of events for kids of all ages, from LEGO play to sing-alongs and holiday happenings. Among them, is Sensory Storytime, a fun and interactive library literacy program designed to engage kids through movement, music, stories, and sensory activity play. Open to all, the program and is ideal for children with autism spectrum disorders, sensory integration challenges, or children who have difficulty sitting still.
In Queens, the Astoria branch hosts Circle of Friends for children 6-13 years old with autism spectrum disorder. The program’s goal is to help children learn social skills through simple science experiments, art projects, and board games. The branch holds reading with therapy dogs for kids; advance registration is required for those; call 718-278-2220 to do so.
The New York Transit Museum hosts a wide variety of events and programs for New Yorkers with special needs as part of its Access Programs.
One Special Day for Special Kids, the museum invites children with disabilities and their families to explore the space while it is closed to the public for the first hour of the day. The event includes free admission, fun activities about transit, and a quiet room. Special Day for Special Kids takes place three times a year (next one is March 2020), and registration is strongly recommended. All ages are welcome.
Subway Sleuths is an after-school program for students in 2nd through 5th grades who are on the autism spectrum. The program uses a shared interest in trains among kids on the autism spectrum as a means to encourage peer-to-peer interaction and develop social skills and confidence. Subway Sleuth groups are created through advance screenings by expert facilitators, who curate groups of kids with similar social and communication profiles. Applications are typically due in September of each year. Read more about the program here.
Boerum Place at Schermerhorn Street Downtown Brooklyn 718-694-1600 Online: nytransitmuseum.org
Don’t be scared by the peak temperatures — it’s prime time for fun. Distract your little one from the heat with cool-to-the-touch sensory bags. Make them yourself with stuff around the house, from frozen peas to hair gel. Scroll down for the ideas, and get your fridge ready!
Super Chilly Water Bead Bag Ice cubes can be too intense and slippery for tiny hands to handle, so introduce your babe to this chilly water bead bag. Each bead maintains its shape without turning the bag into a block of ice. Click over to Familylicious for the tutorial.
Frozen Peas Sensory Bag Here’s a chance for your explorer to experience a cold mess without any mushy cleanup! Let him or her poke, prod and mash frozen peas for endless fun. Whether they use their fingers or a rolling pin, the feeling of popping frosty peas will make them giggle with delight. Get the How-To at A Little Pinch of Perfect.
Photo by Katie Pinch of A Little Pinch of Perfect
Sparkle Shine Sensory Bag Your little snowball isn’t going to be able to keep hands off this wintry, iridescent bag. The crisp snow crunching in their small palms will make them forget all about the humidity. Find out how to make summertime snow from Growing a Jeweled Rose here.
DIY Cooling Sensory Bag Make your own cooling sensory bag to help beat the heat. Fill a ziplock bag with all kinds of knickknacks, knowing that none of them will end up in your infant’s mouth. Then squirt in some hair gel, and throw the bag into the fridge for a few hours. Violá! Learn the tricks to making a foolproof sensory bag over at Plain Vanilla Mom.
Photo courtesy of Jen Haas
Giant Outdoor Water Sensory Bed Looking for a sensory experience that engages the entire body? If you’re planning to spend all days outdoors, or have a party with playgroup friends, this gigantic water bed could be the answer to helping your little swimmers beat the heat. If you have a really young one, make it on a smaller scale, like a private island for your infant. Check out the leak-proof tutorial from Homemade Toast.
Watermelon Sensory Bag Riff on your favorite cold and crisp summertime fruit. Grab a ziplock bag, hair gel, some red food coloring and watermelon seeds (or black beans) and swirl it all together. Use green tape to seal the edges and then toss it in the fridge to keep it cold. Instead of playing with real food, they can now push at these seeds until the sun goes down. What an awesome idea from Fantastic Fun and Learning!
Ice Cream in a Bag Got an older kiddo that can really shake and a wee one that likes to squish and taste? This bag is the perfect family bonding project that hands big and small can take part in. Let your baby feel the bag before and after. If you’re up for the challenge, let them give the bag a couple of good shakes. Learn how to make ice cream in a bag over at A Little Pinch of Perfect.
Polar Bears love to play in the snow so since today is International Polar Bear Day, we thought we’d bring the snow right to your cubs. Even if the sun is shining snow play is possible thanks to the following 11 tactile projects. Read on for the ideas!
