Celebrate the holidays with our list of inclusive, sensory-friendly events happening across Illinois.

The holiday season is a time for joy, connection and shared traditions. For individuals with sensory sensitivities, medical complexities and other disabilities, typical celebrations may not always feel comfortable or accessible.

Every family deserves the chance to enjoy the season in ways that support their children and loved ones’ needs and allow for meaningful moments together.

We’ve gathered a list of inclusive and sensory-friendly holiday events happening throughout Illinois. These activities can help you experience the magic of the season at a pace and environment that works best for your family.

There are sensitive Santa opportunities, Mr. and Mrs. Deaf Claus, light displays, low-sensory celebrations, accessible theater performances and other welcoming events for children and adults with special healthcare needs.

You can check out our Special Events page for the full roundup of activities. Just like Santa’s list, be sure to check it at least twice as we continue to add events!

Please note that the University of Illinois Chicago’s Division of Specialized Care for Children (DSCC) is not involved in the organization or scheduling of these holiday events. If you have questions about a specific event, please contact the event sponsor or organizer.

Featured Events

• The Secret Sleigh Project coordinates volunteers to provide in-home Santa visits to children who are medically fragile nationwide. See our Secret Sleigh event listing for more details on how to request a visit.
• Autism Speaks and Cherry Hill Programs will provide free sensory-friendly Santa experiences at multiple shopping centers in Illinois on Dec. 7. You must sign up to attend. Photo packages will be available to buy.

  See our Santa Cares listing for more details. Be sure to select “Santa Cares”, “Caring Santa”, or “Sensitive Santa” when checking your location. Event dates and times may vary. Please check your mall location to confirm your date and time.

• Enjoy a movie on the big screen with the lights up, lower sound and the freedom to get up, dance, walk, shout or sing. Visit the following sites to find more details and a theater near you:
  • AMC and the Autism Society’s Sensory Friendly Films
  • Reel Movies for Real Needs
  • Studio Movie Grill’s Special Needs Screenings
• Looking for holiday light displays to walk, wheel, or drive through? Maybe a parade, cookie walk or festival is more your style? Check out the websites and listings below to help plan your holiday adventures (note that some events may not be sensory-friendly):
  • Merry and Bright Holiday Light Displays Across Illinois
  • Enjoy Illinois
  • Events in Downstate Illinois

Chicago and Northern Illinois

Check out WTTW’s list of holiday light displays and experiences. Kidlist also offers a huge list of Chicagoland drive-through and walk-through displays to help you get into the holiday spirit.

Other Chicagoland sensory-friendly activities include:

• Sensory-Friendly ZooLights at Lincoln Park Zoo and Sensory-Friendly Holiday Magic at Brookfield Zoo
• Special Kids Day Visit With Santa in Elmhurst
• Sensory-Friendly Holiday Express at Blackberry Farm in Aurora
• Breakfast with Mr. and Mrs. Deaf Santa Claus for Children With Hearing Loss in Chicago/ Desayuno con el Sr. y la Sra. Santa Claus Sordos
• “Abilities Team Winter Party” in Plainfield
• “Photos with Santa” for Children With Autism and Developmental Disabilities in Machesney Park
• Sensory-Friendly Winter Lights at Central Park in Oak Brook
• Winter Wonderland Celebration at the DSCC Mokena Regional Office

Central Illinois

Inclusive holiday parties are happening in central Illinois, such as:

• Cookies at the Clearinghouse/Evento Anual de Galletas en el Clearinghouse in Champaign
• Sensory Hour Sweets With Santa in Monticello
• “Special Time With Santa” in Taylorville
• Inclusive Holiday Dance in Springfield
• Lincoln Land Down Syndrome Society Christmas Party in Springfield

For more ideas, check out Chambanamoms.com’s roundup of holiday season fun for families and Visit Springfield.

Southern Illinois

There are many hometown holiday parades, concerts and festivals throughout the area. You can check Southern Illinois Families (SI Families) and Southernmost Illinois for lists of events.

Inclusive activities include:

• Sensitive Santa Event for Children With Autism and Other Sensory Differences in Marion
• St. Louis Zoo Wild Lights Sensory-Friendly Night
• Christmas Open House with Santa in Benton
• Santa at the Center in Effingham
• “Milk and Cookies with Santa” for All Ages and Abilities in St. Louis – Chesterfield

Have an Event to Share?

If you know of an inclusive or sensory-friendly event to include in our list, please email us at dscc@uic.edu.

Resources to Recharge

The hustle of the holiday season can feel overwhelming.

There are resources available if you need to step back and take a deep breath.

You can search our website for support groups and helpful webinars. On Dec. 11, the “How to Keep from Kicking Santa Claus – Tips for Managing Holiday Stress” webinar will feature practical tips for relieving stress, preventing meltdowns and strategies for creating your own fun.

