Sensory-Friendly Activities & Autism Resources in Philadelphia

Philadelphia is home to many venues and organizations that prioritize inclusivity and accessibility for children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their families. Whether you're looking for a low-stress haircut or a full day of adventure, these places are designed to support a variety of sensory needs.

‍Haircuts

Finding a barber or salon that understands the needs of autistic children can be challenging. Fortunately, Philadelphia offers several sensory-friendly haircut options in Erdenheim and Trexlertown. Staff at these locations are specially trained to address sensory needs and have experience working with children with developmental differences.

• Hairapy By Laura: 808 Bethlehem Pike, Suite 3, Erdenheim, PA 19038 
  
  • Caters to autistic children and uses “calming clippers,” a quieter alternative to traditional buzzers that gets the job done without the overwhelming noise.
• Just a Little Off the Top: 7150 Hamilton Blvd., Suite 160-N, Trexlertown, PA 18087 
  
  • This all-inclusive, neurodivergent-friendly salon is sensory-oriented and a certified safe space.

Dentists

Dental visits can be stressful for autistic children, but these Philadelphia-area practices offer specialized care for patients with sensory sensitivities and complex needs.

• Children's Tooth Spa: 801 N 2nd St, Philadelphia, PA 19123
  
  • Dr. Jenny has advanced training in caring for children with special health care needs, making this a welcoming option for families who have struggled with traditional dental settings.
• Special Smiles: 2301 E Allegheny Ave, Suite 120, Philadelphia, PA 19134
  
  • Serves patients of all ages with special needs, including adults, in a supportive and understanding environment.

Recreational activities

Philadelphia offers a wide range of recreational activities tailored to autistic children. Parks, playgrounds, and indoor play areas feature sensory-friendly equipment and quiet spaces to help children feel comfortable and engaged. Many of these locations also provide resources for parents.

‍Swimming schools

Water safety is especially important for autistic children, who are at higher risk of drowning than their neurotypical peers. Before starting lessons, it helps to prepare your child for the sights, sounds, and sensations of the pool environment. 

• Safe Splash Swim School: 1001 E Oregon Rd, Lititz, PA 17543
  
  • Offers swim lessons for swimmers of all ages and abilities, with experienced instructors guiding students through a structured, progressive curriculum focused on real-world water safety skills in a fun and supportive setting.
• Sunsational Swim School Adaptive Needs Lessons — Multiple Philadelphia locations 
  
  • Offers one-on-one swim lessons for autistic children and those with ADHD, sensory challenges, physical disabilities, and more. Instructors focus on building water confidence, improving fitness, and teaching essential water safety skills.
• YMCA Special Needs Swim Lessons — Multiple Philadelphia locations
  
  • The YMCA's swim program emphasizes skill-building, social interaction, and fun in a nurturing environment. Accessible facilities and specialty equipment are available at select locations to serve every child's ability level.

Playgrounds‍

These sensory-friendly playgrounds feature inclusive equipment like zip lines, swings, wheelchair-accessible spinners, splash pads, and musical instruments, designed with children with sensory processing challenges in mind.

• Lukens Park Everybody's Playground: 540A Dresher Rd, Horsham, PA 19044
• Smith Memorial Playground & Playhouse: 3500 Reservoir Dr, East Fairmount Park Philadelphia, PA 19121
• Rose Tree Park’s All Abilities Playground: 1671 N. Providence Rd, Media, PA 19063
• CADES Inclusive Playground and Music Garden: 401 Rutgers Ave, Swarthmore, PA 19081
• Ridley Creek State Park Sensory Playground: 1023 Sycamore Mills Rd, Media, PA 19063
• Oxford Memorial Park Inclusive Playground: S 3rd St, Oxford, PA 19363
• Kids Castle Playground for Children of All Abilities: 425 Wells Rd, Doylestown, PA 18901
• Haverford Freedom Playground: 9000 Parkview Dr, Haverford, PA 19041
• Anna C. Verna Playground at FDR Park: 1500 Pattison Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19145

Equestrian therapy

Equine-assisted therapy can offer meaningful benefits for children with developmental and cognitive differences. These local centers provide programs led by experienced, caring staff.

