Welcome back to Part 2 of Amber Babnor’s post about taking outings with kids who have special needs. In Part 1, she talked about identifying your child’s passions and learning as you go. Today, she shares proactive tips her family employs so Ivan, her son who lives with visual impairment, has a multisensory experience when he explores the world.

Let’s Go! Get Out of the House & Experiencing the World, Part 2

Can We Touch That?

When we’re out with Ivan we do our best to allow him to touch as much as possible. With no vision, Ivan relies pretty heavily on touch to learn about his environment. At a Touch-a-Truck event or a petting zoo this is pretty easy to orchestrate, but have you ever noticed how many other children’s events expect kids to sit still and look… but not touch? So we need to politely announce our presence, let the organizers know what we need and make accommodations. We’re no longer surprised by people’s generosity… we’re used to it!

Proactive Tips to Get Out of the House for a Multisensory Outing

• Call ahead if possible. If you’ll be taking your child to an event where he or she will need special accommodations it can help to have those arrangements made ahead of time.
• Be very clear about your child’s disability. Vague assertions that your child “really needs” something aren’t always going to convince people. Explain exactly what your child’s condition is and how it affects their interaction with the event and exactly what you’ll need the organizer to do for you.
• Be positive. Rather than portraying your child as a sad case that needs assistance, be upbeat about it. Remember, you’re an ambassador for your child and if you are happy and positive then your child is more likely to be accepted with happiness and positive responses.
• Become a regular. If you go back to the same place over and over again, then you won’t have to set up accommodations each time because they’ll know you! Plus Ivan absolutely loves being recognized and hugged by employees when he enters a familiar place.
• Spread the word. If a particular venue or event is helpful or encouraging, let others know! If you have a blog or on a listserv, use that platform to tell others about your successes. You’ll be offering good information and the event or venue will appreciate the free positive press!
• Be prepared to compromise. You know it as well as I do… sometimes flexibility is just part of our lives. We’ve often found that venues are willing to give Ivan extra time or let him do things that the other kids aren’t allowed to, but only if we wait until the end of the show (so as not to upset the other children). Waiting is not what Ivan does best, but sometimes it’s the best we can do. And when that meant he got extra time to spend with the goats in the petting zoo, well, that was just priceless!
• Leave on a high note. You know your child better than anyone and you know when they’ve had too much, they’re hungry, tired or just ready to pack it in. Don’t worry about offending someone by leaving an event early, even if it means that they may have put in special accommodations for you that you aren’t going to partake in. This is all about letting your child enjoy themselves outside of the home and sometimes people’s sensitivities have to take a back seat.

Even if your child is more of a homebody than Ivan, remember that there is a world of experiences out there just waiting for you and your family. And if you plan ahead for accommodations, you may have more fun than you anticipated!

What Proactive Strategies Do You Employ?

Thanks, Amber, for providing tips that can be adapted for the variety of special needs kids have. To learn more about Amber and Ivan’s journey, visit  WonderBaby.org, her website for parents of blind and multiply-disabled children. And readers, if you’ve developed some proactive strategies, leave a comment and share them with the rest of us.

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