Grandparent Autism Network

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Tips: Visits & Travel

Networking together, we are a vital resource for each other. Please share information you believe will help grandparents to improve their understanding of autism, interactions with grandchildren and enhance their family relationships.

More tip categories are posted on the right. Choose a category by clicking on it. New information is added frequently and we encourage you to visit often.

Autism Friendly Travel Destinations

Meow Wolf

Collaborating with IBCCES, Meow Wolf’s Santa Fe, Denver, Dallas, and Las Vegas locations have completed staff training and onsite reviews, enhancing their immersive art experiences for autistic and sensory-sensitive guests. This accomplishment underscores Meow Wolf’s dedication to inclusivity and accessibility, ensuring that their captivating spaces offer enjoyment to a diverse audience.

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Kennedy Space Center

The space center’s team has completed specialized training and certification processes through IBCCES to better understand and cater to the needs of autistic and sensory-sensitive guests and offer more accessibility tools and resources such as sensory ratings for all areas of the visitor complex.

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Missouri City Parks and Recreation Certified Autism Center™

The Missouri City Parks and Recreation Certified Autism Center™ achievement marks the first parks & recreation department in Texas to attain this designation. Along with its certification, the department offers diverse adaptive recreation programs that provide opportunities for active participation for individuals of varying abilities. It also offers specialized classes such as archery, gardening, kayaking, and drumming.

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Hyland Hills Water World

Since being awarded the Certified Autism Center™ accolade in 2020, Hyland Hills Water World has expanded its accessibility efforts to ensure all guests can enjoy the water park.

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Knoebels Amusement Resort

The park first achieved this certification in 2019 and has been committed to continuing its efforts to provide a welcoming and inclusive experience for autistic and sensory-sensitive individuals and their families.

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Splish Splash Water Park

Since initial autism certification in 2019, Splish Splash has offered Sensory Guides developed in partnership with IBCCES. These guides provide valuable information about the impact on the five senses for each attraction to allow guests to better choose their own adventure throughout their park visit.

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AutismTravel

Taking a vacation together as a family can be challenging. We created Autism Travel to provide families and individuals with easy access to destinations and attractions that are trained and certified in autism and special needs care.

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Plan Ahead for Spring Visits

If you are traveling to spend Spring vacation with your family, you may want to prepare your grandchild, in advance, for your visit. It is helpful to provide a visual schedule of activities before you arrive so your grandchild can anticipate the sequence of events you will share. Use drawings, cut out pictures or download them from the internet to help them understand what to expect. Put together a visual calendar of places you plan to go and activities you will share and send it to them before you arrive.

Be sure to include your picture, too.

This visual planner is a great tool for plotting out Spring vacation activities – events can be viewed daily, weekly or monthly and you can add custom images (from your phone/iPad), record sounds, and add videos for modeling.

View the app here

Raising children with Autism Spectrum Disorders is extremely challenging for parents. Your children will always appreciate your support and reinforcement. Be sure to comment about how much your grandchild has improved since your last visit and compliment their parenting skills throughout the visit.

Plan Ahead For Summer Visits with Grandchildren

MAINTAIN SCHEDULES

The biggest challenge during the summer is the change from specific routines around school to the less structured days of summer. Try to maintain your grandchild’s usual eating and sleeping schedule as much as possible.

SETTING UP A SUMMER SCHEDULE

Track upcoming summer activities in a calendar that your grandchildren have access to so they can see what is coming up and what to expect.

PREPARE IN ADVANCE

When you plan any activities, try to familiarize your grandchild with anything new or different i.e. show photos or practice the activity ahead of time.

CREATE A BACKUP PLAN

Not every day will be perfect so as holidays approach, develop two scenarios: Plan A if things go well and Plan B if issues pop up.

PREPARE FOR THE HEAT

Cook some meals ahead of time that will save time and it will keep you out of the kitchen when it gets too hot and stock up on frozen treats. Buy fans ahead of time – they are often sold out in the middle of a heat wave and try freezing your sheets!

Summer Travel Tips

  • Take a picture on your phone before you leave home so if lost, it will be easier to identify your grandchild and the clothing worn that day.
  • Pin identification information and your cell phone number to the back of your grandchild’s shirt.
  • Check the airport layout and find out how far you will have to go… and plan ahead how to accommodate to get there on time.
  • Pack extra medication – pack double of anything important and keep one set in the checked bag and one set in your carry-on bag.
  • Check to see what perks you have as a rewards member or cardholder to see if you can get lounge access or any other perks that will help you.
  • Download your grandchild’s favorite calming music or games to play while you’re waiting for your flight at the airport… and on the plane.

Air Travel – TSA Assistance

TSA PASSENGER SUPPORT SPECIALISTS are available to families who are traveling with people with special needs. Families that are concerned about the check point process or that need special accommodation can ask a TSA officer or supervisor for a Passenger Support Specialist who will provide on-the spot assistance.

A Passenger Support Specialist can be onsite when you need them by calling ahead of time at 1-855-787-2227. The TSA website has a kids’ section with a cartoon video to help children understand the screening process at the airport. Check to see if the airport provides opportunities for families to rehearse the flight procedures prior to the traveling. If not, plan a visit there with your grandchild, before your departure, to lower possible anxiety.

More TSA info here

Going to A National Park? Get a Free, Lifetime Pass…

A free, lifetime pass – available to U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the United States that have been medically determined to have a permanent disability – that provides access to more than 2,000 recreation sites managed by five Federal agencies. At many sites the Access Pass provides the pass owner a discount on Expanded Amenity Fees (such as camping, swimming, boat launching, and guided tours). The pass admits the pass holder and passengers in a non-commercial vehicle at per vehicle fee areas and pass holder + 3 adults, not to exceed 4 adults, at per person fee areas (children under 16 are admitted free).

The Access Pass may be issued to U.S. citizens or permanent residents of any age that have been medically determined to have a permanent disability that severely limits one or more major life activities.

A permanent disability is a permanent physical, mental, or sensory impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, such as caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, and working.

The Access Pass is valid only at participating Federal recreation sites. Visit http://www.recreation.gov for information about Federal recreation sites.

* National Park Service http://www.nps.gov

At many sites the Access Pass provides the pass owner a discount on Expanded Amenity Fees (such as camping, swimming, boat launching, and guided tours).

For more information on how to obtain an Access Pass go to www.nps.gov and search Access Pass

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