{"id":1158,"date":"2020-02-11T09:10:40","date_gmt":"2020-02-11T14:10:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lakelandmoms.com\/?p=1158"},"modified":"2022-12-15T11:36:30","modified_gmt":"2022-12-15T16:36:30","slug":"sensory-friendly-special-needs-activities-lakeland","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lakelandmom.com\/sensory-friendly-special-needs-activities-lakeland\/","title":{"rendered":"Sensory Friendly & Special Needs Activities in Lakeland & Central Florida"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Here at Lakeland Mom, we are passionate about connecting families in our community to helpful local resources, and parents of special needs children are at the top of our list. For all of you moms, dads, and grandparents raising children with autism or other special needs, we know you face challenges with everyday activities that many of us take for granted, and events like movies, sports, and indoor play spaces<\/a> filled with children and loud noises are often too overwhelming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The good news is that there are organizations in our community creating special opportunities for your family to enjoy these activities in a sensory friendly and\/or special needs friendly environment. Our goal is to help you discover places where your kids will thrive!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Looking for other special needs resources? Visit our Special Needs Guide<\/a><\/strong> or find more Special Needs Articles<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lakeland Area Special Needs Enrichment Activities<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n
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Buddy Break<\/a><\/div>\n

Buddy Break provides a safe place for VIP Kids and their siblings to have fun and establish meaningful friendships with other kids and adults while their caregivers get a much-needed FREE break from their overwhelming caregiving responsibilities. VIP Kids include kids with any physical, cognitive, medical or hidden disability, chronic or life-threatening illness, or those who are medically fragile.
\nNearby Buddy Break Locations are below.\u00a0Visit the website<\/a>\u00a0or contact the coordinators for more details on how to get involved with Buddy Break.<\/p>\n

First Presbyterian Church of Lakeland<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Sensory Friendly + Special Needs Activities<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n
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175 Lake Hollingsworth Drive, Lakeland, Florida 33801<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n
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Lakeland City Baseball<\/a><\/div>\n

Buddy Ball at Lakeland City Baseball –\u00a0<\/strong>Lakeland City Baseball\u2019s LCB Buddy Ball\u2122\u00a0League is for boys and girls with physical and\/or intellectual disabilities, ages 5 and up. Each LCB Buddy Ball player is accompanied by a buddy, who can be a parent, sibling, friend or just someone wanting to help the players have fun and enjoy the game.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Sensory Friendly + Special Needs Activities| Baseball| Toddler Sports<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n
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3700 Cleveland Heights Blvd, Lakeland, Florida 33803<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n
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Lakeland Community Theatre<\/a><\/div>\n

Lakeland Community Theatre Out of the Box Troupe –\u00a0<\/strong>A special needs theatre troupe consisting of 40 members\u00a0ages 12 to 50<\/strong> who meet once a week at Lakeland Community Theatre to work on improv, scene work, dance, poetry music, social skills and much more. \u00a0Twice a year, the troupe performs a one act musical production for the community.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Drama + Theatre Classes| Volunteer Opportunities Available| Theatres + Performing Arts Venues| Sensory Friendly + Special Needs Activities| Homeschool Enrichment - Theater| Art, Music + Theater Field Trips<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n
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121 South Lake Avenue, Lakeland, Florida 33801<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n
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Mini Miracles Sunday School Class<\/a><\/div>\n

Mini Miracles is a Sunday School Class at First Presbyterian Church in Room 109 offered during the 10:30 worship hour developed for children ages 4-12 who struggle with developmental delays, Autism spectrum disorders, ADD\/ADHD, or any other special need. This class allows children with exceptionalities to play freely and have safe social interactions in a secure environment with specially trained adults. Pagers are provided so parents can attend worship without worrying about emergencies. Sunday Mornings at 10:30am.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Sensory Friendly + Special Needs Activities| Sensory Friendly Church Programs<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n
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175 Lake Hollingsworth Dr., Lakeland, Florida 33801<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n
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Nathaniel\u2019s Hope<\/a><\/div>\n

