Special Needs Kids Visit Santa

We’ve all seen photos of kids screaming their lungs out while sitting on Santa’s lap. After all, he has the power to bring you every toy you’ve ever wanted, or he can stiff you on Christmas morning for some teeny infraction that you can’t even remember. Talk about sheer terror.

For children already overwhelmed by everyday circumstances, a visit with Santa is out of the question. But thanks to Stanford Shopping Center, special needs children from 28 families found out the joy of Santa last weekend.

They called the event “Caring Santa” and worked through Ability Path.

Stanford Shopping Center provided a calm, safe environment for the children. This includes reducing sensory triggers:

· Turning off music, stopping escalators located near the Santa set, dimming the lights, and shutting down fountains during the duration of the event.

· Eliminating lines through the use of a numbering system. Guests approach the set when their number is called.

· Special activities and stories geared toward the needs of the child during the ‘wait’ period to help the child understand what activities will occur during the visit.

“We are thrilled to be the venue for this incredible event,” said Julie Kelly at Stanford Shopping Center “The Caring Santa program brings a lot of joy to children with special needs and to see that happen at our mall is truly an honor.”

Caring Santa was sponsored at Simon Malls around the country by ABC Family, VISIT FLORIDA, Gymboree, and ScentSicles.

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