Looking for a sensory-friendly activity for your child? Here's a Fayetteville-area list.

With many special needs families on Fort Liberty and in the Cumberland County area, local businesses and recreation centers are striving to be inclusive.  

From rock climbing to checking out a local play to horseback riding, families can find either adaptive or sensory-friendly activities without having to drive hours away.  

Fayetteville Amy veteran James Martin, whose 14-year-old daughter Mia is autistic, said that Fort Liberty being the world’s most populated military installation means it’s also the largest compassionate reassignment installation for military families with special needs.  

“Ideally, Fort Liberty would be the installation of choice for families,” Martin said Tuesday. “It’s great to see Cumberland County and Fayetteville businesses that are accommodating.”  

Martin said that while he and Mia hope to one day see a sensory-friendly theme park like the Morgan's Multi-assistance Center in San Antonio, Texas, to “put Cumberland County on the map,” he said there are local activities that families can find without having to drive to Raleigh.  

Here’s a look at what’s in the local area.  

Triangle Rock Club 

Triangle Rock Club has an adaptive program that runs every six to eight weeks, club director Tamara O’Neill said.  

“It’s free for the adaptive climber and run by volunteers,” O’Neill said.  

Classes are held from 5 to 6:30 p.m., with the next class scheduled for April 13, at 5213 Raeford Road in Fayetteville. 

O’Neill said volunteers can show up at 4 p.m. for the belay class, which is when a rope is used in rock climbing and controlled by another person.  

There is also a Wellman harness for those in wheelchairs, she said.  

“An adaptive person can come any time, and we have some camps or times when they schedule a birthday party that they might be interested in,” O’Neill said.  

Cape Fear Regional Theater sensory nights 

Cape Fear Regional Theatre has hosted sensory-friendly nights for a few of its performances, with Martin and his daughter Mia giving their seal of approval for “Cinderella,” when they saw the production earlier this month.

The sensory friend shows aren’t for every production, but “Cinderella” was one for families this season, CFRT marketing director Ashley Owen said.  

Dorothy Gilmore Adaptive Recreation Center  

The Dorothy D. Gilmore Adaptive Recreation Center, 1600 Purdue Drive in Fayetteville, hosts multiple adaptive sports and recreation classes and a baking class during the week.  

Adaptive dance is from 5:15 to 6 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays for all ages and is $30 a month.

Adaptive aerobics is from noon to 1 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays for ages 12 and older and is $5 a class or $30 a month.

Adaptive karate is from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Wednesdays for ages 6 and older and costs $30 a month.

Adaptive yoga is from 6 to 6:50 p.m. Mondays for ages 8 and older and costs $40 a month.

Adaptive jiujutsu is from 4 to 5 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays for ages 8 and older and costs $125 a month.

Creative art classes are from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Thursdays for ages 10 and older and costs $40 a month.

Baking is from 5 to 6:30 p.m. the first and third Thursday of the month for ages 10 and older and costs $10 a class, while cooking simple meal classes are from 5 to 6:30 p.m. the second and fourth Thursday of each month for ages 12 and older and costs $10 a class.

Bravery Kids Gym 

Bravery Kids Gym is “an inclusive indoor play facility” at 886 Elm St. in Fayetteville for infants able to crawl to 10 years old for open play, according to its website.  

Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.  

Brave Kids nights are from 5 to 7 p.m. every second Thursday for exceptional children and families at $6 per child. 

Prices vary during regular hours with all-day passes at $15 or memberships available for unlimited open play.

Martial arts 

Martial Arts of NC at 839 Elm St. in Fayetteville hosts programs for special needs children by providing sensory-friendly training supervised by a licensed therapist. Classes are once a week Tuesday through Friday for ages 4 and older, with times varying based on needs and age. Call 910-493-3288 to schedule an assessment.

An $80 physical background check will determine what class is the best fit for the child, and classes are $135 a month with scholarship opportunities available for some families, including military families.