Nathaniel\u2019s Hope is dedicated to celebrating kids with special needs (VIP kids), as well as educating and equipping the community to provide practical assistance to VIPs and their families.\u00a0VIP kids include kids with any physical, cognitive, medical or hidden disability, chronic or life threatening illness, and those who are medically fragile. The four main programs include: the VIP Birthday Club, Buddy Break, Make \u2018m Smile and Christmas with Nathaniel\u2019s Hope.<\/p>\n

Nathaniel\u2019s Hope also hosts special events throughout the year just for VIP kids and their families.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Sensory Friendly + Special Needs Activities<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n
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Polk Museum of Art<\/a><\/div>\n
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Art Lessons| Museums + Historical Attractions| Gift + Home Stores| Sensory Friendly + Special Needs Activities| Homeschool Enrichment - Arts + Crafts| Museums + Historic Field Trips| Art, Music + Theater Field Trips<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n
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(863) 688-7743<\/a><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n
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800 East Palmetto Street, Lakeland, Florida 33801<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n
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Social Spectrum Club<\/a><\/div>\n

Social Spectrum Club is a safe space for children and teens with Autism and related disabilities to socialize, play, learn & grow. Kids and teens ages 6-17 with High-functioning Autism and their typically developing siblings\/friends. Visit the website to learn more and join the club.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Sensory Friendly + Special Needs Activities| Special Needs Resources + Organizations<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n
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Lakeland<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n
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Southern Grace Dance Company<\/a><\/div>\n
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Dance Lessons| Sensory Friendly + Special Needs Activities| Homeschool Enrichment - Dance| Toddler Dance Classes<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n
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2300 East Edgewood Drive, Lakeland, Florida 33803<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n
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Special Needs Support Group - Polk County, Florida<\/a><\/div>\n
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Sensory Friendly + Special Needs Activities| Special Needs Support Groups<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n
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Special Olympics Florida<\/a><\/div>\n

Special Olympics Florida\u00a0<\/strong>provides year-round sports training and competition to children and adults 8 years of age and older with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Currently offering 17 sports in Polk County.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Spirit Gymnastics Sports Academy<\/a><\/div>\n

Spirit Gymnastics Youth Association HUGS is <\/strong>an adaptive gymnastics program designed especially for special needs individuals ages 4 & up, developed by the United States Gymnastics Federation. This FREE program for ages 4 through adult & up includes 1 hour of training fun designed for Special Needs.\u00a0 Parents are required to join their child on the gymnastics floor to ensure their safety. \u00a0Instruction is provided by certified Spirit Gymnastics coaches and volunteers trained to work with special needs children.<\/p>\n

Visit the Spirit Gymnastics website<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0for more details or call 863.875.4839.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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After School Programs| Indoor Play + Open Gym for Toddlers| Gymnastics + Tumbling Lessons| Sensory Friendly + Special Needs Activities| Homeschool Enrichment - Gymnastics| Toddler Gymnastics| Gymnastics Parties<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n
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2830 Recker Highway, Winter Haven, Florida 33880<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n
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TiAnViCa Horse Riding Academy<\/a><\/div>\n

TiAnViCa provides recreational therapeutic horse riding for individuals with disabilities. It combines instruction in traditional horsemanship skills with concepts of physical therapy to improve the strength, balance, and self-esteem for children and adults with physical, mental and emotional disabilities. Most of all, it\u2019s FUN!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Horseback Riding Lessons| Sensory Friendly + Special Needs Activities<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n
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3380 Florida 60, Bartow, Florida 33830<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n
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Ultimate Dance Center<\/a><\/div>\n

Special Creative Experience (9yrs \u2013 Adult) – <\/strong>UDC is the place where everyone can dance! Taught by in house FrediDance Project Company Members, The Special Creative Experience Dance Class meets weekly for fun social dancing & learning a routine for our annual Best In Dance Recital! This class focuses on developmental dance, allowing students who are growing & learning to build self-esteem and self-expression through dance & music! With popular dances like the electric slide, wobble & more the SCE Class encourages those with special abilities to enjoy dance & be themselves. Class meets Mondays at 7pm!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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After School Programs| Dance Lessons| Yoga + Pilates| Group Fitness Classes| Sensory Friendly + Special Needs Activities| Homeschool Enrichment - Dance| Toddler Dance Classes<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n
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2930 Lakeland Highlands Road, Lakeland, Florida 33803<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n
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