Dollywood Adds Calming Room For Kids With Autism And Sensory Issues


Dollywood is taking a monumental step for children by adding a “calming room” to their amusement park for those children who have autism or other sensory issues. Dolly Parton, the creator of Dollywood, which is located in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, has long been an advocate for children. She understands that all children are different, and some may have more additional needs than others.

Dollywood’s calming room is the first of its kind in any amusement park around the world (another is currently being designed at Legoland). While the room is primarily aimed at those with autism, the room is available for all kids. Going to an amusement park can be a bit overwhelming for any child due to the sounds, lights, and crowds of people. However, this is especially difficult for those kids who have been diagnosed with autism — spending a day at Dollywood, or any other park, could easily lead to sensory overload and their worst nightmare.

Until now, parents like Heather Shuler have never been able to take their kids to Dollywood, or any other theme park, for fear that their autistic children might panic. However, with the calming room, which comes complete with fiber-optic lights and a teepee for the kids to be by themselves, Heather and other parents can quickly get away to help their children calm down. The families visiting Dollywood can have up to 30 minutes in the calming room which gives them enough time to take a break and calm down before adventuring out into the park again.

“It might mean nothing to us, but some pitch that he hears that we don’t hear and it just kind of like makes everything in their brain start spinning for themselves,” Shuler said. “They talk a lot about how they’re in their own world, and you want to bring them out into your world but you want to bring them out where they’re feeling comfortable and we’re in it together.”

“The children as soon as they come in will just go into the teepee and be by themselves,” Judy Toth, who is with the Ride Accessibility Center at Dollywood, told WKRN. “Or we have the fiber optic lighting, and they will either sit or lay down and just look at the lights.”

Toth added, “It means to me that Dollywood is doing what we’re supposed to be doing.”

Dollywood took the idea of a calming room very seriously and partnered with Autism Speaks to make sure the room had exactly what was needed to help the kids who were feeling overwhelmed.

Below is the definition of autism as defined by Autism Speaks.

“Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and autism are both general terms for a group of complex disorders of brain development. These disorders are characterized, in varying degrees, by difficulties in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication and repetitive behaviors.”

“[It] has very sensory friendly objects in it, ones that kids would be using in their therapies for sensory integration,” said Maeghan Pawley with Autism Speaks.

Dolly Parton has always made it a priority to give back to kids. She created the Imagination Library, which is a program that gives free books regularly to children up to age 5, and she turned her famous song “Coat of Many Colors” into a children’s book.

What do you think about Dollywood adding a calming room for kids with autism and sensory issues? Leave your comments below.

[Photo by Wade Payne/AP Images]

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