We are super lucky to live in the land of perpetual sunshine but sometimes you need an indoor spot to cool off or avoid the occasional rain. This list of our favorite Orange County indoor playgrounds for kids is all you need to plan the afternoon of fun. Scroll through to find your next adventure!
We Play Loud
We Play Loud Kids’ Playground is a large indoor playground designed specifically to keep your children happy for hours. They have a two-level indoor play structure (covering over 3,600 square feet) that has a variety of activities for kids to enjoy such as a giant four-person wave slide, foam ball fountain, two foam ball dumping baskets and rainbow bridges. They have a special gated off toddler section with soft play rides specifically designed for them such as an animal merry-go-round, soft foam slide and ball pit.
7470 Edinger Avenue
Huntington Beach, CA
24350 Swartz Drive
Lake Forest, CA Online: weplayloud.com
Sender One
Older kids love this climbing gym that puts their muscles and motivation to the test. You can take a class her or head to Sender City for some auto-belay action. Try your luck traversing the Trembling Towers and then climb the wall like Spiderman.
DEFY Extreme Air Sports
Parents will definitely want to get in on the action at this spot that’s fun for all ages. Sail through the air like a circus performer, battle your brother on the battle beams, bounce in the trampoline land and make your way through the ninja obstacle course. You’ll leave tired, that’s for sure!
25222 El Paseo Rd.
Mission Viejo, CA Online: defy.com
Pretend City Children’s Museum
Hang out at the beach indoors at this spot where imaginations run wild. Make pretend dinner in the cafe, practice good oral hygiene at the dentist office and splash around in the marina. The possibilities are endless!
Rockin’ Jump
If you are looking to really tire out the kids, this is the spot for you. There’s a massive amount of trampolines, an interactive climbing wall, stunt bag area and more. Look for parents’ night out events and special programs for younger jumpers.
1411 S. Village Way
Santa Ana, CA Online: rockinjump.com
We Rock the Spectrum
Everyone can play at this kids’ gym that’s all about inclusivity. We Rock the Spectrum Long Beach provides children with a fun and motivational environment to help them in the areas of strength, movement, sensory processing, communication, positive behavior modification, social interactions and self-care skills. Open play is offered daily and you can even get an all day pass that includes in-and-out privileges.
Frogg’s Bounce House
Bounce, slide and leap at this 9,000-square-foot inflatable play zone that includes a double slide, jumper combo, two obstacle courses and a large cake jumper. There’s even a special gym for the little ones.
We love Chicago not only for its deep-dish pizza, sports teams, charming neighborhoods and lake views but also for its world-class museums—namely, The Field Museum. Where else can your kids see gems and diamonds from around the world, human and animal mummies, animal dioramas, and SUE, the most complete Tyrannosaurus Rex fossil ever discovered? As a treat, Field Museum is treating IL residents to free basic admission the entire month of February! Read on to hear about the exhibits you’ll see and programs that inspire curiosity about our world, past and present.
EXHIBITS
1. Fantastic Bug Encounters!
Don’t get too creeped out, but all around us, bugs have built an amazing world that we rarely notice. They can camouflage themselves as flowers, communicate with flashing lights, and even perform “brain surgery” to turn their prey into zombies. Fantastic Bug Encountersgives visitors a peek into this hidden world now through Apr. 19, 2020. Discover how bugs’ incredible adaptations are changing the world through interactives, larger-than-life models and a bug zoo where visitors will see (and even hold) live bugs from all over the planet. More details.
2.3D Movies
The Museum offers three ticketed movies (for an extra fee): Waking the T.rex 3D: The Story of SUE; Egypt 3D:Secrets of the Mummies; and Titanosaur 3D: The Secrets of Máximo. Kids love these movies for the jump-out-of-your-seat visual effects and parents love them for the educational content (and the opportunity they provide to rest their legs). More details.
photo: Maximo via Maria Chambers
3. Oldies But Goodies: Sue and Máximo
SUE, the famous T-Rex that formerly could be seen in the Field Museum’s Stanley Field Hall, now resides in Griffin Halls of Evolving Planet in her own exclusive home. New updates to the 90-percent-complete dinosaur include knowing where Sue’s gastralia fit in, which resembles a second set of ribs which likely helped the T-Rex breathe. In SUE’s former place, stands Máximo, the museum’s newest tenant. Spanish for “maximum” or “most,” the name is a nod to the Titanosaur’s enormous size and Argentinian homeland. At 122 feet from head to tail, he’s longer than two accordion CTA buses end-to-end and his head peeks over the museum’s 2nd-floor balcony (perfect for Máximo selfies). More details on Sue and More details on Máximo.
photo: Underground Adventure
4.Underground Adventure
Kids travel underground and shrink to 1/100th of their size to get a bugs-eye view of the world below in this mind-boggling exhibit. This adventure teaches kids how important soil and its underground bugs are to creating a healthy environment. More details.
