Events & Activities Year Round

Year Round Events & Activities!

Looking for fun ideas to make the most of your moments together? This page is continually updated and we're always looking to add more! Have an upcoming event? Email us at contact@vilijaba.com to let us know so we can add it! - For our curated ongoing list of events, please consider joining our Facebook Group."


This section of our website is updated regularly. Information is believed to be up to date at time of posting. Readers are encouraged to confirm information posted.

  • Advocate & Awareness

  • Amusement Park

  • County & State Fair

  • Cruise

  • Holiday - Christmas

    • Goodman Theatre Sensory Friendly Performance - Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol - Saturday, December 30th; use promo code "sensory" for discounted tickets.
    • Morton Arboretum Illumination (Lisle, IL) - Saturday November 18, 2023 through Saturday, January 6, 2024.
    • The Polar Express located in Chicago or Elgin, IL
    • Sensory Friendly Santa (Data current from 2022 - new dates TBD)
    • Santa's Naperville Workshop Special Needs Night (Riverwalk Cafe, Naperville, IL)
    • Holiday Express - Special Needs Night (Blackberry Farm, Aurora, IL)
    • Caring Santa (Woodfield Mall, Schaumburg, IL)
    • Santa Cares Day (Northbrook Court, Northbrook, IL)
    • Santa Cares Day (Oakbrook Center, Oakbrook, IL)
    • Sensory Friendly Holiday Party with Santa and the Special Needs Mom Squad (Mistwood Golf Club, Romeoville, IL)
    • Sensory-Friendly Santa Experience (Fashion Outlets of Chicago, Rosemont, IL)
    • Sensory Santa (Hawthorn Mall, Vernon Hills, IL)
    • All is Calm (Indiana Welcome Center, Hammond, IN)
    • Rockin' The Spectrum's Christmas Party (Villa Park)

  • Holiday - Fall

  • Holiday - Halloween

  • Misc Activities & Events

    • Sensory Friendly Blue Man Group (Chicago, IL) - September 24th 
    • Honey Bee Gardens (Downers Grove, IL) - The farm does host one event each year in May. For additional information including ongoing programs please click through the link.
    • Makery Studios (Plainfield, IL) - All sorts of sensory fun.
    • The Insect Asylum (Chicago, IL) - The Insect Asylum is a safe and welcoming space for people of all walks of life to explore natural history in all of its splendor. Whether by appointment or just walking in. We are excited to provide a safe and sensory-sensitive space for our neighbors to use their eyes, hands and hearts to fall in love with the wonders of our world. 
    • Sloo Moo Institute (Chicago, IL)

  • Museum, Aquarium

    • DuPage Children's Museum (Naperville, IL) -  Sunday, September 24th (5:30-7:00 PM), Sunday, October 15 (5:30-7:00 PM), Sunday, November 19 (5:30-7:00 PM), December 10
    • Kohl's Children's Museum (Glenview, IL) - Everyone at play occurs once a month from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM. Current scheduled dates include October 22, December 10, January 24, February 25, May 19, June 30. Check back or contact for up-to-date information.
    • The Field Museum (Chicago, IL) Their free mobile app helps families and groups—including visitors with autism and disabilities—plan their visit with resources like exhibition previews, customizable schedules, and a sensory-friendly museum map. Download the iOS or Android app for free.
    • Chicago Children's Museum (Chicago, IL)
    • Shedd Aquarium (Chicago, IL) - The aquarium also hosts the "Calm Waters" program for those with special needs and veterans.
    • Museum of Science and Industry (Chicago, IL) Low-Sensory Mornings - tickets include exclusive early access to the museum from 8:30 AM to 9:30 AM and include general admission on the day of the ticket. The entire museum is altered to be more sensory-friendly until noon. Dates are announced at least one month in advance and can be confirmed via the events page.
    • Chicago Museum of Contemporary Art (Chicago, IL) - September 24, 2023 - 10AM-11:30AM.
    • The Art Institute (Chicago, IL)
    • Discovery World (Milwaukee, WI)
    • Wonder Works Children's Museum (Oak Park, IL)

  • Movies

    • Studio Movie Grill (Various Locations)
    • AMC Sensory Friendly Movies (Various Locations) - Scroll to the bottom of the page - nearby locations at the time of writing include Naperville, Yorktown, River East, Lake In The Hills, Northbrook Court, New Lenox, Niles
    • Marcus Theater (Marcus Theatre - (Addison, Bloomington, Chicago Heights, Country Club Hills, Elgin, Gurnee, Orland Park, IL) - Reel Movie for Real Needs event hosted monthly. Check the Marcus website for a list of running movies on Saturdays at 10:30 AM.
    • Hollywood Boulevard (Woodridge, IL)

  • Playground, Park, Gym & Gardens

  • Theater

  • Water Park

  • Zoo

    • Brookfield Zoo (Brookfield, IL) - Multiple events, programming, and accommodations are available.
    • Cosley Zoo (Wheaton, IL) Via partnership with KultureCity and Cosley Zoo, the zoo has been Certified Sensory Inclusive since 2019.
    • Lincoln Park Zoo (Chicago, IL) - For specialized days search for Sensory Friendly at Farm in the Zoo.

  • Parents & Caregivers

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