Our Caregiver Mental Health Toolkit is also a great resource during the holidays and beyond.

Happy Holidays!

DSCC team members will be at the fair’s Sensory Station on Aug. 7-10 and help during special sensory-friendly Sunflower Hours on Aug. 9

We are excited to once again partner with the Illinois State Fair to support inclusive, accessible fun for families!

The 2025 Illinois State Fair is happening in Springfield from Aug. 7-17.

Our Division of Specialized Care for Children (DSCC) team members will be working at the fair’s Sensory Station. The fair is also offering sensory-friendly Sunflower Hours and other programming to make the fair a more comfortable and enjoyable experience for all.

DSCC at the Sensory Station

Thursday, Aug. 7, to Sunday, Aug. 10
10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily

Our DSCC team will be at the fair’s Sensory Station from Thursday, Aug. 7, through Sunday, Aug. 10.

The Sensory Station is inside the Emmerson Building, just off Main Street and Brian Raney Avenue in the center of the fairgrounds. It will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. It is an air-conditioned, dedicated quiet zone with activities and resources to help visitors regroup and refocus.

The Sensory Station’s features and activities include:

• Calming pods
• Noise-canceling headphones
• Foam block pit
• Stuffed animal “petting zoo”
• Coloring station and more!

These tools and activities are for children and adults who need help processing the sights, smells, noises and crowds at the fair.

Nearby, the fair’s First Aid Station has rooms that families can use for adult changing stations as well as tube feedings and other needs. Volunteers from SIU Medicine operate the First Aid Station in the Emmerson Building Annex, across from the Dairy Building on Central Avenue. It is open daily from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Our DSCC team will also have a tent outside the Sensory Station on these four days. We will have coloring activities and information about our programs and services for families. Be sure to stop by and see us!

Sunflower Hours

Saturday, Aug. 9
9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
 
Enjoy a quieter fair experience during Sunflower Hours on Aug. 9 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. During this time, the fair will adjust certain programs and activities to create a more calming environment for children and adults with sensory processing sensitivities.

The fair has Sunflower Hours stickers available for families to use during this timeframe. This sticker allows fair visitors with sensory sensitivities to enjoy select amusement rides for free during the Sunflower Hours. Riders must have the Sunflower Hours sticker and an adult and/or caregiver accompanying them.

DSCC has a limited number of stickers available for our program participants. To request a Sunflower Hours sticker, please email dscc@uic.edu with your name and your participant’s name by Aug. 1.

We will send stickers on a first-come, first-served basis.

All families may visit the Sensory Station during the Sunflower Hours event to get more stickers. The stickers will be available while supplies last.

Conservation World, located at the fairgrounds’ Eighth Street entrance, will also host Sunflower Hours on Aug. 9 and Aug. 12 from 8:30 to 10 a.m. Fairgoers can explore the great outdoors in a more peaceful and sensory-friendly setting during these times.

Social Story and Other Resources

The Illinois State Fair has a social story to help you plan your visit to this year’s event. It is a step-by-step guide to help parents and caregivers explain what to expect during a visit to the Illinois State Fair.

You can find the social story and more details about the Sensory Station, Sunflower Hours, the entertainment schedule and more on the Illinois State Fair website.

We are proud to help support greater accessibility and inclusion at the 2025 Illinois State Fair.

Check out the video below to see more photos and activities at the Sensory Station: 

For more information about other sensory-friendly activities and events for children and families throughout Illinois, please visit our Events page and follow us on Facebook.

Experience the magic of the season with Santa visits, light displays and other fun events happening throughout Illinois.

The holiday season is a time for joy, connection and celebration. For individuals with sensory sensitivities and other disabilities, traditional festivities can sometimes feel overwhelming.

We’ve gathered a list of inclusive and sensory-friendly holiday events happening throughout Illinois to help families celebrate the season.

There are light displays, sensitive Santa opportunities, parades and more going on throughout Illinois.

Our Special Events page includes a roundup of opportunities designed specifically for youth with disabilities and special healthcare needs.