5.The Crown Family PlayLab
The Crown Family PlayLab was created with the knowledge that kids are natural scientists, always observing and testing the world around them. The PlayLab encourages kids to go wherever their innate curiosity takes them to discover the wonders of nature and learn about diverse cultures using creative play. They can dress up as an animal and star in their own nature play, explore a pueblo home to see how families lived in a different time and place, examine insects, play an African drum or dance to a Latin beat. The opportunities for self-expression are endless. More details.
PROGRAMS
The Field Museum offers an almost infinite amount of programs for educators, adults and families. Here are a few designed with little ones in mind.
photo: Dozin’ with the Dinos
6.Dozin’ with the Dinos
This is one of the best, well-thought-out museum programs because it allows for kids and caregivers to sleepover at the museum and experience exhibits as an insider. Imagine walking around in your pajamas and snapping photographs, with a background of dinosaurs, and then waking up before the museum opens to the public. This is an unforgettable experience for kids ages 6-12.More details.
7. Poetry Pop-Up
Most kids have never even seen a real typewriter, but poet-in-residence Eric Elshtain is about to change that. He’ll pick a different spot to set up shop with his desk and typewriter, inviting poets young and old to create alongside him. More details.
8. Sensory Saturdays
The Field Museum understands that some kiddos may have specific sensory processing needs in order to have a great museum experience. For that very reason, they open the doors to the Crown Family PlayLap one hour early, 9 a.m.-10 a.m. on certain Saturdays, so families can enjoy a crowd-free space. There are tactile opportunities and sensory tools to help ensure an enjoyable experience for all. More details.
9.Discovery Squad
Daily, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m., kids can get a sneak peek of the museum’s vast collection that is not on display. They’ll have the opportunity to ask questions, hold objects (animal teeth, bird specimens, fossils and more) and get an inside look at what makes the museum so special. More details.
10.Public Tours
Now, this is a real treat — kids can view the exhibits with an in-the-know tour guide and ask questions about whatever pops in their heads. The schedule changes monthly, so refer to their online schedule or stop by the information desk on the Main Level for a full list of tours. More details.
photo: Meet a Scientist
11.Meet a Scientist
Another great free program, included with basic admission, is the Meet a Scientist opportunity on Fridays from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Kids can hold and see real artifacts from the museum collection and learn from real scientists about their research. This is just another example of how great this museum is and how they stay true to their ethos of inspiring curiosity and learning.More details.
12.Dino Camp
Preschoolers (ages 3-4), with a caregiver, can experience two mornings this summer digging for dinosaur bones, playing educational games and completing art projects in the Crown Family PlayLab. The camp runs from 9 a.m.-11:30 a.m. and basic admission to the museum is included for the rest of the day in the camp fee. This camp is a wonderful opportunity for preschoolers to learn and become engaged in natural sciences and history. More details.
13. Birthday Parties
Does your kid’s curiosity sometimes surprise even you? Is he more interested in exoskeletons than X-box? If you’re searching for the perfect venue to celebrate your little explorer’s birthday where she can step into a bug’s shoes, party with dinosaurs and have a science-themed scavenger hunt, look no further. More details.
14.Free Admission Days
The Field Museum makes a visit possible for every family through Free Admission Days and Museums for All programming, which makes general admission free or discounted for Illinois residents. As part of the Museums for All initiative, they also offer $3/person admission every day for up to six people to all families who qualify for state food assistance. More details.
The Field Museum 1400 S. Lake Shore Dr., Museum Campus Online: fieldmuseum.org
Build-A-Bear Workshop wants to make the bear building experience enjoyable for everyone—and that’s why the furry friend creation company recently rolled out Sensory-Friendly Tuesdays nationwide.
BAB offers Sensory-Friendly Tuesdays, as the name implies, on Tuesdays. More specifically, the retailer holds these special events during the first hour of the day (after the store opens) on the first Tuesday of each month.
