Special Sensory Friendly Screening of The Nutcracker TOMORROW
Last updated on December 21st, 2016 at 02:54 pm
Fathom Events and the Autism Society of America are delighted to bring a first-of-its-kind sensory friendly cinema event featuring the Bolshoi Ballet’s timeless holiday classic, The Nutcracker, to select cinemas on Monday. December 19.
In this special cinema presentation theatergoers are encouraged to be themselves. The lights will be turned up, and the sound turned down, so you can get up, dance, walk, shout or sing!
On Christmas Eve, Marie’s wooden nutcracker doll transforms into a beautiful prince who takes her on a magical journey. Before they leave, they must confront the Mouse King whose army is threatening Marie…
Christmas would not be complete without the enchanting tale of young Marie and her Nutcracker prince! Danced by the Bolshoi’s principals, E.T.A. Hoffmann’s fairytale staged by Russian ballet master Yuri Grigorovich will transport children and adults alike to a world of magic and wonder for the holiday season.
The screening begins at 6pm local time and runs for approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes. Participating theaters and online tickets can be found at the Fathom website here. If you cannot purchase tickets online, they can be purchased at a participating cinema box office.
2016 Toys”R”Us Toy Guide For Differently-Abled Kids
Last updated on December 12th, 2016 at 03:10 pm
Holiday shopping for kids with special needs can be challenging, but the Toys”R”Us Toy Guide for Differently-Abled Kids can make it a little easier. Thoroughly researched and tested, the guide features symbols that stand for skills like auditory, language, social skills and others to help shoppers know the skills involved with each item. Since children with special needs may be on different developmental levels, there are no age suggestions in the guide. Pictures of the products will help you see if something would be too babyish or too advanced for your gift recipient. The reviews by customers are helpful, too.
The guide also includes a list of questions like “places the toy will be used”, “method of activation”, “opportunities for success”, etc. to help parents and caregivers ensure the right toy is purchased for each child’s current skill and abilities. Tips for ensuring safe play and even a guide to apps for mobile devices for children with differing needs are also included.
Coming Soon: Fantastic Beasts is Sensory Friendly 3 Times at AMC
Last updated on November 30th, 2016 at 09:26 pm
AMC Entertainment (AMC) and the Autism Society have teamed up to bring families affected by autism and other special needs “Sensory Friendly Films” every month – a wonderful opportunity to enjoy fun new films in a safe and accepting environment.
The movie auditoriums will have their lights turned up and the sound turned down. Families will be able to bring in snacks to match their child’s dietary needs (i.e. gluten-free, casein-free, etc.), there are no advertisements or previews before the movie and it’s totally acceptable to get up and dance, walk, shout, talk to each other…and even sing – in other words, AMC’s “Silence is Golden®” policy will not be enforced during movie screenings unless the safety of the audience is questioned.
Does it make a difference? Absolutely! Imagine …no need to shhhhh your child. No angry stares from other movie goers. Many parents think twice before bringing a child to a movie theater. Add to that your child’s special needs and it can easily become cause for parental panic. But on this one day a month, for this one screening, everyone is there to relax and have a good time, everyone expects to be surrounded by kids – with and without special needs – and the movie theater policy becomes “Tolerance is Golden“.
Families affected by autism or other special needs can view 3 sensory friendly screenings of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them in November and December: Saturday, November 26th at 10am and Tuesdays, November 29th and December 13th at 7pm (all local times). Tickets are $4 to $6 depending on the location. To find a theatre near you, here is a list of AMC theatres nationwide participating in this fabulous program (note: to access full list, please scroll to the bottom of the page).
Coming in December: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Tues, 12/13), Moana (Sat, 12/10) and Star Wars: Rogue One (Tues, 12/27)
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Editor’s note: Although Fantastic Beasts has been chosen by the AMC and the Autism Society as this month’s Sensory Friendly Film, we do want parents to know that it is rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association of America for some fantasy action violence. As always, please check the IMDB Parents Guide for a more detailed description of this film to determine if it is right for you and your child.
AMC Will Have Dr Strange Sensory Friendly Tomorrow Evening
Last updated on November 21st, 2016 at 02:03 am
AMC Entertainment (AMC) has expanded their Sensory Friendly Films program in partnership with the Autism Society. This Tuesday evening, families affected by autism or other special needs have the opportunity to view a sensory friendly screening of Doctor Strange a film that may appeal to older audiences on the autism spectrum.
As always, the movie auditoriums will have their lights turned up and the sound turned down. Families will be able to bring in snacks to match their child’s dietary needs (i.e. gluten-free, casein-free, etc.), there are no advertisements or previews before the movie and it’s totally acceptable to get up and dance, walk, shout, talk to each other…and even sing – in other words, AMC’s “Silence is Golden®” policy will not be enforced during movie screenings unless the safety of the audience is questioned.