Urban Air and Surge Trampoline parks

Urban Air indoor adventure park at 2051 Skibo Road in Fayetteville will offer sensory-friendly play events from 1 to 3 p.m. Wednesdays for special needs children without loud music or flashing lights, which will be announced through its calendar once the park has its official grand opening.  Prices vary depending on membership or day passes, with passes starting at $11.99 for children ages 5 and younger and go up to $33.99 for platinum attractions.

Surge Trampoline and Adventure Park, 3333 N. Main St. in Hope Mills, offers Sensory Play Sunday. The park is open from 10 a.m. to noon the first Sunday of each month without loud music or flashing lights for children of any age with special needs and costs $7.99 an hour.

KultureCity, Segra Stadium and Crown Complex 

KultureCity, a national nonprofit that advocates for sensory needs, has provided the Woodpeckers’ Segra Stadium with a weighted lap pad and five sensory bags that include noise-canceling headphones, fidget tools and verbal cue cards for fans during games.  

KultureCity has also provided the Crown Complex with weighted lap bags and sensory bags.

The sensory bags are available for check out at the Crown's box office and Segra's guest services table at no extra cost.  

Sensory-friendly story time 

Hope Mills Community Library, 3411 Golfview Road, hosts free sensory story times for infants through 11-year-olds, with the next event scheduled for 10 to 10:45 a.m. March 1 for low sensory individuals and the same time March 8 for high sensory individuals. Other sensory story times are announced on the Hope Mills Library’s monthly calendar.  

Dance 

Elite Dance Center, 3071 Legion Road in Fayetteville, has a Diamond Dancer program for special needs children to learn at their own pace at no tuition cost to parents. Call 910-425-3524 to sign up.  

Horse riding 

Prancing Horse Center for Therapeutic Horsemanship was originally founded as a therapeutic riding center for individuals with special needs and now serves people ages 4 and older, Judy Lewis, event organizer and past executive director for the center said in October.  

The 30-acre Prancing Horse Center at 6100 Hoffman Road in Moore County provides therapeutic horse riding and other activities to people with special needs and requires a doctor’s note, Lewis said.   

Therapeutic horse riding helps strengthen the core for individuals who struggle with their gait or those who have difficulties with motor skills, Lewis said.  

“You name it, I’ve seen it,” she said. “I’ve seen a child who’s never spoken before say, 'Walk,' to make a horse go and talk to the horse.”  

Sweet Valley Ranch

Sweet Valley Ranch, 2990 Sunnyside School Road in Fayetteville, will offer low sensory days from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. each Wednesday once the farm opens to the public for the season in March. During the low sensory days, no loud music announcements will be played at the farm, and equipment used for farming, like tractors, backhoes, go-karts and ATVS will be minimally used. The farm’s animatronic dinosaurs and ice-age animals will only feature movement and no sound.

Fascinate-U Children’s Museum

Fascinate-U Children’s Museum, 116 Green St. Fayetteville, hosts quarterly sensory-friendly mornings on Sundays to offer “a relaxed and less distracting environment for those who benefit from it,” along with a hands-on art project.  

Visit www.fascinate-u.com/accessibility to keep an eye out for the next scheduled event.

Sensory-friendly films 

AMC Theaters, 1916 Skibo Road and 4761 Lake Valley Drive in Fayetteville, has sensory-friendly screenings the second and fourth Saturday of the month for families and Wednesday evenings for mature audiences.  

Lights are turned up, and the sound is kept down, while viewers are allowed to move around.  Tickets prices vary depending on the time selected and are $9.39 for adults and $7.09 for children ages 2-12 during earlier showings or $12.49 for adults and $9.49 during later showings.

Millstone 14 Theater, 3400 Footbridge Lane in Fayetteville, also has monthly sensory-friendly showings. Its next showing will be “Kung Fu Panda 4,” at 10 a.m. March 9.  Tickets are $6 per person.

Chuck E. Cheese 

Chuck E. Cheese, 511 N. McPherson Church Road in Fayetteville, hosts monthly sensory-sensitive Sundays with reduced noise, dim lighting and a sensory-friendly arcade. 

Staff writer Rachael Riley can be reached at rriley@fayobserver.com or 910-486-3528.