Sky High Sports is an indoor playground that is located in Illinois. The unique part of this particular fun center is that it has tons of trampolines that have been designed for kids to jump up and down on. The first Tuesday of every month is set aside for children who have special needs to enjoy the playground.
Depending on where you live, playgrounds designed for kids who have special needs may be few and far between. Not all indoor play facilities have owners who have a good understanding of what they need to do in order to accommodate all children.
This is why I love to blog about playgrounds that are happy to include kids who have special needs. I just heard about one called Sky High Sports. It is an indoor playground facility that has lots of big trampolines for kids to bounce on, and a foam pit to fall into. It is located in Naperville, Illinois, which is outside out Chicago.
On the first Tuesday of every month, from 3:00 in the afternoon until 6:00 in the afternoon, this indoor playground welcomes kids who have special needs (and also their families). The music is turned off. The attendance is limited. Extra staff is on hand to help out. The purpose is to create a safe and soothing place for families who have a child, or children, who have special needs to come and play.
Kids that require even less external stimulation can use a private court. That is where to find trampolines that can be used for gentler bouncing, less people, and fewer distractions. The hours set aside for kids who have special needs are geared for children with both mental and physical challenges.
The owner of Sky High Sports is Jerry Raymond. He is the father of five children. One of his sons, who is now 20, has been diagnosed with a mild form of Asperger’s syndrome. This makes it difficult for Jerry’s son to interact with other people. Jerry wanted to make Sky High Sports a welcoming and relaxing place for families that include a child who has special needs.
Of course, there is potential for an injury to occur when kids bounce on trampolines. Jerry Raymond says that injuries are few, especially when parents are involved in the activities. Participants who are under 18 must have a parent with them, and the parent must sign a waiver. Anyone over 18 must bring a photo ID with them. Kids who have special needs, and attend on the first Tuesday of the month, get a discount (and their parent gets in for free).
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