Summertime is a great time to head to a theme park and enjoy the rides, games and other activities. Yet, when you have a child with autism and ADHD, it can be a bit challenging for them and your family. Theme parks are fun, but they also can cause your child sensory overwhelm. So how can you and your whole family have fun at a theme park when you have a child with autism and ADHD?
Preparation is key
One essential is to ensure you prepare in advance for your family’s trip to the theme park. What are the things you should research?
- Check out the theme park’s website to see if they offer any disability services, especially any specific to autistic people. Those can include quiet rooms, fast-track passes, social stories for their park, what-to-expect guides and more.
- Research and plan for which rides your family will prioritize. You also will need to determine how you will need to split up adults and children for certain rides. If you have time for more rides than planned, then that is great. If you don’t, then hopefully you were able to enjoy the most desired rides.
- Understand the food options available at the park. If they don’t offer much that your child will eat, you may want to pack your own food. Then you can go back to your car for meals. Most parks allow a pass out to go back to your car and re-enter during that same day or a specific timeframe.
- Find out if the park you plan to visit is a Certified Autism Center on Autism Travel. You also can research their recommended destination parks.
- Use social stories (affiliate link) to talk to your autistic child about going to the theme park to help them know what to expect and what to do. You can also watch YouTube videos of the park you will be visiting. In addition, reading about a child’s trip to a theme park can be helpful too. Check out James’ Journey to the Amusement Park (affiliate park), a children’s book that chronicles an autistic child’s day at a park.
A few years ago, we took our son J to the Kentucky Kingdom and Hurricane Bay. I was happy to find out they had a quiet room available, but we never had to use it. We planned for the rides both kids wanted to go on, and we brought their swimsuits and towels for the water park. We had a lot of fun as a family, and J never seemed too overwhelmed during the day.
More tips for enjoying the theme park for your child with autism and ADHD
In addition to your research to prepare, here are some other tips to help you make the most of your day(s) at the theme park for your child and whole family.
- Based on your research and plan, use a visual schedule to show your child the plan for the day.
- Be sure to bring your emergency meltdown kit with you in case you need it. The noise, sites, smells and crowds really affect some children, so it’s better to be prepared.
- Schedule some down time during the day. This may mean finding a quiet, shady spot in the park to have a snack and rest. Or it may include leaving the park (with a pass to get back in) and going back to your hotel for a rest. For parks that offer special evening activities, this is a good idea to have a sizable break between daytime and evening events.
- Make sure your child has identification in case they get lost. This could be a piece of paper with your name and cell phone number on it in their pocket, or an identification bracelet or necklace (affiliate links).
- Expect and be okay with your child stimming. They may be very excited, nervous or anxious, and stimming will help them self-regulate their behavior.
- Bring any sensory managing items your child needs such as noise-cancelling headphones, sunglasses or earplugs.
- If your child wants to meet a character, talk to the staff accompanying them if your child may not want to be hugged or physically touched. This will make for a more fun and comfortable encounter for your child and the character.
Have you taken your child with autism and ADHD to a theme park? What are your tips for a successful trip? Leave a comment so that we can share and encourage each other on this journey!
