Sensory-friendly is less jarring to the senses.  Less bothersome to a single sense, while bothersome to the senses combined.  At locations or events, sensory-friendly means less or no background noise. There will be fewer sudden noises, and no announcements.   Sensory-friendly also means changes to lights.  This does not mean that the lights are off, but it does mean there would be no bright spotlights, no flickering, no flashing lights.  Sensory-friendly is scent-free also.  Additional modifications can be made for other senses too.

 

Under Construction

LIBRARY

CENTRAL IOWA

Ames – Iowa State University Parks Library: Iowa State University explains “accessible and sensory friendly” spaces for the Parks Library. These spaces include natural lighting spaces, quiet spaces, brody chairs, uncrowded spaces, and accessible elevators. Please visit their webpage for further information.

DSM Metro: Des Moines – Des Moines Central Library: Storytime: Birth to Preschool on Tuesdays at 6:15 pm. Please confirm website for details.

DSM Metro: Des Moines – Des Moines Forest Avenue Library: Do you need a calm place to play? Then come to the Forest Avenue Calming Room for a sensory interactive experience! This is an unsupervised, drop-in program for youth. Children under 10 years old must be accompanied by a caregiver over 12 years old. Available Monday and Wednesday 10 am to 12 pm; Thursdays 4 to 6 pm. Please visit website to confirm availability.

Pella – Pella Public Library: Thanks to a donation from Kinetic Edge Physical Therapy, we are able to provide two sensory kits (pictured at right) for use in the library. These kits include a weighted lap blanket, noise-canceling headphones, and a variety of ‘fidgets’ intended for tactile stimulation. Through a generous grant from the Marion County Community Foundation, we have purchased several items to meet sensory needs: disc-o-seats, noise cancelling headphones, and play Tipi.

 

EASTERN IOWA

Cedar Rapids – Cedar Rapids Public Library: In late 2021, Cedar Rapids Public Library earned a sensory-inclusive certification and began providing sensory bags with noise-canceling headphones, fidget tools, oral cue cards, and weighted lap pads. Their libraries also offer designated quiet rooms for a more secure environment.

Iowa City – Antelope Mobile Library: This mobile library service is now offering a “sensory stop” every Wednesday from 8 am – 5 pm at 502 3rd Ave in Iowa City. Water tables, sensory activities and fine-free check out will be available to anyone. Learn more by visiting their website.

Iowa City – Iowa City Public Library: ALL AGES – SIBLINGS AND AUTISTIC ADULTS WELCOME* The Iowa City Public Library will be opening one hour early for neurodivergent people and their families. Please visit Iowa City Autism Community Facebook page for more information.

North Liberty – North Liberty Public Library: Accessible browsing hours are offered every other month and include free crafts, special story times and much more. Check the Iowa City Autism Community calendar for more information about activities taking place during these events.

 

ALL-INCLUSIVE PLAYGROUNDS (OUTDOORS)

CENTRAL IOWA

Ames: Miracle Playground @ Inis Grove Park

DSM Metro: Altoona – Enabling Gardens: In this two-acre patch of paradise, you and your family are free to explore an interactive Children’s Garden. The garden was designed to enable everyone to enjoy it—hence the name, the Enabling Garden. It features innovative, barrier-free design elements – like raised beds and vertical wall gardens – that accommodate people of all ages and abilities.

DSM Metro: Ankeny – Miracle Park Playground: This all-inclusive park in Ankeny features various play amenities that youth with and without special needs can enjoy. Roller Tables, Sway Fun Gliders, Sensory Play Center, and an Omni Spinner are all components to enjoy. All play accessories are at wheelchair transfer height, making it easy to move a wheelchair in and out of or transferring from a wheelchair to the play feature. The playground also features a rubberized, latex-free surface.

DSM Metro: Des Moines – Ashley Oakland Star Playground: Located in Ewing Park and managed by Des Moines Parks and Recreation, a visit to Ashley Oakland Star Park Playground is an adventure that your whole family will enjoy! The enormous jungle gym is the first all-inclusive playground in Des Moines.  It features 50 different play elements designed to provide play for people of all ages and abilities.

