Fall is here, and Halloween is just around the corner. That means Columbus Ohio is bursting with spook-tacular family fun! Whether you're searching for the perfect family-friendly pumpkin patch, fall festival, or trunk or treat event, Macaroni KID NW Columbus has everything you need to plan your ultimate fall and Halloween in NW Columbus and Central Ohio. This article feature sensory-friendly events around Columbus. We have all we could find in one spot to make it easier for mom!
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🎃Halloween Spooktacular
Sensory Friendly Time at the Halloween Spooktacular in Coffman Park.
On Friday, October 18, 2024 from 1 until 1:30 p.m., there will be minimal lights, sounds and a smaller crowd for guest with special sensory needs
Halloween Spooktacular offers a wide range of activities suitable for all ages, including Trunk or Treat, crafts, hay maze, games and live performances. Spooktacular has become a Halloween tradition in the Dublin community.
The fun happens at the south end of Coffman Park (near East and West Shelter Houses and Tennis Courts). All activities will be outdoors, in the park. There are no activities in the Dublin Community Recreation Center.
Date: October 18, 2024
Location: Coffman Park
5200 Emerald Park Way | Dublin, Ohio 43017
Time: 1:00 pm - 1:30pm
More Information Here
Leeds Farm Autism Harvest Festival
Reserved tickets required. Please read all RSVP instructions on the event flyer. View flyer
Date: September 21, 2024
Time: 9:30 am
Location: Leeds Farm
8738 Marysville Rd | Ostrander OH 43061
QUIET HOURS WITH HALLOWEEN CHARACTER EXPERIENCES AT THE COLUMBUS ZOO
The Columbus Zoo Family of Parks is offering “quiet hours” and sensory-friendly events throughout the season for families to experience fall at the Zoo, in a calm and relaxed atmosphere, that can normally be challenging for individuals with sensory needs.
- Fall Quiet Hours are September 29 from 10 am – 2 pm
- Sensory-Friendly Halloween Character Meet and Treat Experiences will be October 1st from 10 am – 2 pm
You can request a sensory bag from Guest Relations during your visit! A refundable deposit of $10 is required per bag. Bags must be returned to Guest Relations at the end of each visit to redeem your deposit, and are sanitized before the next use. Bags include: noise-reducing headphones, sunglasses, fidgets, visual cue card and KultureCity VIP lanyard. You can read more here.
Date: September 29, 2024
Location: Columbus Zoo
4850 W Powell Road | Powell, Ohio 43065
Time: 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
More Information Here
Trunk or Treat
Grand Opening Trunk-or-Treat, an experience with magical trunks full of treats and surprises designed to be sensory-friendly and full of fun!
This event is a FREE celebration for our amazing special needs community. Whether you're a familiar face or new to our family, we invite you to join us in making this trunk-or-treat journey one to remember!
Date: October 18, 2024
Location: Bierman Autism Centers
690 Taylor Road #100 | Gahanna, Ohio 43230
Time: 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
More Information Here
Extraordinary Days are designed for kids of any age, who might have autism, down syndrome, disabilities or any other factor that can appreciate extra nice, caring staff, and fun, appropriate activities.
Extraordinary Days include:
- Guided Gnomesville Mini Maze tours
- Barrel Train rides for 80 lbs and under (whenever possible)
- Inclusive play equipment
- Bouncing fun
- Wagon rides (wheelchair ramp)
Date: September 12 and September 26, October 8 from 4-7pm | Sept 21 and Oct 24 from 9:30am - 1:30pm (class friendly)
9851 Morse Road, Pataskala. Look for the 2-story tower, directly east of the farm market.
Cost: Tickets are $12
More Information Here
COSI SENSORY BAGS
COSI Sensory Bags are a FREE resource for kids and adults with sensory needs to improve their COSI experience. The Sensory Bags provide tools that can support processing and coping skills including: Noise cancelling headphones, visual schedules, fidgets and bubbles.
The items in the Sensory Bags are sanitized after each use.
Please stop by their Guest Services Desk with a photo ID to checkout a Sensory Bag and return it to the desk at the end of your visit.
SENSORY-FRIENDLY PUMPKIN PARADE AT UPPER ARLINGTON LIBRARY
A sensory-friendly Pumpkin Parade event, before the general public can enter the library. Come dressed in costume for a silly (and a little spooky) storytime.
During this program, participants can expect:
- Smaller crowds.
- Access to the program space.
- Limited number of fidgets available at the program entrance.
- Access to a quiet break area.
Date: awaiting 2024 details but the Regular Pumpkin Parade is
2800 Tremont Rd, Upper Arlington, OH 43221
Time: 10:30am, October 26, 2024
More Information Here, Registration is required to participate.
HALLOWEEN HOP WITH COLUMBUS SPEECH AND HEARING
Halloween Hop is a sensory-friendly Halloween experience for those children who need it most. Halloween Hop is an event created 8 years ago by the the Speech Language Pathologists at Columbus Speech & Hearing (CSH) to educate families with children who have special needs. Informing the community on ways to provide speech-language enhancing strategies and sensory support within a safe, fun Halloween event. This Halloween experience eliminates scary decorations, and minimizes challenges that children with special needs often face while encouraging participation at each child’s own level and pace. This event is open to all ages!
This is a FREE Sensory-friendly Halloween experience.
Date:
awaiting 2024 details October 28, 2023
COhatch Easton, Columbus, Ohio 43219
Time: 11am - 2pm
More Information Here register HERE
*This event is FREE, but you must register to attend*
We will have even more fun coming soon and will continue to update our Macaroni KID Fall Fun Guide with events as they are posted, so check back often! Do you know of a 2024 family-friendly fall event or attraction in or around Columbus that isn't listed here? Please submit your event HERE. What else would you like to see? Let us know. Drop an email to heathers@macaronikid.com. Are you a business that would like to sponsor any of our fall guides and reach our audience? Email heathers@macaronikid.com.
NW Columbus Macaroni Kid is a free weekly newsletter and website focused on fun family events and information in Columbus, Ohio. We gather together all kinds of local family events and activities each week and add useful information about classes, family-focused businesses, book and product reviews, recipes, crafts, giveaways, and more. We proudly serve families in Columbus, Dublin, Hilliard, Powell, West Clintonville, West Worthington, Grandview, Upper Arlington, and Plain City! NW Columbus Macaroni Kid is full of useful local information like this PLUS tons of kid-friendly events on our event calendar. Have an event you'd like submitted to our calendar for consideration? Submit an event here. Like what you see here and want to get all the fun delivered to your inbox weekly? Subscribe to our FREE weekly e-newsletter for the 411 on local family fun! #CbusMacKid
THE HAUNTED WOODS AT SHAWNEE HILLS- COME SCARE FOR GOOD!
CANCELLED in 2024
The Haunted Woods of Shawnee Hills is open every Friday and Saturday from October 14 - October 29 from 7pm - 10pm
Sensory friendly/minimally scary sessions are from 6pm - 7pm every Saturday night!
All ticket proceeds for this event benefit Adaptive Sports Connection and their work providing therapeutic recreation to veterans, adults, and children with disabilities.
