Michigan is really stepping up its game when it comes to providing sensory friendly opportunities for families. If your kiddo is like mine and in need of a more sensory friendly experience when it comes to events, take a look at the below list!
- The Autism Alliance of Michigan co-hosts many events in conjunction with many local museums called “Sensory Friendly Saturdays”. These events are held at different locations across Metro Detroit area. Based on the specific venue, great care is taken to create the best environment possible for individuals with sensory sensitivity. For more information please visit https://autismallianceofmichigan.org/ or look at the event schedule at your favorite local museum including, but not limited to Michigan Science Center, Detroit Institute of Arts, and the Ann Arbor Hands On Museum.
- The Michigan Science Center also hosts Super Sparks All Access Family Days the first Sunday of every month. These events include special adaptive shows, demonstrations, and a lower lights environment and the price of all adaptive events are included for families of children with special needs. They even provide a special sensory friendly scavenger hunt you and your child can do together than ensures to navigate around any potentially over-stimulating exhibits or displays.
- The Henry Ford went through MAST (Michigan Autism Safety Training) through The Autism Alliance of Michigan. They provide their own “Sensory Friendly Saturdays” for different events at their many venues. Please visit the events page for The Henry Ford to find their next event!
- 2018 was historic in that we had the first Sensory Friendly Day at The Detroit Auto Show. This event allowed many metro Detroit individuals and families to enjoy the auto show like never before. This event was such a success that it is being planned again for the 2019 show. You can read more about the tremendous success of this event on The Detroit Free Press site.
- AMC movie theatres are getting in on the fun as well by providing Sensory Friendly Films. These films have the lights up, the music down, and your family may get up, talk, or walk around as much as they like. AMC provides family-friendly films on the second and fourth Saturdays of every month, as well as mature audience films on Tuesday evenings. #AMCSensoryFriendly
- Emagine Theatres presents “Austism Friendly Movies” exclusively at the Novi Emagine Theatre. These movies also have a lights up, sound down environment that encourages families to get up, move around, and do whatever they need to enjoy the show. They also welcome families of children with food allergies to bring all their own snacks and drinks.
- Bloomfield Township Public Library has a whole list of sensory friendly events for tots to teens to adults with sensory needs or developmental delays. Please visit their events calendar to find one for your family.
- Social Saturdays at Healthcall in Royal Oak offer a summer program for kids of all abilities. Kids will do arts & crafts, exercise, engage in social play and more! This event is every Saturday from 10am to 12pm.
- Open year round and available to families is the Play Place for Autistic Children. If you have yet to visit this AMAZING resource in the Metro-Detroit area, please do so! This 25,000 square foot paradise is an amazing haven and resource to families living with Autism and many other developmental disabilities. Research before going as background checks are required for all adults visiting the facility making it a very safe, secure environment for our families. They even include a Haircut Hut so that little ones with specific sensory needs can get a haircut with a patient, trained stylist in a very soothing setting. It’s amazing!
What events or facilities do you love that are accessible to your family with specific needs? We would love to hear about them and add them to our list!