We hope this collection of events will help spark ideas to create your own holiday magic:

• The Secret Sleigh Project coordinates volunteers to provide in-home Santa visits to children who are medically fragile nationwide. See our Secret Sleigh event listing for more details on how to request a visit.
• Autism Speaks and Cherry Hill Programs will provide free sensory-friendly Santa experiences at multiple shopping centers in Illinois on Dec. 8. You must sign up to attend. Photo packages will be available to buy. Visit the Santa Cares website for a complete list of Santa’s stops. Be sure to select “Santa Cares”, “Caring Santa” or “Sensitive Santa” when checking your location. (Note some event dates and times may vary. Please check your location to confirm your date and time.)
• The National Federation of the Blind is offering letters from Santa and winter celebration letters in Braille to children who are blind or have low vision. The program is for children 10 years old and younger. Please complete the letter request form by Dec. 16. Letters are available in English or Spanish. If you have any questions, call (410) 659-9314, ext. 2236, or email education@nfb.org.
• Enjoy a movie on the big screen with the lights up, lower sound and the freedom to get up, dance, walk, shout or sing. Visit the following sites to find more details and a theater near you:
  • AMC and the Autism Society’s Sensory Friendly Films
  • Reel Movies for Real Needs
  • Studio Movie Grill
• For families in the Chicago area, Chicago Parent magazine has a roundup of sensory-friendly Chicagoland events as a list of free holiday activities for Chicagoland families. Activities include:
  
  • Illumination: Tree Lights at Morton Arboretum
  • Special Kids Day Visit With Santa in Elmhurst
  • Holiday Express at Blackberry Farm
  • Sensory-Friendly Performance of A Christmas Carol at the Goodman Theatre.
• In central Illinois, enjoy time with Santa at the sensory-friendly “Meet and Greet with Santa” in Springfield or the “Sensory Hour Sweets with Santa” at the Allerton Mansion in Monticello. The Illinois Times family event calendar and Chambanamoms.com website also provide lists of events, parades, light displays and more in and around the Springfield and Champaign-Urbana areas.
• Southern Illinois residents can find many fun seasonal activities on SI Families’ event calendar. It’s packed with ideas including the:
  • Very Merry Marion Parade
  • Christmas Open House with Santa at the Benton Public Library
  • Lights Fantastic Parade in Carbondale
• St. Louis events include Breakfast with Signing Santa and Milk & Cookies with Santa in St. Louis – Chesterfield.
• The animals at zoos throughout Illinois are celebrating the season, too! Check out Sensory Night at St. Louis Zoo Wild Lights, ZooLights at Lincoln Park Zoo or contact your local zoo to find out what’s happening and when.

Be sure to check our Special Events page often as we add more holiday activities to the list. If you know of a good sensory-friendly event to share, please email us at dscc@uic.edu.

Happy Holidays!

Please note, the University of Illinois Chicago’s Division of Specialized Care for Children (DSCC) is not involved in the organizing or scheduling of these holiday events. If you have questions about a specific event, please contact the event sponsor or organizer.

Fun, inclusive events the whole family can enjoy throughout Illinois!

How will you make memories this holiday season?

There are light displays, sensitive Santa opportunities, parades and more going on throughout Illinois.

Our Special Events page includes a roundup of opportunities designed specifically for youth with disabilities and special healthcare needs.

You can also browse this collection of special programs and event guides for opportunities to create some holiday magic and plenty of smiles:

• Autism Speaks and Cherry Hill Programs will provide sensory-friendly Santa experiences in Illinois and the St. Louis area on Dec. 3. These visits are free. Keepsake photo packages will be available for purchase. You must sign up to attend. Visit the Santa Cares website for a complete list of Santa’s stops. Be sure to select “Santa Cares”, “Caring Santa” or “Sensitive Santa” when checking your location. (Note some event dates and times may vary. Please check your location to confirm your date and time.)
• The National Federation of the Blind is offering letters from Santa and winter celebration letters in Braille to children who are blind or have low vision. The program is for children ages 10 and younger. Please complete the letter request form before Dec. 15. If you have any questions, call (410) 659-9314, ext. 2236, or email education@nfb.org.
• The Secret Sleigh Project is coordinating volunteers to provide in-home Santa visits to children who are medically fragile. Use the “Request a Santa Visit” form on the project’s website to request a visit.
• For families in the southern Illinois area, SI Families’ event calendar provides a great list of fun, seasonal activities. Other events in the area include Sensitive Santa at Heartland Regional Medical Center in Marion, the Carbondale Lights Fantastic Parade, and the DuQuoin Holiday Lights Fair.
• For options in central Illinois, check out these lists from ChambanaMoms.com and Springfieldmoms.org. Great places to see lights include Chatham Lights up the Park, Festival of Lights in East Peoria, and Mattoon Lightworks.
• For Chicagoland residents, WTTW Public Television, Chicago Parent Magazine and Kidlist have some great suggestions for things to do and see. Want to catch a show? Chicago Children’s Theatre features accessible weekends for children and their families.
• Don’t forget to check with your local zoos! The St. Louis Zoo and Lincoln Park Zoo will offer a sensory-friendly viewing option. Contact your local zoo to see what’s happening and when.

We will continue to add holiday events and activities, so please check our Special Events page often throughout the season.

If you know of a good sensory-friendly event to share, please email us at dscc@uic.edu.

