April is Autism Awareness Month, so we want to offer you some sensory-friendly events available for you and your family to enjoy.
A day at the museum or a visit to an aquarium does not have to be a daunting experience, and many businesses have made sure of that by providing a relaxing, low-stimulatory atmosphere so all visitors can enjoy the fun.
Here are some events and places to explore to add to your calendar throughout the year:
What is a sensory-friendly experience?
Before we jump into all the sensory-friendly in the area, it’s good to be caught up on what sensory-friendly activities are and why they are important.
Sensory-friendly offerings depend on what the setting is for the business or organization, but it ultimately comes down to accommodating the needs of guests with sensory sensitivities.
This is often helpful for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), who can sometimes be overly sensitive to the environment around them. Hypersensitivity can cause individuals on the spectrum to feel uncomfortable, overwhelmed or overstimulated in settings where bright lights, large crowds and loud noises and other stimuli are present, according to Autism Speaks.
Sensory-friendly events combat this by providing spaces where the five senses – sight, hearing, touch, taste and smell – are considered and made less stimulating as much as possible.
Sensory-friendly events in, around Delaware
Please Touch Museum, Philadelphia
If you’re looking for a fun day trip, Philadelphia’s Please Touch Museum has a variety of events adapted to provide a relaxed environment for individuals with learning disabilities, autism and other sensory or communication needs.
The museum will host a Play Without Boundaries event on Sunday, April 16. The facility will be closed to the general public for two hours and have the lights and sound turned down, providing a quieter experience. Register for the free event in advance.
Can’t make the trip on April 16? The museum offers tools to help sensory-sensitive visitors every day, including pre-trip guides, quiet zones and programming with educators who are trained for autism sensitivity.
They also have quiet kits available at the admissions desk and daily quiet zone tents located throughout the museum.
4231 Avenue of the Republic, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (215) 581-3181; www.pleasetouchmuseum.org/
Chuck E. Cheese, Dover
For a more constant sensory-friendly option you can enjoy over and over again, Chuck E. Cheese has a Sensory Sensitive Sundays program.
Families can enjoy dimmed lighting, a sensory-friendly arcade experience, and a quieter dining and entertainment environment.
Trained staff are available during visits to ensure each guest has a safe, fun-filled time.
Participating locations open two hours early on the first Sunday of the month. In Delaware, the only participating location at the time this article was posted is on Dupont Highway in Dover.
1275 North Dupont Highway, Dover,(302) 736-9881;www.chuckecheese.com/
The Franklin Institute, Philadelphia
The Franklin Institute, named after Benjamin Franklin, is a science museum and a center of science education and research in Philadelphia.
The museum provides sensory alert maps to help guide guests through certain experiences or devices in each exhibit that may have high levels of stimulation. The guides provide helpful tips for navigation while exploring.
Provided sensory backpacks are filled with helpful tools like sunglasses, fidgets, noise-reducing headphones and weighted toys to help reduce sensory stimulation. These are provided on a first-come, first-served basis from the ticketing desk in the atrium on the second floor and will need to be returned before leaving.
Quieter spaces in the museum include exhibits like Amazing Machine or Space.
If the museum is too hectic on the day of your visit and you need to leave within 30 minutes of purchasing a ticket, the box office will give you a voucher to come back another day.
222 North 20th St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,(215) 448-1200; www.fi.edu/en
The Brandywine Conservancy and Museum of Art, Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania
The Brandywine Museum of Art in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, is filled with regional and American art and is located on Route 1 along the banks of Brandywine Creek.
The current exhibit highlights the work of American realist painter Andrew Wyeth and his family.
At the museum, PECO sensory-friendly museum packs were created with local families and occupational therapists to provide a more welcoming environment for those with sensory sensitivities.
The packs include fidgets, noise-canceling headphones and activity suggestions. They can be obtained at the admissions desk during general museum hours.
1 Hoffmans Mill Road, Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania,(610) 388-2700; www.brandywine.org/museum
Adventure Aquarium, Camden, New Jersey
The Adventure Aquarium in Camden, New Jersey, is on the waterfront and has a sensory-friendly event coming up.