DSM Metro: Des Moines – Star Playground: An all-inclusive playground, this park is connected by a paved trail to several of the main paved trails in the downtown area.

DSM Metro: Johnston – Terra Park: A 200-acre park that mixes play and education. While not fully inclusive, a large majority of Terra Park’s playground is wheelchair accessible. That includes the playground’s tree feature and its swings. The park’s eight-acre fishing lake, which is stocked with large-mouth bass, channel catfish and bluegill, also has a wheelchair accessible fishing pier.

DSM Metro: Pleasant Hill – Doanes Park: While not fully inclusive, Doanes Park playground areas are ADA accessible with rubber tile fall protection and has Cloud 9 accessible swings. In addition, this 43-acre community park has a large open green space, picnic areas, trails, restrooms, ball fields and tennis courts that will provide a morning and afternoon of outdoor family fun.

DSM Metro: Urbandale – Northview Park: The All-Inclusive Playground located at Northview Park is designed to provide opportunities for children of all ages and abilities (including those with disabilities) to enjoy using the equipment and participate in fun outdoor activities. The playground surface has a cushioned rubberized surface to help prevent injuries and has a completely flat surface to eliminate any barriers to wheelchair users or visually impaired participants.

DSM Metro: Waukee – Triumph Park: The 15,000-square-foot playground will feature mobility device access at various levels, rubberized surfacing for accessibility and safety, a seating wall, sensory features, STEM panels, shade structures, and accessible parking and restrooms. The Waukee EPIC Inclusive Playground will be situated near the Greater Iowa Credit Union Miracle League® Field and the facility’s ADA-compliant fishing pier.

DSM Metro: West Des Moines – Eric’s Place Valley Community Center: The Valley Community Center Inclusive Playground, “Eric’s Place”, was designed with children of all ages and abilities in mind. It offers a swing and merry-go-round that children in a wheelchair can enjoy and have fun on. The play equipment has a double wide ramp, that allows room for children to run and play, and several types of slides.

 

EASTERN IOWA

Cedar Rapids – Star Playground @ Noelridge Park: Providing a playground for children of all abilities to play together helps promote play, healthy physical activity and learning for all children. Outdoor play experiences provide the perfect opportunity to support inclusive play by creating awareness, breaking down barriers and fostering friendships.

Iowa City – The Arc Parc & Garden:  The playground is located at The Arc of Southeast Iowa and has many features including: wheelchair accessibility up to 3 levels, a Sway Fun, music board, floating steps, slides, monkey bars, signing board, and more! The playground sits on a rubber safety surface. In addition to the playground the pArc also includes an Oodle Swing with a platform seat, 2 Cozy Cocoons that swivel, a tire structure, and various garden areas.

Iowa City – Willow Creek: This park features an inclusive GameTime playground. The play structure is fully accessible, ramped and includes 3-D panels, GT Jams, wilder slide, tunnel up, both metal and Shadow Play roofs and other fun play activities. The playground is completed with a sensory cove, poured-in-place rubber safety surfacing and benches.

 

NORTHEASTERN IOWA

Carroll – Kellen’s Kingdom: Inclusive play is not solely about physically accessing an environment, but what happens once an individual gets there. A truly inclusive and embracing play experience addresses the developmental needs of the whole child by intentionally providing opportunities for physical, cognitive, communicative, social/emotional, and sensory development.

 

SOUTHWESTERN IOWA

Sergent Bluff – Sergent Bluff-Lutton Community School: Sergeant Bluff-Luton Community School campus–206 South D St.  The playground which is open to the entire community is full of Landscape Structures Inc accessible playground equipment including an EVOS system, Accessible Power Lifter™ Chinning Bar, ChitterChatter Noodle™ Talk Tubes, Gyro Twister™ Spinner and much more.