Please note, the University of Illinois Chicago’s Division of Specialized Care for Children (DSCC) is not involved in organizing or scheduling these holiday events. If you have questions about a specific event, please contact the event sponsor or organizer.

Hippity-hoppity, the Easter Bunny is on its way!

Sensory-friendly Easter Bunny visits are happening at sites throughout Illinois and the St. Louis area. Individuals of all ages and abilities may schedule an appointment.

The visits will take place in a calmer, quieter environment that supports visitors’ sensory, physical and developmental needs. Autism Speaks is partnering with Cherry Hill Programs to provide these special Easter Bunny photo events.

The Bunny Cares experiences are free. Photos will be available to buy at each event.

You can see the Easter Bunny on March 26 at the following locations (in the “Reserve” section for each location, click on the “Events” button and select “Bunny Cares”):

• Fox Valley
• Frontenac Plaza (Missouri)
• Hawthorn Mall
• Market Place Shopping Center
• Northwoods Mall
• Orland Square Mall
• White Oaks Mall
• Woodfield Mall (also hosting an event on April 2)

Reservations are limited. Visit the Bunny Cares website for a complete list of sites and to reserve your spot.

Many communities are also hosting sensory-friendly egg hunts and opportunities to meet the Easter Bunny. To find these events and other family-friendly spring activities, hop on over to our Special Events page.

Events feature sensitive Santa, holiday lights, craft activities and more!

Are you looking for sensory-friendly events that the whole family can enjoy this holiday season?

There are a number of sensitive Santa opportunities, festivals and other holiday activities going on across Illinois.

Our Special Events page includes a roundup of opportunities designed specifically for youth with disabilities and special healthcare needs.

Here’s a look at some of the special programs available and other event guides for parts of the state:

• The Secret Sleigh Project coordinates volunteers to provide in-home Santa visits to children who are medically fragile nationwide. See our Secret Sleigh event listing for more details on how to request a visit.
• The National Federation of the Blind is offering letters from Santa and winter celebration letters in Braille to children who are blind or have low vision. The program is for children 10 years old and younger. Please complete the letter request form by Dec. 17. Letters are available in English or Spanish. If you have any questions, call (410) 659-9314, ext. 2236, or email education@nfb.org.
• The Santa Cares program from Autism Speaks and Cherry Hill Programs provides sensory-friendly Santa experiences in Illinois and the St. Louis area on Dec. 4. These visits are free. Keepsake photo packages will be available for purchase. Reservations are required. Visit the Santa Cares website for a complete list of Santa’s stops. Be sure to select “Santa Cares”, “Caring Santa” or “Sensitive Santa” when checking your location. (Note some event dates may vary. Please check your location to confirm your date and time.)

• For families in the Chicagoland area, Chicago Parent magazine provides a list that includes opportunities to visit with Santa and other events tailored to the needs of children with disabilities.

• In central Illinois, check out this list from ChambanaMoms.com for events within driving distance of the Champaign-Urbana area or this list of seasonal light displays and events from the Mahomet Daily.
• SpringfieldMoms.org’s seasonal guide provides a roundup of activities happening in the capital city area.

• Southern Illinois residents can find many fun, seasonal activities on SI Families’ event calendar. It’s packed with ideas including a drive-thru Santa event in Marion, the Lights Fantastic Parade in Carbondale and even a “Home Alone” drive-in movie event at Murphysboro High School.
• The animals at the Lincoln Park Zoo, St. Louis Zoo, and other zoos throughout Illinois are celebrating the season, too! Contact your local zoo to find out what’s happening and when.

Be sure to check our Special Events page often as we add more holiday activities to the list. If you know of a good sensory-friendly event to share, please email us at dscc@uic.edu.

Happy Holidays!

Please note, the University of Illinois Chicago’s Division of Specialized Care for Children (DSCC) is not involved in the organizing or scheduling of these holiday events. If you have questions about a specific event, please contact the event sponsor or organizer.

Free Santa visits for children with autism and other special needs

Are you ready for some Santa magic?

Autism Speaks has partnered with Cherry Hill Programs to provide sensory-friendly Santa experiences nationwide.

In Illinois, Santa will be spreading joy and holiday cheer on Dec. 5 and 12.

Join Santa in a calmer, more subdued environment. He is planning stops in communities that include:

• Aurora
• Champaign
• Chicago
• Gurnee
• Moline
• Northbrook
• Orland Park
• Peoria
• Rockford
• Rosemont
• Schaumburg
• Springfield
• Vernon Hills

These sensory-friendly Santa experiences are free. Keepsake photo packages are available to buy.

You can reserve your spot for the Santa experience online. (The organizers strongly encourage reservations.)

For more upcoming holiday events for children with special healthcare needs in Illinois, be sure to check our Special Events page often.