Fall brings plenty of fun for your family. We’ve rounded up a few favorite events created especially for families with special needs to take advantage of all the great things Chicagoland offers. Read some of our picks below and find more future events on our calendar.
Special Needs Weekend
When: Sept. 22-23, Oct. 27-28
Where: Lockport
Siegel’s Cottonwood Farms is giving people with special needs and their immediate family (up to six people) free general admission Sept. 22-23 and Oct. 27-28 during its Pumpkin Fest. Pre-register by Sept. 15. It includes more than 35 attractions.
Special Needs Equipment Sale
When: Sept. 22
Where: Gage Lake
If you are looking for sensory toys, standers, walkers, wheelchairs and adaptive bikes, Laremont School in Gages Lake is holding a sale from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Costs are set low and proceeds will benefit the children at the school.
Our Time
When: Sept. 22
Where: Arlington Heights
Arlington Heights Memorial Library hosts a free inclusive event from 10 to 11:30 a.m. The event is designed for kids up to 5 years old who receive therapy services and their families. Join Michelle Hunter, early childhood music specialist, and Lydia Bryant, a certified therapeutic recreation specialist, for an interactive family concert and sensory storytime. Throughout the program, families can explore various play stations, enjoy refreshments and meet one another, finding support and resources within the community.
Leo Lionni’s Frederick - Access Weekend
When: Oct. 27-28
Where: Chicago
Chicago Children's Theatre presents A musical based on beloved children’s author Leo Lionni’s Caldecott Award-winning boak about Frederick the mouse. While other mice are working hard gathering food for the winter, Frederick is daydreaming the summer away. But when dreary weather comes, it is Frederick who has stored up something special to help his companions survive the long cold winter. Recommended for all ages. Access weekend for special needs families is Oct. 27-28. A pre-show touch tour of the set for patrons who are blind or have low vision is at 9:30 a.m. Oct. 27; ASL events for patrons who are deaf or hard of hearing are at 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. on Oct. 27; sensory-friendly performances at 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. on Oct. 28. $20-$45.
Deaf Awareness Day 2018
When: Oct. 4
Where: Chicago
Columbia College Chicago American Sign Language Department is hosting a day showcasing agencies and businesses with resources for deaf, deaf-blind, hard of hearing, late deafened and interpreters from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Also featured will be the special presentation of ASL Slam.
Open Play
When: Oct. 11
Where: Oak Park
Wonder Works opens early the second Thursday of every month for kids up to 8 with special needs. $5 per person. 9-10 a.m.
Play for All
When: Oct. 13
Where: Chicago
The next Play for All at the Chicago Children's Museum will be Oct. 13. Held the second Saturday of every month, children and families with disabilities get to experience Chicago Children’s Museum’s inclusive, multisensory exhibits and programs. The museum opens early, at 9 a.m., for pre-registered families. The first 250 receive free admission. Pre-register here.
