The annual Northeast Ohio Parent Choice Awards seeks to gather the opinions of local parents on everything family-friendly in the region. Our readers and online followers voted for their favorite businesses, attractions, family services and more.
Here are the winner and finalists in the “Best sensory-friendly outing” category.
Click here to view winners and finalists in all 26 categories.
Winner: Cleveland Metroparks Zoo
In partnership with KultureCity, the zoo offers additional tools and information for guests with sensory needs, including the designation of six “quiet zones,” marking on the map several “headphone zones” where loud noises are present, and providing guests with sensory bags. The bags contain optional identification cards, fidget tools and noise reducing headphones. Guests can request sensory bags at the Guest Services Resource Center.
clevelandmetroparks.com/zoo
Finalists:
Akron Zoo
The zoo has partnered with KultureCity to provide amenities like sensory bags containing fidget tools, noise-canceling headphones and other resources; weighted lap pads; quiet zones and headphone zones; and a social story that can be viewed and printed from its website.
akronzoo.org
Children’s Museum of Cleveland
In addition to Sensory-Friendly Time, held the third Sunday of each month for families of children with special needs, CMC has partnered with Monarch Center for Autism’s Welcoming Spaces Program to develop customized visual, social, communicative, sensory and behavioral supports throughout the museum. There’s also a dedicated Sensory-Friendly Room.
cmcleveland.org