• Special Equestrians: Therapeutic Riding Center: 2800 Street Rd, Warrington, PA, 18976
  
  • Offers a multi-sensory equine-assisted learning program designed for children with social, behavioral, and cognitive challenges, including those with developmental and learning differences. 
• Kindle Hill Foundation: 99 Plymouth Road, Blue Bell, PA 19422
  
  • Provides equine-assisted therapy led by licensed therapists, serving children with developmental differences including autism spectrum disorder.

Entertainment

Philadelphia's entertainment venues regularly host sensory-friendly events with reduced lighting and sound for a more relaxed atmosphere. Many also provide social stories and visual guides to help families prepare for their visit.

Autism-friendly movie screenings

• AMC Sensory Friendly Films — Various Locations
  
  • AMC partners with the Autism Society to offer monthly screenings with the lights turned up and the sound turned down, so children are free to move, dance, walk, or vocalize while enjoying the film. Screenings are held on the second and fourth Saturday of each month for family-friendly titles, and on Wednesday evenings for mature audiences.
• Regal Movies — Various Locations
  
  • Regal's My Way Matinee screenings offer a relaxed, judgment-free environment where guests can sing, dance, talk, or walk around during the film. Lights are up and volume is down. Showings take place on select Saturdays each month at participating locations.

Museums

• Adventure Aquarium: 1 Riverside Dr, Camden, NJ 08103
  
  • Just across the river in New Jersey, Adventure Aquarium offers a range of accessibility amenities and has partnered with KultureCity to create a sensory inclusive experience for autistic children and their families.

• Academy of Natural Sciences: 1900 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy., Philadelphia, PA 19103
  
  • Hosts sensory-friendly mornings where autistic children and their families can explore the museum before the general public arrives. Shorter lines and a quieter atmosphere make for a more relaxed visit, and fidget toys and headphones are available.
• Philadelphia Museum of Art: 2600 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy., Philadelphia, PA 19103
  
  • Free sensory kits are available at the coat check and include fidgets, sunglasses, and noise-reducing headphones. The museum hosts Sensory Friendly Mornings on the first Sunday of each month, with select galleries open before public hours and art-making activities for all ages and developmental levels.

Other activities

• Philadelphia Zoo: 3400 W Girard AvePhiladelphia, PA 19104
  
  • Philadelphia Zoo has partnered with KultureCity® to become a certified sensory inclusive venue, meaning staff are trained by medical and neurodivergent professionals to recognize and support guests experiencing sensory overload. Sensory bags, including noise-canceling headphones, fidget tools, and verbal cue cards, are available to any guest who needs them.
• Sesame Place: 100 Sesame Rd., Langhorne, PA 19047
  
  • Sesame Place is the first theme park in the world to earn Certified Autism Center designation. Staff receive specialized training in sensory awareness, and the park offers low-sensory areas, noise-canceling headphones, and a Ride Accessibility Program designed to accommodate varying abilities.
• LEGOland Discovery Center® Philadelphia: Plymouth Meeting Mall, Unit 1055, 500 West Germantown Pike, Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462
  
  • LEGOLAND Discovery Center Philadelphia is a KultureCity® certified sensory inclusive venue, with staff who receive annual training to better serve guests with sensory processing needs. Before your visit, explore their Digital Social Story to plan ahead, then stop by the Admissions Desk to borrow a free sensory bag stocked with noise-canceling headphones, fidget tools, a feeling thermometer, and a KCVIP badge.

Retail and dining

Shopping and dining out can be overwhelming for autistic children, but several Philadelphia-area establishments offer sensory-friendly environments and trained staff to help families have an enjoyable experience.