Does it make a difference? Absolutely! Imagine …no need to shhhhh your child. No angry stares from other movie goers. Many parents think twice before bringing a child to a movie theater. Add to that your child’s special needs and it can easily become cause for parental panic. But on this one day a month, for this one screening, everyone is there to relax and have a good time, everyone expects to be surrounded by kids – with and without special needs – and the movie theater policy becomes “Tolerance is Golden“.
AMC and the Autism Society will be showing Doctor Strange tomorrow, Tuesday, November 15th at 7pm (local time). Tickets are $4 to $6 depending on the location. To find a theatre near you, here is a list of AMC theatres nationwide participating in this fabulous program (note: to access full list, please scroll to the bottom of the page).
Coming Soon: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Sat, 11/26, Tues, 11/29 and Tues, 12/13)
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Editor’s note: Although Doctor Strange has been chosen by AMC and the Autism Society for a Tuesday Sensory Friendly screening, we do want parents to know that it is rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association of America for sci-fi violence and action throughout, and an intense crash sequence. As always, please check the IMDB Parents Guide for a more detailed description of this film to determine if it is right for you and your family.
See a Sensory Friendly Screening of Trolls Tomorrow at AMC
Last updated on November 14th, 2016 at 11:38 am
AMC Entertainment (AMC) and the Autism Society have teamed up to bring families affected by autism and other special needs “Sensory Friendly Films” every month – a wonderful opportunity to enjoy fun new films in a safe and accepting environment.
The movie auditoriums will have their lights turned up and the sound turned down. Families will be able to bring in snacks to match their child’s dietary needs (i.e. gluten-free, casein-free, etc.), there are no advertisements or previews before the movie and it’s totally acceptable to get up and dance, walk, shout, talk to each other…and even sing – in other words, AMC’s “Silence is Golden®” policy will not be enforced during movie screenings unless the safety of the audience is questioned.
Does it make a difference? Absolutely! Imagine …no need to shhhhh your child. No angry stares from other movie goers. Many parents think twice before bringing a child to a movie theater. Add to that your child’s special needs and it can easily become cause for parental panic. But on this one day a month, for this one screening, everyone is there to relax and have a good time, everyone expects to be surrounded by kids – with and without special needs – and the movie theater policy becomes “Tolerance is Golden“.
Families affected by autism or other special needs can view a sensory friendly screening of Trolls on Saturday, November 12th at 10am (local time). Tickets are $4 to $6 depending on the location. To find a theatre near you, here is a list of AMC theatres nationwide participating in this fabulous program (note: to access full list, please scroll to the bottom of the page).
Coming later in November: Dr. Strange (Tues, 11/15) and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Sat, 11/26 and Tues, 11/29)
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Editor’s note: Although Trolls has been chosen by the AMC and the Autism Society as this month’s Sensory Friendly Film, we do want parents to know that it is rated PG by the Motion Picture Association of America for some mild rude humor. As always, please check the IMDB Parents Guide for a more detailed description of this film to determine if it is right for you and your child.
Setting Expectations with ALL Kids – Not Just Special Needs
Last updated on October 31st, 2016 at 02:32 pm
On our monthly trip to my son’s orthodontist I witnessed a classic parenting mistake, and I was torn about whether I should speak up. As I sat waiting for my son to be finished a mom came in to the office with her two sons. 
She was frazzled from sitting in traffic, as we all are in this ridiculously overcrowded city. Her two boys immediately went over to the arcade style video game in the waiting room, which is set on free play.
The older boy kept winning, and the younger boy was getting more and more vocal about his frustration with the game. Every time he shouted out, his mom would say his name in a disapproving tone. He kept shouting and she kept calling out his name, using a gradually angrier tone each time. It was a little funny because she was getting angry at him for being loud but she was being just as loud and making it worse, but I kept my amusement to myself.
Here is what I noticed as an objective observer – she never told him to lower his voice! She kept getting madder while he had no idea what he was doing wrong! I wanted to point it out to her, but I felt it was overstepping the limits of polite society. Plus, I didn’t want to come off as a know-it-all and she was so upset I didn’t think she would really be able to appreciate the help. One symptom of many special needs diagnoses is the lack of ability to control volume or to read social cues so maybe that was part of this scenario. But I wondered if much of the fuss would settle down if she had just explained calmly to him that this was an office where people are working and they need it to be a little quiet so they can concentrate.
Think about the last time you got frustrated with your child, special needs or not. Did you clearly explain what you wanted or needed? I have certainly made this mistake both as a teacher and as a parent and even as a human being. What seems so obvious to one person might be completely unnoticed by or unimportant to another.
Try to be clear with your instructions and corrections, and offer an explanation. Better yet, discuss expectations beforehand – like while you are stuck in traffic. It’s the perfect time to remind your child of what is expected. Social stories can also help special needs kids with new or scary situations as well as remind them of what will be happening and what they can expect. For more on social stories check out this link: http://www.educateautism.com/social-stories.html