Family Inclusive Sensory Hours Night (F.I.S.H) is geared toward attendees with autism or sensory sensitivities and will be hosted Sunday, April 16 from 6 to 8 p.m. in partnership with Shriners Children’s Philadelphia.
During F.I.S.H Night, the aquarium will reduce crowds, lower the music and bright lights so guests can enjoy everything the facility has to offer, including the final day of the aquarium’s Super-Sized Sand Sculptures festival.
As KultureCity-certified sensory-inclusive facility, Adventure Aquarium offers a limited number of sensory bags for guests to rent if they are feeling overwhelmed. Bags include noise-canceling headphones, verbal cue cards and fidget tools.
Members can attend F.I.S.H Night for free. Other guests can register online.
1 Riverside Dr., Camden, New Jersey,(844) 474-3474; www.adventureaquarium.com/
YMCA of Delaware, various locations
The YMCA of Delaware is partnering with Autism Delaware to hold a statewide Acceptance and Inclusion Tour in April, featuring Alex the Autism Bear.
The tour aims to welcome those with autism into every aspect of the YMCA community, from summer camp and the arts to sports and recreation, by showing them the opportunities onsite they can enjoy year-round.
Alex the Autism Bear will visit every YMCA in Delaware to show guests on the spectrum how they can have just as much fun as him at their local facility.
You can find Alex shooting hoops on the basketball courts, swimming laps in the pool, benching weights at the gym, enjoying a cycling class, reading books, playing games with children and much more!
Whatever you love to do at the YMCA, Alex is sure to lend a helping hand this month. Keep up with Alex’s adventures at your local YMCA:
- Sussex Family YMCA, Wednesday, April 5 for National Walking Day; 20080 Church St., Rehoboth Beach.
- Dover YMCA on Monday, April 10; 1137 South State St., Dover.
- Middletown YMCA on Friday, April 14; 404 N. Cass St., Middletown.
- Bear-Glasgow YMCA on Monday, April 17; 51 George Williams Way Newark.
- Western Family YMCA on Thursday, April 20; 2600 Capitol Trail, Newark.
- Walnut Street YMCA on Tuesday, April 25; 1000 North Walnut St.
- Central YMCA on Thursday, April 27; 501 West 11th St. Wilmington.
- Brandywine YMCA on April 29 for Healthy Kids Day; 3 Mount Lebanon Road, Wilmington.
Key points for a sensory-friendly event
If you are seeking out or planning a sensory-friendly event, keep these tips in mind to help you find an environment that is not overstimulating:
- Avoid fluorescent lighting and instead use lighting that is close to natural light. Do not use flickering or strobe lights.
- The lighting may need to be adjusted according to guest requests, so using a dimmer is a great idea.
- Keep the volume of music or other noise in the space at a manageable level, which is helpful for all guests whether they are on the spectrum or not.
- Having a designated quiet area can be beneficial for guests who need to decompress for a moment. Providing noise-canceling headphones or sensory kits can be helpful.
- Avoid using strongly scented products at the event. This can irritate those with sensory sensitivities and is hard to remedy without entirely leaving the event or venue.
- If using floral arrangements, hypoallergenic flowers are a better option over fresh-cut flowers.
- Providing an outdoor space can help guests find a reprieve from smell sensitivities.
- Try to keep crowds small and provide enough space for guests to move freely without being touched by others.
- If touch components are present at an event, alert guests ahead of time and ask them to consent to physical touch with another guest or staff member ahead of time.
- Avoid rough or unusual textures used in seating, chairs and table-top linens.
- If food is served, set menus ahead of time so guests know what to expect and food sensitivities or allergies can be shared.
Opting for a virtual sensory-friendly experience? Here are some extra tips:
- Have technical hosts available to help everyone set up and work through any difficulties.
- Use captioning to benefit those with a communication difficulty and make it easier to follow along.
- Provide an orientation to technology in advance so guests know how and where to join the event. Offering instructions for the event’s activities and disclosing that assistance is available will help those experiencing difficulties.
Does your business or organization provide sensory-friendly offerings and want to be included in this story? Contact Krys’tal Griffin at kgriffin@delawareonline.com.