1. Build-A-Snowman Factory
An assembly line never looked so good. Not only will little hands get a workout while molding snowmen, your kids will get a chance to use their fine-motor skills when they get busy adding all the extra parts. We love this easy (afternoon time-filler!) activity from Buggy and Buddy. Get the scoop over at Buggy and Buddy.
2. Shivery Snow Rice
Icy cold shiver rice with a dash of peppermint flavoring thrown in? Sounds like a chilly good time! Add in a few winter-themed materials and release your explorers. They’ll dig, swish, smell, and move this super easy concoction. It’s another sensational sensory idea from Crystal over at Growing a Jeweled Rose.
3. Two Step Snow
Snow… all you need is water and really cold weather. Or, you could show Mother Nature a thing or two by making a batch at home. Super easy to create and promising great playtime for kids, all you need is water, (clean) diapers and glitter. Want to know more about making this fluffy stuff? Head over to A Little Pinch of Perfect for the details.
4. Snow Window
The tots can craft their own wintry scene with this clever idea from No Time For Flash Cards. Place contact paper sticky side up on your window, then let them use cotton balls and q-tips to craft snowflakes, snowmen and more.
6. Foaming Snow Dough
Build and melt a snowman faster than you can say Olaf. With just a few household items, whip up a batch of foaming dough, courtesy of Fun at Home with Kids. Snow-dough pro Asia Citro explains why it’s important to have waterproof tidbits for snowman parts, and why a squeeze bottle full of vinegar is the easiest way to create massive amounts of foam.
7. Erupting Snow Powder
This easy sensory project (baking soda and shaving cream are the main ingredients) is perfect for your snow queens and abominable snowmen. Chilly and silky, this concoction is great for molding and will stay cold for several hours. Thinking about taking the extra step to make erupting snow? Crystal of Growing a Jeweled Rose suggests having tons of vinegar on hand.
8. Melting Snowman Slime
We love this slime project. Not only is it cool—in more ways than one—to touch and feel, it’s also a blast to make snowmen and watch as they melt into a soft puddle. We’re also betting any tiny Frozen toys your kids have stashed around the house would make an excellent addition to this activity. For a complete run-down on how to make this oozing goo, skedaddle over to Little Bins for Little Hands.
9. Snowy Sensory Bin
What you put in your Arctic Sensory bin depends on how messy you’re willing to let the kids get! Brigette, savvy sensory blogger over at Parent Savvy, uses all kinds of neat-o materials, including salt, shaving cream( the kiddo-preferred version!) , little polar bears and decorative crystals.
10. Snowy Sensory Bags
You never imagined ivory soap and toilet paper could be used anywhere but the bathroom. Well it just so happens this combo also makes an excellent snow-like molding material. The moms over at Sugar Aunts let their kiddos rip up the paper first(major mess alert!) and then created sensory bags by adding glitter and foamy snowflakes. Grab the entire tutorial from the Sugar Aunts.
11. Snow Puffy Paint
It’s white, it’s puffy, it’s paint. Kids will get a kick out of painting with a whip-cream like batch of snow paint. Add in stars, glitter or anything else sparkly for extra winter glitz. Anna of The Imagination Tree shows how this homemade puff paint makes for great sensory exploration. Get the complete list of ingredients by jumping over to The Imagination Tree.
Editor’s Note: We at Red Tricycle encourage learning. That being said, please provide your kiddos with age-appropriate materials and always supervise sensory playtime!
If it’s new and amazing and popped up in the last year, we knew about it — and told you! Let’s take a look back at Red Tricycle’s best finds of 2014, from crazy-cool hacks to must-stop travel spots to the most awesome in innovations in toys and gear.
Coolest New Toys
New toys pop up daily and we gave you the scoop on the best. Everybody loves the handy-dandy craft delivery service from Kiwi Crate, and in 2014 the exclusive Kiwi Crate for Target was launched. Also, the Roominate modern dollhouse gave STEM-toy loving kiddos a chance to wire their own dollhouse; and the ultimate in building toys met the digital era when LEGOs went 3D and online with Google Chrome. And don’t forget that PlayTape introduced a way to make designing a city for all those trucks and trains just a little easier.