The events are designed for children with autism and other sensory processing needs and their families. Instead of the usual bright lights and loud noises, Sensory-Friendly Tuesdays feature dimmer lighting, little or no ambient music and a step-by-step informational guide for parents and caregivers. Click here to download the guide before your next visit!
Children of all ages, their parents/caregivers and siblings are welcome to join BAB Workshop staff and their new playtime balls at this beary special event. Visit the retailer’s website for more details or call your local Build-A-Bear Workshop store for hours and availability.
The hustle and bustle that’s bundled with everyday life for our littlest friends can be tough on a kid with special needs. That’s why some local kid-centric businesses and performance groups block off specific times where the noise is dialed back, lights are dimmed, crowds are kept small and kids are, well, free to be themselves! Read on to learn about a special Blue Man Group performance and museums, play spaces, theatres, a gym and more that keep special needs kids in mind when developing their programming.
photo: Chicago Children’s Museum
YEAR-ROUND ACTIVITIES
Play for All at Chicago Children’s Museum
On the second Saturday of every month from 9 a.m.-10 a.m., Chicago Children’s Museum invites children with disabilities and their families to experience playful, multi-sensory exhibits for a special Play for All private hour. The first 250 visitors to register receive FREE admission. CCM opens to the public at 10 a.m. and Play For All families are welcome to stay and continue exploring the museum all day. Note: Pre-registration is required.
Outside of the second Saturday of the month opportunity, the museum has sound-reducing headphones, lap trays for wheelchairs, personal museum schedules, visual rule cards, an online Therapeutic Play Guide, a partnership with Francis W. Parker School to provide specially-trained student guides for your child and the entire museum is wheelchair accessible.
Get cultured with a Red Kite Project
Chicago Children’s Theatre created the Red Kite Project to bring on-going theatrical adventures, dynamic learning opportunities and camps to children on the autism spectrum and their families.
Every Monday, 4:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m., kids in grades 5-12 can participate in Red Kite Presents Shakespeare and Autism where the Hunter Heartbeat method is utilized to help participants navigate the social and communicative barriers of autism. This class is designed for neurodiverse learners to develop imaginative play skills, engage positively with their peers and learn how to work together as an ensemble.
We Rock the Spectrum Kids Gym
We Rock the Gym is a safe space for kids all across the spectrum where apologies are never needed and uniqueness is celebrated. They’re committed to providing all children a fun, motivational environment to help increase strength and improve movement, sensory processing, communication, social interactions and self-care skills, while also incorporating positive behavior modification. Offerings include structured class times and open play sessions with drop-in and membership opportunities.
Jump, jump, jump around at Airtastic
Start your week off with jumps at Airtastic’s Music FREE Mondays. They turn off the music to remove extra noise that can bother some children.
Airtastic, 850 S. Frontenac St., Aurora; Online: airtastic.com
Blue Man Group goes sensory-friendly
Blue Man Group offers an annual sensory-friendly performance which includes slight modifications, such as dim lighting, bean bags, calm environment and quiet corners to better accommodate individuals with autism. Sound levels are reduced at select moments and noise isolating headphones also available upon request. Keep tabs on their website for future dates.
Briar Street Theatre, 3133 N. Halsted, Lakeview; Online: blueman.com
Special needs screenings at Studio Movie Grill
Studio Movie Grill hosts family-friendly movies free for children with special needs and their siblings with the purchase of an adult ticket. These special screenings are shown with the lights up and the volume lowered. Don’t worry if your movie date likes to stay on the move, children are free to move around, talk and even dance in the aisle. All screenings are shown at 11 a.m. on select dates.
Studio Movie Grill, 301 Rice Lake Square, Wheaton, 630-480-9557; Online: studiomoviegrill.com
photo: Shedd Aquarium
Fish around for fun times at Shedd Aquarium
Shedd Aquarium’s inclusion program, Calm Waters, extends hours on select days exclusively for persons with disabilities. These evenings include a Caribbean Reef dive, during which you can watch a scuba diver explore the habitat alongside the animals, a 4-D Experience that combines the elements of a 3-D film with additional sensory effects like water mist and bubbles, plus an opportunity to learn how Shedd’s marine mammal trainers care for the animals. Check their website for dates and times.
photo: Shedd Aquarium
Shedd Aquarium is offering visitors a low-sensory aquatic presentation on Thursdays at 3:30 p.m. and on the last Sunday every month for the last presentation of the day. Shedd’s low sensory aquatic presentations have reduced volume, dimmed lighting and all flashing lights are removed.