‍Sensory-friendly shopping

• Walmart — All store locations
  
  • Walmart offers sensory-friendly shopping hours from 8 to 10 a.m. every day at all U.S. locations. During these hours, TV walls display static images, radios are turned off, and lights are dimmed for a calmer shopping experience.

• Build-A-Bear Workshop — All store locations 
  
  • Build-A-Bear offers sensory-friendly shopping with dimmed lighting and little to no music. Parents can download a step-by-step guide to plan the Workshop experience in advance, and all ages and siblings are welcome.

Autism-friendly restaurants & dining experiences

Dining out can be a stressful experience for autistic children and their families, but these Philadelphia-area restaurants and dining events are designed to make everyone feel welcome. Whether you're searching for sensory-friendly dining experiences or restaurants that accommodate picky eaters, the options below are sure to fit the bill.

• So Much To Give Inclusive Café: 3401 W Skippack Pk., PO Box 111, Cedars, PA 19423
  
  • This welcoming café is designed to empower people of all abilities, including those with disabilities and their families, with equal opportunities to work, dine, socialize, volunteer, and learn.
• Autism Eats — Various locations
  
  • Hosts stress-free, judgment-free dining events in private restaurant rooms with sensory-friendly adjustments like dimmed lights and lower music. Food is served buffet-style to eliminate waiting, and all behaviors are welcome.
• Dine with Elmo & Friends at Sesame Place: 100 Sesame Road, Langhorne, PA 19047
  
  • Share a meal with your child's favorite Sesame Street characters in a welcoming, family-friendly setting. As the world's first Certified Autism Center theme park, Sesame Place brings the same sensory-aware staff and accommodations to this dining experience as it does throughout the rest of the park.
• Garden Grille Café at Please Touch Museum: Memorial Hall, 4231 Avenue of the Republic, Philadelphia, PA 19131
  
  • A convenient stop during your museum visit, Garden Grille Café offers a rotating menu of fresh sandwiches and salads alongside kid-friendly favorites like pizza, hot dogs, and chicken fingers, plus coffee and tea for grown-ups.
• Craft Hall: 901 N Delaware Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19123
  
  • Craft Hall is a 35,000-square-foot entertainment venue with classic American cuisine, an on-site brewery, a full indoor playground, and a hybrid dog park and beer garden. Families can explore The Den, an arcade and game room with a mix of vintage and new games including billiards, skeeball, air hockey, and foosball.

Library resources

Philadelphia's libraries serve as community hubs with resources well beyond their shelves. Many offer sensory-friendly readings, adaptive technology, and support groups and workshops for parents.

• Wynnefield Library: 5325 Overbrook Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19131
• Horsham Library: 435 Babylon Rd., Horsham, PA 19044
• Upper Merion Township Library: 175 West Valley Forge Rd., King of Prussia, PA 19406
• Fishtown Community Library: 1217 East Montgomery Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19125 

Counseling services

Navigating an autism diagnosis can bring up a lot of emotions for the whole family. These counseling services connect families with licensed therapists who understand the unique needs of autistic children and their caregivers. 

• Blackbird Health
  
  • Offers talk therapy for all children, regardless of diagnosis
• Theravive
  
  • Helps families locate a therapist that fits their specific needs
• Lifestance
  
  • Helps families locate a therapist that fits their specific needs

Explore applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy in Pennsylvania

Philadelphia is doing a wonderful job of creating spaces where every autistic child can play, learn, and explore at their own pace and in their own way. In addition to the sensory-friendly venues and programs listed above, families seeking diagnostic support and autism therapy are invited to explore Action Behavior Centers (ABC) in the City of Brotherly Love.

ABC specializes in applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy, an evidence-based approach to helping autistic children build meaningful skills for everyday life. ABC has multiple locations throughout the Philadelphia area, including Horsham, Newtown, and King of Prussia.

Contact us today to schedule a tour of a Philly ABC center near you.