Photo: Roominate
Best Parenting Hacks
Parenting: Sometimes it’s all about survival. That’s why hacks like frozen pacifier pops for new parents, the why-didn’t-I-think-of-that foam flooring for camping with kids. and the best way to use up those old stockings during the family photo shoot were not only hilarious but indispensable too.
Best Reasons to Upcycle
We all know the value of a cardboard box. From amazing DIY creations like a grocery store stand, to the ultimate baby entertainment (at least for 15 minutes!) by way of a cardboard maze, this year was all about upcycling the most basic of building materials into just about anything.
Best Reasons to Travel with Kids
Making a family bucket list in 2014 was easy, especially after we scoured the globe to share the most awesome in family travels. A favorite in coolest hotel rooms for kids was the Pirate Room at LEGOland. And while searching for those kid-friendly spots we found gems like Hawk’s Cay, Florida Keys, where swimming with dolphins is an everyday thing. We also revealed the spectacular play space, Peekadoodle in San Francisco.
Best Reasons to Get Tech Happy
From hearing the amazing sound of your baby’s heartbeat to a family-friendly new battery bank to awesome tablets for your littles — like the Kindle Fire HD — we shared some of the coolest reasons to get tech happy in 2014.
Best Ways to Keep Baby Busy
After a year scouring the best blogs on creative entertainment for busy fingers, we provided you with long lists in hopes of giving you and the little explorer hours of fun. From sensory bags to homemade blackberry playdoh and even a Baby Lite Brite, we were wowed by all the innovative ideas we found.
Photo: Jen Haas
Best DIY Crafts
Whether it was working with Mother Nature’s materials to make awesome crafts like decorative doodles, attempting some apple bowling art or even making a baby footprint masterpiece when you couldn’t get out of the house for craft time, we showed you how to set up right at home. We even shared the latest in craft kit subscriptions, like the one from Artsy Fartsy, filled with everything you need for a master project.
Coolest New Gear
It rocks to be a kid these days, and after checking out some new gear we’re almost convinced it makes being a parent easier too (we did say “almost,” right?) The new Ergo 360 offered the forward-facing position baby adores combined with the Ergo comfort fit parents love, while the Dozer Rocker presented a new take on naps in car seats and the Weehoo Trailer, with it’s fit-one-fit-all system gave parents a great new reason to hit the road. One splurge-worthy product, the Baby Brezza — baby’s first latte-making machine — really gave our readers a buzz.
Photo: Baby Brezza
Best “Frozen” Party
How many “Frozen” parties was your kid invited to in 2014? We’re willing to bet it was more than one. We were blown away by some amazing party plays on the smash hit Disney film, like this one thrown by a Marin Family.
Best Reasons to Play With Food
No doubt about it: Food is more fun when your kids actually eat it. We gave you ideas and seriously tasty recipes so you can get those dinner plates (or any plates, really) cleared. Red Tricycle writer Selena Kohng blew our minds with her incredible food art for kiddos … check out her crafty fox bagel! There were several are-you-kidding-me recipes we shared, especially treats like Cookies N’ Cream popcorn. And the sky was the limit when it comes to incredible edibles, especially Disney-themed cakes like Rapunzel’s Tower
One More Reason to Love Jason Segel
Even if you didn’t need another reason to be a huge fan of celeb Jason Segel, we gave you yet one more. When he chatted up Red Tricycle about his new book trilogy, Nightmares!, we learned cool facts about what makes this modern Muppet master tick.
Photo: Random House Children’s Books
Best Perks of Being Preggo
Nevermind the little person kicking around inside your belly. We had the skinny on some of 2014’s best perks of being preggo. You won’t even miss wine (that much!) when sipping 9 Months Sparkling Beverage. And having a Build-Your-Own-Sprinkle Cupcake Party was one of the coolest party themes we wanted to re-create. As far as new gear went, making your designer bag your go-to diaper bag was one of the most unique things we saw year.
Coolest New Openings
There are always new and cool kiddie-themed spots opening up, and our resolution in 2014 was to share the very best with you. Whether you drove right over to Diggerland USA in New Jersey for some excavating, got to check out the Discovery Cube in LA for science fun, or checked out the brand-new Maggie Daley Park in Chicago, we gave your our insider tips to making the mostest of your outing.
Photo: Jeff Bogle
What new and cool things did you love in 2014? Share with us in the comments!
