Kung Fu Panda 3 is Sensory Friendly Twice this Month at AMC
Last updated on February 21st, 2016 at 01:03 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“.
This Saturday, February 13th, at 10am local time, AMC and the Autism Society’s “Sensory Friendly Film” program will be showing Kung Fu Panda 3. 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 February: Zoolander 2 (Tues, 2/23) and Kung Fu Panda 3 (Sat, 2/27)
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Editor’s note: Although Kung Fu Panda 3 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 martial arts action and 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.
Next Tuesday AMC is Showing The Finest Hours Sensory Friendly
Last updated on February 10th, 2016 at 11:20 am
AMC Entertainment (AMC) has expanded their Sensory Friendly Films program, in partnership with the Autism Society! Next Tuesday evening, families affected by autism or other special needs have the opportunity to view a sensory friendly screening of The Finest Hours, 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 The Finest Hours next week on Tuesday, February 9th 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 later in February: Kung Fu Panda 3 (Saturdays, February 13th and February 27th) and Zoolander 2 (Tuesday, February 23rd)
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Editor’s note: Although The Finest Hours 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 some intense sequences of peril. 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 & Autism Society’s Next Sensory Friendly Film: Ride Along 2
Last updated on January 27th, 2016 at 11:23 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 Ride Along 2, 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 Ride Along 2 tomorrow, Tuesday, January 26th 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 in February: AMC has not yet provided details of the February Sensory Friendly films
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Editor’s note: Although Ride Along 2 has been chosen by 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 sequences of violence, sexual content, language and some drug material. 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.
Autism Society and AMC Show Norm of the North this Saturday
Last updated on January 25th, 2016 at 03:20 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“.
This Saturday, January 23rd, at 10am local time, AMC and the Autism Society’s “Sensory Friendly Film” program will be showing Norm of the North. 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 January: Ride Along 2 (Tues, 1/26)
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Editor’s note: Although Norm of the North 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 mild rude humor and action. 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.
Video: Dyslexia Insights from a Young Man and a Psychologist
Last updated on January 27th, 2016 at 11:23 am
Dyslexia is a common type of learning difficulty that primarily affects the skills involved in the reading and spelling of words. In this video, Daniel tells his story and an expert gives advice on symptoms, causes and treatment approaches.
https://youtu.be/IUbXyOjV1Cg
Editor’s Note: Video Highlights
Daniel’s perspective: Daniel is a college student and was recently diagnosed with dyslexia
Daniel’s dyslexia issue is processing speed and short term memory- He found math hard in school and it was difficult to first learn new things – so he was often left behind
- Once he was diagnosed, some advice and support helped him:
- He was given a keyboard to take into lectures, since he could type faster than writing by hand
- For reading, he got advice to read several words at once – rather than each individual word – it was tiring him out to read before
- Daniel says he has a terrible short term member but a great long-term memory – if he learns something very carefully, he will always remember it – so he can build off this strength
- It was easier after he was diagnosed: “I felt like, actually there Is something that is causing it, so I could find ways to help myself then.”
- “It was far more useful knowing I had dyslexia rather than just struggling and not knowing why.”
Expert perspective: Dr. David McLoughlin is a psychologist who treats children with dyslexia in his practice
- Dyslexia is a problem with the language-processing area of the brain which impacts on reading and spelling
- However, it also impacts a broader range of tasks – such as time management, organization and planning – so rather than just a memory or processing issue, it’s a much bigger syndrome
- Dyslexia runs in families – we know this from twin studies, research and clinical practice
- The standard diagnosis process includes measurement of the general ability – and then looking at whether achievements in reading, writing, spelling or math are inconsistent with the child’s general level of functioning
- They then look at factors in the testing – like memory or processing skills – that might explain any differences
- General advice for parents of a child with dyslexia:
- Get them to read – but don’t over-correct them
- Expect them to forget – reward them for remembering
- As they get older self-understanding becomes very important
- The reassuring thing is that if children are properly understood and have the opportunity to develop skills and alternative techniques – they can pursue whatever they are capable of
- They just have to do things differently
From www.nhs.uk
It’s New Year’s Eve Somewhere…Celebrate Early!
Last updated on January 18th, 2016 at 11:02 am
On New Year’s Eve, my 13-year old son REALLY wanted to ring in the New Year and watch the ball drop in Times Square on the TV – particularly because the year before, while visiting my husband’s parents in Arizona, we lost track of the time difference and completely MISSED midnight on the East Coast – ball drop and all.
So that was a fine plan, except for the fact that we were having friends over – a couple who have a younger boy with ADHD and Asperger’s – and he probably wasn’t going to be able to manage well until midnight, especially as his medication wore off.
My solution was to arrange for us to celebrate New Year’s Eve twice – once at the regular time for our family and once earlier with our friends. But I didn’t want this plan to seem too contrived. My friend’s son is 9 years old and very bright, so I needed a context for this earlier celebration. So, what did I come up with???…..Greenland! We celebrated New Year’s Eve along with the residents of the capital of Greenland – Nuuk (or Gothåb, the Danish name), which is two hours earlier than Eastern Standard Time (e.g. their midnight was our 10pm). To build further credibility for this plan, I shot my girlfriend a text and said that we should all identify some fun facts or trivia about our celebratory focus, especially if this appealed to her son. We had NO idea what we were creating….
It turns out that this was right up the little guy’s alley. He spent most of the day on the internet (thanks Wikipedia!) and even learned how to use Excel (did I mention he is super bright??). And after an awesome dinner, we ended up playing a Jeopardy-style Greenland trivia game with categories and point levels associated with the difficulty of the question!
A few of the things we learned:
- Nuuk means “cape” in Greenlandic because it is positioned at the end of a fjord – and is the world’s northernmost capital city
- Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark – and is the world’s largest island
- Greenland’s parliament is called Inatsisartut – and is located in Nuuk
- The economy of Nuuk is focused on fishing and mining of zinc and gold
This might not sound like the most exciting activity for a New Year’s Eve get-together….but since we divided into girl/boy teams (girls won, of course!) – and the adults had the benefit of a little bubbly – it was really a hoot. Plus it addressed the needs of our younger participants – even those with special needs. Depending on where you live, you may have a lot more choices for locations to focus an early New Year’s Eve celebration on – here’s a mom blog that gives other exotic locations to set your celebration to – but either way, I would highly recommend it for next December 31st.
