Today is World Autism Awareness Day! 🧩

In honor of World Autism Awareness Day (April 2nd), I wanted to highlight a couple travel companies that go above and beyond to offer special services and accommodations for families and children with autism:

Royal Caribbean's Autism Friendly Ships

Royal Caribbean offers several different services for families with autism, Down syndrome, and other developmental disabilities:

• Expedited Check-in, boarding and departure

• Special dietary accommodations including gluten-free and dairy-free options

• Adventure Ocean (Royal's kids program)- flexible grouping by ability for children 3 to 11 years old (meaning your kid's group can be adjusted to a different age if that program is a better fit for them)

• Adventure Ocean toilet-trained policy exception

• On-demand content from The Autism Channel® onboard most of its ships

• Autism-Friendly Films (On Oasis class ships and on other ships where there are at least five individuals with autism on board)

• Autism-Friendly Toy Lending Program

• Autism-Friendly Activities

• "All Aboard My Cruise" Social Stories to prepare your child for what to expect on a cruise with Royal Caribbean (Ship-specific videos available for multiple ships)

Additionally, every member of Royal's youth staff also receives autism awareness training. You can read more about Royal Caribbean's Autism-Friendly Initiative here and browse their cruises here

Beaches Autism-Friendly Resorts for Everyone

Though you may be familiar with Sandals, the all-inclusive resort for adults and couples, Beaches is the sister company to Sandals which offers multi-generation family resorts. Beaches is the first resort company in the world to complete the rigorous IBCCES (International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards) training and Autism Certification. They offer several services, activities, and custom dining options for all families to enjoy.

Beaches Resort Kids Camps are Advanced Certified Autism Centers and their child care staff continuously receive training in multiple areas:

• Sensory Awareness

• Motor Skills

• Autism Overview

• Program Development

• Social Skills

• Communication

• Environment

• Emotional Awareness and Bullying

Additionally, Beaches has an exclusive partnership with Sesame Street. At Camp Sesame, kids can participate in a variety of activities with different characters including Julia, the first Sesame Street character with autism. Beaches also has the Beaches Buddies program, where a trained buddy can accompany your child for water fun, beach play, and even excursions.

Lastly, Beaches celebrates Autism Inclusion Week each year- a special week filled with activities for children on the spectrum and their families. Events include a welcome meet and greet, arts and crafts, water activities, sensory room activities, a farewell gathering, beach buddies, and more. This year, Autism Inclusion week will take place from October 19th-23rd at Beaches Turks & Caicos

Learn more about the Beaches autism-friendly program here

Bonus: National Parks Service Access Pass

The National Park Service offers the Access Pass to individuals with autism-- a free, lifetime pass available to U.S. citizens or residents of the United States that have been medically determined to have a permanent physical, mental, or sensory impairment. Children are eligible, as there is no age requirement for the pass. Individuals who qualify for the access pass also include those with physical conditions like cerebral palsy or diabetes as well as those diagnosed with other neurodevelopmental disorders such as ADHD. The key is that the disability must significantly impact daily life activities and be verified with documentation from a licensed professional, such as a physician or federal agency.

You can obtain an access pass in-person at a National Park Service site or through the US Geological Survey website. Contact Creation Sings to help you purchase a pass (AND to plan your custom National Park trip)!

I am here to help you plan a vacation that is enjoyable for everyone and tailored to meet your family's specific needs. Contact Creation Sings Travel to book your trip today!