Before you visit Shedd, download their sensory-friendly app designed for guests with autism and sensory-processing disorders in mind. It includes video social guides that offer information on individual exhibit spaces, including photos, tips on temperature and noise levels. The app also includes a visual schedule, communication tools, sensory-friendly maps and more tips to plan your visit, set expectations and ease anxiety. And for our Spanish-speaking friends, a Spanish version is now available.
In addition, the aquarium has created a quiet room providing a dedicated space that can be used as a calming room, prayer room or place to privately recharge mobility devices.
Shedd Aquarium, 1200 S. Lake Shore Dr., Museum Campus, 312-939-2438; Online: sheddaquarium.org
Have wild fun at Lincoln Park Zoo
While Lincoln Park Zoo doesn’t have set times to bring kids who need special accommodations, they do have a great resource guide on their website giving tips on best times to come and which animal houses are the quietest, have lighting that’s comforting or are all-together sensory neutral. They also give information on best places to park, have wheelchairs available for rent with $20 deposit, ASL guides for the deaf and sighted guides for visually impaired visitors.
Lincoln Park Zoo, 2001 N. Clark St., Lincoln Park, 312-742-2000; Online: lpzoo.org/accessibility
photo: The Field Museum via Maria Chambers
Visit the dinos at The Field Museum
The Field Museum understands that some kiddos may have specific sensory processing needs in order to have a great museum experience. For that very reason, they open the doors to the Crown Family PlayLap one hour early on select Saturdays, so families can enjoy a crowd-free space. There are tactile opportunities and sensory tools to help ensure an enjoyable experience for all.
The Field Museum, 1400 S. Lake Shore Dr., Museum Campus; Online: fieldmuseum.org
Popcorn and a show at AMC
AMC partners with the Autism Society to offer specialized movie showings where the lights are turned up and the sound down so you can get up, dance, walk, shout or belt out a tune. The Sensory Friendly Film program is available on the second and fourth Saturday of every month.
Photo: LEGOLAND Discovery Center Chicago via Maria Chambers
Play Well Days at LEGOLAND Discovery
LEGOLAND Discovery Center Chicago and Austim Speaks teamed up to provide a sensory-friendly LEGO experience the first Saturday of every month. Special accommodations will be made during Play Well Days including reduction of sound and lights, quiet spaces, a reduced center capacity, staff training by Autism Speaks and earplugs are provided, if requested.
Reach for the clouds at Sky High Sports
Every Tuesday, Sky High Sports turns off the music, dims the lights and dials down the distractions for the comfort of their guests. Jump sessions for kids with special needs and their families is a passion project for Sky High founder Jerry Raymond. The father of a special needs son, Jerry has witnessed how jumping can help improve motor and sensory skills, social interaction and overall fitness for kids and young adults. Times of the jump vary by location, so check the website for the location nearest you before heading to jump.
Go blue at Brookfield Zoo
For the last 4 years, Brookfield Zoo has hosted Autism Awareness in April, where they dye the fountain blue and have special activities — like crafting, quieted carousel rides, tailored Zoo Chats with animals and designated areas for quiet time geared toward special needs families. If you’re visiting on a day outside of the designated Autism Awareness Day, you can pick up a BZ Care Kit for free that includes noise-reducing headphones, hard copies of visual schedules, autism stickers and safety alert badges and ID bracelets in case a child gets separated.
Also good to note, Brookfield Zoo has an online map that shows quiet spaces throughout the zoo where you can duck into when needed. They also have wheelchairs and Electronic Convenience Vehicles available for rent, ASL interpreters upon request and those with disabilities are not required to wait in any lines. They have a robust Accessibility Guide online that’s worth a look through before your zoo visit, as well.
Family Night Out at DuPage Children’s Museum
DuPage Children’s Museum’s Family Night Out provides an evening of play and learning for children on the autism spectrum and other sensory processing disorders, as well as physical disabilities. Check their website for dates.
If you find a member of your crew needs a break from the action, let a DCM worker show you to the Quiet Room. You’ll find a soft couch, dimmed blue lights and a calming marble wall full of light and touch sensations. TIP: After school and early evening are often quieter times for family or therapeutic visits.
