East Coast Chuck E. Cheese’s Locations Hosting “Sensory-Free” Sundays For Autistic Kids Image courtesy of Bob Reck
Visiting Chuck E. Cheese’s can be a very heady experience for a kid — what with the singing animatronic animals, flashing lights, rambunctious kids, hot pizza (and occasional all-out brawls among the adults). For a child with autism it can be more than exciting — it can be overwhelming, which is why some Chuck E. Cheese’s locations will host a series of monthly “Sensory-Free” events.
Starting Jan. 8, 54 Chuck E. Cheese’s restaurants spread across New England, New York, and New Jersey will be open from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. on the first Sunday of the month specifically for children with autism and other special needs, the chain said in a press release [PDF]
There will still be plenty of food and games to be had, but restaurants will turn down the lighting and reduce noise, with “trained and caring staff.” One would hope so.
This isn’t the first time we’ve heard of a business turning down the hustle and bustle for people with special needs: a Target store in Pennyslvania recently offered quiet shopping hours for autistic customers.
Here’s the full list of locations that will offer Sensory-Free Sundays — you can sort the table by clicking on any of the header categories:
Area | Address | City | State | ZIP |
Attleboro | 287 S. Washington St. | Attleboro | MA | 02703 |
Burlington | Ten Wall St. (HWY. 95/3A) | Burlington | MA | 01803 |
Danvers | 139 Endicott St. | Danvers | MA | 01923 |
Everett | 29 Mystic View Rd. | Everett | MA | 02149 |
Leominster | 100 Commercial Rd Ste 68 | Leominster | MA | 01453 |
Lowell | 209 Plain St. | Lowell | MA | 01852 |
Manchester | 82 Buckland St. | Manchester | CT | 06042 |
Manchester | 1525 S Willow I-93 | Manchester | NH | 03103 |
Methuen | 90 Pleasant Valley Rd. | Methuen | MA | 01844 |
Natick | 801 Worcester | Natick | MA | 01760 |
Newington | 3075 Berlin Turnpike | Newington | CT | 06111 |
Newington | 30 Fox Run Rd. | Newington | NH | 03801 |
North Dartmouth | 412-418 State Road 6 | North Dartmouth | MA | 02747 |
Orange | 82 Boston Post Rd. | Orange | CT | 06477 |
Springfield | 1716 Boston Rd. | Springfield | MA | 01129 |
Warwick | 650 Bald Hill Rd. | Warwick | RI | 02886 |
Waterbury | 650 Wolcott St. | Waterbury | CT | 06705 |
Worchester | 50 Southwest Cutoff | Worcester | MA | 01604 |
Albany | 601 Troy Schenectady Rd. | Latham | NY | 12110 |
Amherst | 4990 Harlem Rd. | Amherst | NY | 14226 |
Bronx | 700 Exterior Street | Bronx | NY | 10451 |
Bronx | 1816 Gun Hill Rd | Bronx | NY | 10469 |
Brooklyn | 139 Flatbush Avenue | Brooklyn | NY | 11217 |
Flushing | 40-24 College Pt Blvd. | Flushing | NY | 11354 |
Greece | 3130 West Ridge Rd. | Rochester | NY | 14626 |
Hamburg | 4408 Milestrip Rd. | Buffalo | NY | 14219 |
Harlem | 280 St. Nicholas Ave, 2nd FL | Harlem | NY | 10027 |
Hempstead | 162 Fulton Ave. | Hempstead | NY | 11550 |
Hicksville * | 11-15 Hanover Pl. | Hicksville | NY | 11801 |
Middletown | 8 Orange Plaza Lane | Middletown | NY | 10940 |
Nanuet | 250 West Route 59 | Nanuet | NY | 10954 |
New Hartford | 4631 Commercial Dr. | Hartford | NY | 13413 |
Patchogue | 121 Sunrise Hwy. | Patchogue | NY | 11772 |
Poughkeepsie | 1895 South Rd. | Poughkeepsie | NY | 12601 |
Queens | 3419 48th St | Long Island City | NY | 11101 |
Rochester | 1000 Hylan Rd. Suite 20 | Rochester | NY | 14623 |
Staten Island | 1775-P South Ave | Staten Island | NY | 10314 |
Syracuse | 3023 Erie Blvd. | Syracuse | NY | 13224 |
Vestal | 3901 Vestal Parkway E. | Vestal | NY | 13224 |
West Islip | 155 Sunrise Hwy. | West Islip | NY | 11795 |
Brick | 28 Brick Plaza | Brickton | NY | 08723 |
Bridgewater | 600 Promenade Blvd. | Bridgewater | NJ | 08807 |
Cherry Hill | 2100 Route 38 Suite 4 | Cherry Hill | NJ | 08002 |
Deptford | 301 N. Almonesson Rd. | Deptford | NJ | 08096 |
Edison | 1120 Route 1 North | Edison | NJ | 08817 |
Hanover | 145 Route 10 | East Hanover | NJ | 07936 |
Jersey City | 701 Route 440 #383 | Jersey City | NJ | 07304 |
Mays Landing | 4215 Black Horse Pike | Mays Landing | NJ | 08330 |
Middletown | 1107 Route 35 | Middletown | NJ | 07748 |
N. Bergen | 8101 Tonelle Ave. | North Bergen | NJ | 07047 |
Paramus | 275 Route 4 West | Paramus | NJ | 07652 |
Union | 1660 Route 22 East | Union | NJ | 07083 |
Wayne | 1639 Route 23 South | Wayne | NJ | 07470 |
West Windsor | 520 Nassau Park Blvd. | West Windsor | NJ | 08540 |
*The Hicksville, NY location will begin the program on Sunday, Feb. 5 (not Jan. 8)
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