Autism-Friendly Holiday Activities

It’s the holiday season, and along with mistletoe, traffic, and the consumption of far too many carbs, comes the often desperate necessity of keeping my kids entertained.

Since the McCafferty family relocated back to New Jersey almost six years ago, we have been fortunate to discover many autism-friendly activities in the area, events that have engaged Justin, my more moderately involved child, as well as Zachary.

Given the fact that over the next four weeks my kids will be home almost as much as they’re in school (okay, maybe that’s a SLIGHT exaggeration), I’ve decided to share with all of you “locals” a number of events (and event-related tips) that have kept my kids occupied over the years.

I would love to hear how all of you have kept your sanity in tact over the holidays/winter break. Please feel free to leave suggestions here with all of the necessary information attached. Happy holidays to all, and thanks in advance for your contributions!

Just to get you started:

1) Monmouth Museum

December 11th 2:00-3:00  Scavenger Hunt

December 18th 2:00-3:00 Holiday Crafts

They also run a wonderful train exhibit from 11/20 through New Year’s.  Both Zach and Justin still love the trains.  The Sunday activities are more Zach’s style.

2) Jenkinson’s Aquarium Sea of Lights

12/18, 12/19, 12/26, 12/27, 1/2   6:00-9:00  $6 admission

There may be a bit of a wait to get in, so we try to arrive a few minutes before 6:00.  There are crafts, and the aquarium is decorated beautifully.  More of an activity for Zach.

3) Santa at Jenkinson’s Sweet Shop

Free pictures with Santa, 12/10, 1:00-4:00

Both kids did well with this, and it’s free!

4) Camden Adventure Aquarium:

We’ve done this for several years during winter vacation, and the trick is to get there when the aquarium opens. It’s really important to book your tickets in advance, as it’s generally frigid there that time of year, and waiting in line to get tickets can be a very cold and windy experience. There are multiple holiday events at the aquarium, including Breakfast with Santa (which we have not done), and watching the Bumble make his appearance, which gave Zachary quite a thrill. One of the greater attractions for us was their 4-D theater (because of course, 3-D just isn’t enough), where we’ve seen a twenty minute clip of The Polar Express and felt as if we were truly on the train.

There are other holiday experiences as well that you can read about from the link above. I also noticed that they are open Christmas day and include free parking for patrons, so anyone not celebrating the holiday could partake of what I imagine will be a far less crowded venue. As he’s gotten older Justin has been less and less enthralled with the experience, but for Zach, it’s still a great draw.

5) Grounds for Sculpture Carriage/Tram Rides

We have not tried this event yet. Grounds for Sculpture is in Hamilton, NJ, and is absolutely beautiful. Apparently they have decorated it for the holidays, and the lights are supposed to be fantastic. The above site gives information, but I found myself needing more information on prices, so I called them to confirm:

Horse-drawn carriage rides:
12/10, 12/17    5:00-8:00 PM
First-come, first-serve, no reservations
$5 per person, CASH ONLY
You must also pay the park entrance fee:
$12 for adults, $10 for seniors, children 6-17 $8, children under 5 free

Tram rides (which I’m told is more like an open train)
12/9, 12/16, 12/23, 12/30   5:00-8:00 PM
First-come, first-serve, no reservations
Free tram ride
Park entrance fee required (see above for different prices)
Under five years old, tram ride free

Enjoy!

Kimberlee Rutan McCafferty writes about autism at http://autismmommytherapist.wordpress.com/