DuPage Children’s Museum, 301 N. Washington St., Naperville; 630-637-8000; Online: dupagechildrens.org
photo: Morton Arboretum
Take a nature walk at Morton Arboretum
A trip to the Arboretum is a great first ingredient for a good day for both kids and parents. It’s a fun place to explore and develop a love of the great outdoors. While they don’t have specific hours that target families with special needs, they do offer a thorough resource page on their website to help navigate the Arboretum comfortably and special Visual Schedule books are available at the Information Desk in the Visitor Center on a first-come, first-served basis. The book helps guests plan their visit and is designed specifically for individuals on the autism spectrum or with learning or development disabilities.
Morton Arboretum, 4100 IL Rte. 53, Lisle; Online: mortonarb.org
Take a swim with JCC
JCC Chicago has created an All-In Swim program for children on the autism spectrum designed to teach water safety and swim skills in a comfortable, supportive environment. Their unique curriculum focuses on valuable life-saving techniques, recreational swim therapy and increased independence and self-esteem. Each class incorporates creative games and play, as well as visual instruction such as picture cards. For certain sensory sensitivities, textured mats, wet suits, water toys and flotation devices may be used to maximize the experience. With seven levels of learning, students will make progress at their own pace.
Programs available in West Rogers Park and Northbrook; Online: jccchicago.org
photo: Autism Speaks
HOW TO SUPPORT
Walk Now for Autism Speaks
This no-pressure, three-mile walk takes place in two locations in the spring, downtown Chicago and Northfield. The downtown walk takes you leisurely by the Field Museum and Shedd Aquarium and along the lakefront. Strollers — and even Radio Flyer wagons — are welcome. And, that’s right: no registration fees. You won’t get a T-shirt unless you raise at least $150 for Autism Speaks, but anyone is welcome to participate, whether or not you choose to fundraise. This annual event also features an after-party with kid lures like inflatable bouncers, sensory sensitive activities and a petting zoo.
This is going to be a hard topic for some, simply because of the fact that people get tired of hearing about Autism.
I am here to tell you that there are times where I personally feel like I’m drowning because it is so hard to do everyday things while parenting a child with Autism. Normal, everyday things that most people find to be the easiest part of their day is often one of the many nightmares parents who have children with Autism face. You see, the easy routine of brushing teeth, making dinner, or even taking a shower probably gets taken for granted but having a child with Autism and even Sensory Processing Disorders (SPD) turns ordinary things in a daily battle. The fights can range from potty training to getting your child dressed, to even getting your child to eat certain foods.
I know that for me, the fact of having a child was scary enough, but when you add in Autism and SPD you tend to feel as though you have failed your child. When I first found out why my child was in need of extra attention, part of me crumbled. Being a single mom is hard enough, but when you add judgment into the equation from those close to you, you can’t help but feel like you have made a mistake or that you failed your child.
I am here to say, that having a child with Autism or SPD is a hundred times harder to raise. But in the end, if you have a positive outlook on the hard and difficult situation that you’ve been dealt with, you’ll start to see how pure your child’s little heart and soul really are. You begin to see that they aren’t anything different from you or me on the outside, but on the inside, they just need to have more support than you may have originally thought.
It takes a lot to have a child with these disorders—I won’t lie or sugar coat anything. But these kids deserve just as much or more love as everyone else. You see, things in life always get harder before you start to see the light at the end of the road. But if we support parents who have a child or children dealing with these disorders, maybe we can start normalizing the fact that Autism and SPD exist and don’t make people “weird or different.” This is an opportunity to start changing the world one little person at a time.
Too many children are being forced to meet expectations they were never meant to fulfill. Outside-the-box kids were made differently and distinctly with gifts, talents, and purposes. And these outside-the-box kids must be equipped with our love and support to thrive in this world.
We adopted an outside-the-box, high-needs child almost 6 years ago. When our son hit 18 months, he began to destroy our home and our family. His horrific and uncontrollable behaviors included aggression, destruction, and dangerous thrill-seeking acts. He screamed all. day. long. for about three years straight. And he did not sleep more than two hours a time for almost a year and a half. That, of course, made things astronomically worse.
Fortunately, however, God used this four-year experience of misery to radically change me as a mom. During that time, I developed relationships with amazing pediatric specialists. My son’s volatility was beyond anything I could handle on my own, and it forced me into counseling as I faced my own internal junk, which was severely impacting my ability to cope well. God allowed this all to completely transform me as a mother, wife, friend, and educator.
