Free Events for Families with Special Needs Children
The Discovery Museums Announces 2014 Especially For Me Series Schedule
Free Events for Families with Children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder or Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children
The Discovery Museums has announced the schedule for the 2014 Especially for Me series of free events for families with children with an autism spectrum disorder and families with children with hearing loss. In addition to the evening events held in previous years, this year’s calendar will include ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) Friendly Afternoons. During ASD Friendly Afternoons, no school groups or birthday parties will be scheduled to avoid overcrowding and support accessibility of exhibits. A dedicated room will also be available to welcome families with a child with an ASD to orient them to the campus and programs, and provide a quiet space for children needing a break from the stimulation of the museums.
ASD Friendly Afternoons will take place on the first Tuesday of each month during the school year from 1:30 to 4:30 pm beginning January 7, 2014.
Evenings for Families with Children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder will take place from 5:00 to 8:30 pm on the following Saturdays:February 1, March 8, May 10, June 14, August 9, September 13, November 8 and December 13.
Evenings for Families with Deaf or Hard of Hearing Children will take place from 5:00 to 8:30 pm on the following Saturdays: January 11, April 12, July 12 and October 11.
Mornings for Families with Deaf or Hard of Hearing Infants and Toddlers at the Children’s Discovery Museum will be held from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm on Monday, March 3 and Monday, September 29.
Due to the unique nature of their needs, children with an autism spectrum disorder or with hearing loss can benefit from having time reserved for them apart from the general public. Parents of children with an autism spectrum disorder can feel hesitant to visit museums because new environments, ambient noise, and crowds can upset their children. Similarly, parents of babies who are newly diagnosed with hearing loss often feel reluctant to explore community resources since they themselves are only just learning how to communicate with their young child, manage technology such as hearing aids and cochlear implants, and deal with children’s exuberance, particularly in novel and stimulating environments.
Pre-registration is required and may be done within a month of each event through the museum’s website, http://discoverymuseums.org/
Especially for Me is part of the Museums’ Open Door Connections program to provide opportunities for those who face a variety of barriers—financial, geographic, developmental, or cultural—to experience the Museums.
