CBS' Family Friendly Summer Bucket List

Looking to soak up some rays or just beat the heat with your kids this summer?  Check out our Summer Bucket List for families with children who have specific interests and needs!!! We hope you enjoy these activities and the rest of this fun summer!

1) Movies:   Movies are great as they are known to capture the attention of children of many ages and abilities. The air is cool and the lighting dim- a perfect way to chill out if you have been sweating the sun! Certain cinemas even hold special events and showings for those with more specific needs. Check out their websites for specific locations, dates, and information. A few in our area include:

1. Cinemagic 
2. AMC Theaters 
3. Chunky’s 

 
2) Museums:

1. Boston Children’s Museum (Boston MA): Once per month, they limit the admittance so that you and your family can have a less busy and crowded experience.
2. The Discovery Museum (Acton MA): Autism-Friendly Evenings, Sensory-Friendly Afternoons, Visually Impaired Family Evenings, Mornings and Evenings for Families with Deaf or Hard of Hearing & KODA Infant and Toddlers programs that offer increased accommodations and access to exhibits in an understanding environment.
3. The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire (Dover NH): Exploring Our Way Program is open the first Sunday of the month for families to enjoy the museum in a less crowded, understanding environment.
4. Museum of Fine Arts (Boston MA): Beyond the Spectrum program one Saturday per month for children ages 8-12 to explore galleries and create art.
5. New England Aquarium (Boston MA): The Aquarium has provided training to their staff on how to support others with different abilities. They also have supportive kits that can be checked out upon entry which include noise canceling headphones, fidget tools, and other items. 

 
3) Activity: Salt Dough:  This simple and  safe recipe requires only 3 (edible) ingredients !  You can choose to use food dye or not, but either way, you and your child will have fun pouring, measuring, mixing, and creating! Prefer to skip to the finished product? This dough is simple- so you can make this activity take as much OR little time as you and your child would like! Salt dough recipes are easy to find online. You might even choose to create some special ornaments for loved ones as the dough can harden and turn into a fun craft! (We are closer to the holiday season than you think!!!)
 
4) Petting Farm:   This is a great activity for a nice sunny day when you need to get out of the house and take things at your own pace. Swing in for a shorter visit or spend the day!  Friendly Farm  has common farm animals such as cows, pigs, and sheep or you can visit the more exotic peacocks! Visitors might see chicks hatching or get a chance to feed a goat a bottle. How ever you individualize your day, you’ll be sure to come home with some fun memories.    
 
5) Trampoline Park/Indoor Play:  Need to expend some energy on a rainy day? There are indoor play parks and trampoline parks who are also welcoming to those who might have trouble in crowds or busy environments, but still want to run, jump, and be wild!!! 

1. Sky Zone (Danvers MA): Sensory Hours held on the second Sunday of the month
2. Launch (Nashua NH): Launch holds Sensory Saturdays each Saturday from 9:00-10:00. 

 
6) Mini Golf:  The greatest thing about mini-golf is that you can follow all the rules or just throw them by the wayside! If your child enjoys swinging their club—fantastic! However, if your child would rather walk around and put their golf ball in the holes with their hands, that is fine too! You can modify your family’s golf game to fit your needs.  Additionally, there is no penalty for finishing early- so if you decide to end on a positive note at hole 5, we would be cheering you on! 
 
7) Restaurants:  Summer is a great time to work on the skills needed to enjoy a meal with the family in a restaurant. Not quite sure where to begin?

1. Autism Eats: Hosts dinner parties across various locations in restaurants and function facilities with accommodations for sensory sensitivities.
2. Chuck E. Cheese: Holds Sensitive Sundays across a variety of locations. Check out their website for more information.

 
8) Amusement Park:

1. Canobie Lake Park has worked to improve their guest services for those with disabilities. If you have a family member who struggles with lines and waiting, they will enable you to board the ride ahead of the line! They have other accommodations as well- see their guide here: http://www.canobie.com/plan/disabilities-guide/ 

We hope you’re able to check off a few of our Summer Bucket List activities and enjoy the rest of the summer! Let us know if you have super fun activities to add to the list!