Most importantly, that transformation completely saved my relationship with my biological daughter. Honestly, I believe it has actually saved her life!
Saving My Daughter
At the time that we adopted my son, we had no idea that our daughter was an outside-the-box kid longing to thrive. We didn’t know that she was an Aspie girl. For years, I tried to make her into a social butterfly like her older sister and me. I didn’t understand why she was so “shy.” I worried about her heightened sensitivity level. Her tears, her emotions… I wanted to “fix” her. When she would not do what I wanted when I wanted it, I would become frustrated with her.
And she felt it. She felt my disappointment as well as the disappointment of others when she could not be who they wanted her to be. It kills me to think about what she must have felt about herself knowing that she was never “enough.”
Being “different” was not what made her feel less-than. Nope. It was the messages she was receiving from the world around her—most importantly, in her own home. She was constantly receiving messages that told her she needed to be someone she was not created to be. This is what could have potentially destroyed her sense of self.
I fight the tears right now as I think about what she would have felt and believed about herself if I had continued parenting her with the idea that she needed to be someone different. Someone who the world wants her to be.
An Overlooked & Suffering Population
Aspie girls are suffering so much… for so many reasons. One of the most crucial reasons that these girls are suffering is because they are being misdiagnosed. They are being completely overlooked because Aspie girls (currently diagnosed as Autism Spectrum Disorder based upon DSM-V) present so differently than boys, and the criteria has been based upon boys. The mental health implications of being missed are astronomical:
Anxiety
Anorexia
Depression
Suicide
Trauma
Our outside-the-box girls are everywhere, and they do not have to suffer in this way. But sadly, so many have been told throughout their formative years that they are not enough. That they are inherently defective. They have been told that they should not be who they were created to be. That their interests are “weird” and they must change to be accepted. That they must shove their outside-the-box selves into the one-size-fits-all “norm” in order to be valued and loved.
Can you imagine living your life like this? So what do these outside-the-box girls do? What do so many of our outside-the-box kids do?
They hide. at home. alone. There are likely millions of outside-the-box kids out there who are not thriving.
Kids with ADHD, Autism, Sensory Processing Disorder, Auditory Processing Disorder, Learning Differences, Aspies, introverts… whatever. It doesn’t matter if they have a diagnosis or not. Who cares?!!! These kids are everywhere!
Why are we forcing so many gifted, loving, talented, and brilliant people onto the hamster wheel of mental illness?!
‘I’m not good enough.’
‘I always screw up.’
‘I said the wrong thing.’
‘The noise was just too much and I couldn’t handle it.’
‘I cannot focus in a room full of other kids.’
‘What is wrong with me?’
The messages that our children consistently receive from the world are most often the ones that plague them for the rest of their lives.
How many more kids have to scream for help through drug abuse, cutting, suicide, etc… before we take a good look at this one-size-fits-all system that is failing so many children?
We Need to Value Neurodiversity
We say that we value diversity in this country, and yet we have a system set up for one type of child. Our kids have gifts and talents and hearts that just want to love and be loved. Oftentimes, we try to raise our unique kids using the “world’s” expectations as our goal. When our young kids cannot take it any longer, they explode… often times behaviorally. I have learned, by God’s grace, that our children are gifts to this world and need to be raised in a way that allows them to thrive and shine.
Moms, Let’s Be Willing to Parent Differently
Moms, we need one another to be brave for our differently gifted children. Our precious kids who simply long to be their unique selves without constantly butting up against a culture that believes they are inherently defective. Let us rally together and be brave enough to allow our children to flourish as their unique selves regardless of what the parenting peanut gallery says. Let’s put on the mom glasses that allow us to see the gifts, passions, and hearts behind our unique children and then equip them to thrive!
Lindsay Leiviska (MA Teaching) is a homeschool mom of three with over 20+ years experience working with children. The adoption of her son 6 years ago transformed her as a mom. She began A Heart for All Students with the mission is empower outside-the-box kids by equipping their amazing mommas.
Think you love Trader Joe’s? No matter how big of a fan you are, chances are you haven’t been to as many Trader Joe’s as the Patterson family.
