The winter season in Northeast Ohio is full of fun and inclusive events for adults, families and kids! Explore our comprehensive Inclusive Winter Activity Guide below. Be sure to share it with family and friends!
Inclusive Winter Activities
Lock 3 Winterfest Activities
Starting November 29th, the new and improved Lock 3 is offering a ton of exciting activities including, ice skating, breakfasts with Santa, dinners with the Grinch, Archie the Snowman, and so much more. The Summit DD Community Supports & Development team has worked with Lock 3 to offer many inclusive activities, including a Summit DD Winter Activities Day on December 7th! Get details here.
Autism Society of Greater Akron
The Autism Society of Greater Akron has a wide selection of inclusive winter activities, including adapted Visits with Santa, adapted North Pole Adventures with the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, and more. Find more details here!
Deck the Hall at Stan Hywet
Bring the whole family to enjoy one of Ohio’s largest and most spectacular holiday traditions on select nights from November 29 through December 30. The estate is illuminated inside and out with over ONE MILLION LIGHTS! Find event and ticket information here. Explore the Stan Hywet Disabilities Guide here.
Akron Zoo Winter Events
The fully inclusive Akron Zoo has several can’t-miss winter events! Including Wild Lights, Brew at the Zoo, Zoo. Year’s Eve, and sensory-friendly Zoothing Hours. The Akron Zoo is sensory-certified by KultureCity, making sensory bags and zones available for patrons. More event details can be found here.
Akron Art Museum Winter Exhibits and Events
The Akron Art Museum welcomes all people. According to their DEAI mission, they are committed to valuing diversity, fostering equity, and creating accessible and inclusive experiences with art where everyone can feel a sense of pride and belonging. Check out their wide selection of inclusive events and art exhibits here.
Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad Winter Events
The CVSR offers several different events throughout the winter months including, North Pole Adventure, Ales on Rails, Murder Mystery, and more. The CVSR recently remodeled one of their trains to be fully ADA accessible. Discover more event information here. The Autism Society of Greater Akron has also partnered with CVSR for an Adapted North Pole Adventure on December 3-4. More details can be found here!
Akron-Summit County Public Library is Fully Inclusive
The library is an inclusive all-star! They provide countless resources to be sensory-friendly, dementia-inclusive, mobility-accessible, and so much more. Check out their year round events.
Akron Civic Theatre Winter Performances
There’s always something new and exciting happening at the Akron Civic Theatre! Throughout the winter there are countless performances including, plays, concerts, movie showings, and much more. The Akron Civic Theatre is also dedicated to accessibility. Explore their winter events here.
Akron Children’s Museum
ACM works with Summit DD and exhibit designers to ensure that young visitors are included in all of the fun! Elements such as exhibit height, wheelchair accessibility, and multisensory components are incorporated. In addition, ACM partnered with KultureCity to improve their ability to assist anyone with sensory sensitivites. More information.
Ohio Holiday Lights Trail
Explore charming towns and big city cheer on the Ohio Holiday Lights Trail! Seventy stops take you around Ohio to the best light shows in the state. Download the trail map and visit these dazzling displays for an unforgettable holiday experience! More details here.
We Rock the Spectrum – Stow Indoor Playground
We Rock the Spectrum – Stow was founded to provide a place for children of all ability levels to play and grow together. As the only kid’s gym that offers an inclusive philosophy, we have found all children can benefit from our uniquely designed sensory equipment that is specifically designed to aid children with sensory processing disorders. Discover more here.
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
The museum has full accessibility for wheelchairs, plus sensory bags and tools to make your visit comfortable. More information here.
Sky Zone Sensory Hours
Enjoy the freedom of jumping. Sensory hours provide a quieter, toned-down jumping experience for those with special needs. Find participating Sky Zone locations.
Chuck E. Cheese Sensory Sensitive Sundays
Chuck E. Cheese is proud to support families who have children with autism and other special needs. We offer a sensory-friendly experience on the first Sunday of every month at participating locations, opening our stores two hours before their normal opening time. Our Sensory Sensory events include a trained and caring staff that work to ensure each guest has a fun-filled visit. We realize that the Chuck E. experience can be very stimulating for any child, so our mission is to create an event that allows ALL kids to be a kid. Find participating Chuck E. Cheese locations.
Summit DD is a levy funded government organization that provides and coordinates essential services for more than 5,000 people with developmental disabilities throughout Summit County. Whether it’s early intervention services for a newborn child or retirement services for a senior citizen, Summit DD provides a lifetime of support for those eligible for our services.
