Over a period of ten years, more than 100% increase had been noticed in the number of children on ASD.
Autism Spectrum Disorders include social, communication, & behavioral challenges. These challenges & problems can either be mild, severe or somewhere in between.
For the families with kids/adults on the Autism Spectrum, planning a vacay per se can be exhausting let alone enjoying it troublefree. Loud noise, & Bright colors can be tough to deal with. Like most of you, I was fairly unaware of venues meant for families struggling with these disorders. As a matter of fact, I was at my utmost ignorance when it comes to this very common social disorder. Thus, upon searching, I became familiar with some such places worth the visit for families struggling with ASD.
Having said that, many people at large are still oblivious of such parks, places, resorts & programs’ availability. For the most part, these spots offer low light, low sound setting, sensory toys, no waiting time in lines, sensory guides, exhibits, and quiet rooms.
I became aware of these Venues being Sensory friendly inadvertently while I was making a list on maps the other day.
Along with accessibility signs, this one sign that grabbed my attention turned out an autism-friendly symbol.
This symbol(Puzzle like) represents the particular place event or performance being sensory friendly & specifically outlined for the children grappling with ASD.
Glazer Children’s Museum- Located in the heart of Downtown Tampa, This children’s museum has multiple exhibits & fascinating rooms. Tons of educational exhibits/Rooms in this museum meant for the toddlers/kids up to 12 years old.
Sunshine Sunday every month offers a low light low sound ambiance exclusively for children with special needs.
According to my observation- every state in the USA has at least one children’s museum, & some states have more than one, no matter which state you’re currently residing, you can visit the museum at a reasonable price, certain dates provide free entry too, check their website for the upcoming events. List of Children’s Museums in the States.
Sea-World Orlando/Aquatica Orlando- With over 40,000 Google reviews Sea World Orlando is a global fame marine zoological theme park, located in Orange County, Orlando.
Aquatica, one of the newest parks in the sea world, is now Certified Autism Center. Their staff is fully trained in sensory awareness, motor skills, autism overview.
Quiet Rooms & low sensory area specifically designed for the comfort of Autistic kids.
Zoo Miami- Located in Miami-dade county Zoo Miami is an abode for around 3k animals. Zoo Miami has recently earned the Certified Autism Center designation by IBCCES for being one of the organizations who has undergone specialized training in order to provide better service to people with Autism & Sensory needs.
They are also working on to provide Sensory Bags including noise cancellation headphones, fidget toy & stress balls to make the experience better for guests with disabilities, later this year.
New World Center Miami- New World Symphony Miami believes that Music has a healing & soothing power,
New world center is a safe, sensory friendly setting for the whole family. Both children & grownups with SPD & ASD are welcome here, the accommodation provides Reduced Volumes, Noise canceling headphones, Low lighting, inflatables, Bungees, quiet rooms, & painting stations.
Most of all, the entry here is free.
TradeWinds Island Grand Resort- Is a great place to be for people searching for a hassle-free family vacation. This beachfront resort, located at St. Pete Beach, Florida, provides safe & friendly accommodation for families with special needs. With a trained staff to comprehend such situations & sensitivities, this resort won’t disappoint for they render Safety Kits including Door Alarms, Corner Guards, and things like temporary but write-able safety Tattoos for kids.
On top of all this, kids club, special needs friendly activities, Gluten Free food options available.
PS- This list on Google Maps consists of before-mentioned venues in Florida. For information on more autism-friendly, sensory friendly places outside Florida, I am currently working on a list encompassing such places in the entire USA & will be sharing it with you shortly.
Image Source- Their respective websites.