Michelle and Brandon Patterson are on an epic road trip across the United States with their five-year-old son, Carter. According to their Instagram feed Travelin Pattersons, they are on a journey across the lower 48 in order to decide which state they want to call home. The family sold their house, paid off all of their debts and have been driving through 34 states since April, Insider reports. They are hoping to find a new place to live by the time Carter is ready for Kindergarten.
Along the way the family has visited 40 Trader Joe’s locations, which happens to be one of their favorite stores. Their visits to Trader Joe’s have acted like a touchstone for their son along this unique trip. Carter was diagnosed with autism and sensory processing disorder and the regular Trader Joe’s trips have helped give him a sense of routine.
The family shared pictures of their 40th Trader Joe’s stop in Illinois last week and captioned the post with an explanation of how much these stops have really meant for Carter. “Trader Joe’s has been such a huge part of this trip for us. It has actually become a form of therapy for Carter, believe it or not. This is a kid that was so rigid and stuck in his routine that if we had a detour on the way to school and I had to turn left instead of right, he would lose his mind.”
The post continues, “Visiting all these TJs locations has given him a chance to embrace change. Even though it’s the same store, every location is different. Different layout, different mascot to find, different carts, different locations for things etc.”
Trader Joe’s employees across the country have welcomed the family, gifting them with baskets full of goodies. At the Trader Joe’s store in Cary, North Carolina the family was welcomed with a banner and plenty of fanfare, while Carter was presented with his very own TJ’s shirt and name tag.
No matter where the Pattersons end up, it’s clear that a Trader Joe’s, which has become like a second home, will be near by.
Tanya Acosta is a Speech Pathologist, mother and the brains behind the non-profit Sensory City—and organization dedicated to making public spaces sensory friendly.
As the parent of a child with a disability, Acosta wants to help public community spaces (such as hotels, museums, airports, theme parks and other areas) better accommodate people with autism spectrum disorder, dementia, ADHD, PTSD and other sensory processing issues.
Sensory City offers a certification process to designate public spaces as “Sensory Friendly Certified.” The organization also offers sensory friendly kits, tools and disability-friendly recommendations to create inclusive areas.
Certification requires the business/organization/institution’s staff to complete Sensory City’s training and adopt the program criteria. Certified establishments get a door decal (to let families know the business is sensory-friendly). You can find “Sensory Friendly Certified” spaces listed on Sensory City’s website.
Pittsburgh International Airport recently unveiled a very special space—a sensory room for children and adults with autism and other neurodevelopmental needs!
The room, named Presley’s Place, is the brainchild of airport employee Jason Rudge. Rudge, who works as a heavy equipment operator, got the idea from his son Presley. The four-year-old is on the autism spectrum and, according to his parents, struggles with changes in his routine which certainly doesn’t make flying easy.
The new space includes a realistic cabin experience (courtesy of American Airlines and Magee Plastics), private soundproof spaces, adjustable lighting, a transitional space between the concourse and room, a sensory-friendly restroom, adult changing stations, adjustable sinks, calming activities and comfortable seating.
The Pittsburgh International Airport’s website describes Presley’s Place as, “A calming respite for travelers with sensory processing issues and their families to de-escalate prior to getting on a plane or even after landing.” The web description also adds, “To best understand the needs of the community, we brought together advocacy groups, individuals and caregivers of children with neurodevelopmental challenges to share their experiences and offer suggestions for the room’s design.”
Presley’s Place isn’t the only way Pittsburgh International Airport makes traveling easier. The airport also has a Military Lounge for members of the military and their families and a nursing lounge!
Regal Cinemas wants to make going to the movies a positive experience—for everyone. And with the company’s My Way Matinee program, kiddos with sensory processing disorders and other similar needs can view the summer’s top flicks in a totally new way.
My Way Matinee movies are sensory-friendly, including soft lighting and lower volume sound. Along with these additions, children are free to sing, laugh, dance, talk, make noise or walk around mid-movie! In other words, there are no “no’s” here.
Fans of Buzz, Woody and the rest of the Pixar gang can check out Toy Story 4 on Jun. 29 at select Regal Cinemas theaters across the country. All showtimes start at 10:30 a.m. local time. Visit Regal’s website here to locate participating theaters.
Along with the latest installment of the Toy Story series, Regal’s My Way Matinee will also include Spider-Man: Far From Home (Jul. 13), The Lion King (Jul. 27), Dora and the Lost City of Gold (Aug. 10) and Angry Birds 2 (Aug. 24).
