Like many families with children who have disabilities, the use of museums and attractions is often hindered by several barriers. What can they do to make visiting more enjoyable?

At Eureka! The National Children’s Museum aims to be as inclusive and welcoming of all children, including those on the autism spectrum. The facility wants everyone there feel comfortable and able to experience quality time with their loved ones playing games or learning together. However, it may be busy at times and this poses a challenge for kids who have specific needs. The  ‘Break to Play’ project was designed so that families of children with autism could experience museum-based activities together and enjoy playing at home.

After all, if we want to be part of a vibrant society that encourages understanding and inclusion, should we not also offer them to everyone?

Challenges when visiting museums and attractions

One disabled child in every 100 is diagnosed with autism. Research conducted by the National Autistic Society shows that families affected by autism face particular challenges when visiting museums and attractions:

* Lack of preparation time- Families don’t always make the most of available research time before visiting places

* Limited awareness- Staff often lack knowledge about autism and disability rights legislation

* Limited activity choice- As a result of limited awareness and poor understanding, the range of activities on offer for children with autism may be restricted.

* Redundant facilities. Barriers include inaccessible digital content, physical barriers like stairs, or poorly-lit signage.

5 Tips on how to make visits more enjoyable for children with autism and their families

1) Get there early

Getting to your destination in advance will help you avoid long queues. If your child finds it difficult to handle change, you might even consider preparing them for the trip by visiting beforehand so they can become familiar with the surroundings.

2) Make sure everyone is comfortable

If children are too anxious or stressed at the beginning of the day, this could make it difficult for them to fully enjoy their trip. Toddlers can be nervous about new experiences and older children may feel overwhelmed by crowds of people, noise, or bright lights. Give your child a few minutes before you enter the museum to adjust to the surroundings. Turn off phones, keep visits short and make sure everyone takes regular breaks from walking around if needed.

3) Take advantage of interactive screens and touch-screen technology

Many children with autism love using digital devices, as it gives them a sense of control. Interactive screens can also help to capture their attention and make the visit more exciting for them.

4) Offer your child clear instructions and guidance museum

Visitors should be able to receive clear instructions and guidance from staff, but this becomes even more important when visiting with a child on the autism spectrum.

5) Offer help to parents and careers

If your child is nonverbal or has difficulty communicating their needs, you might want to consider bringing someone along who can interpret for you.

What efforts should museums make?

Challenges remain for everyone, but if museums and attractions are to offer inclusive services they must address them. Here are the 10 areas identified where efforts could be made:

   1.Engage families before they arrive

Museums should make it as easy as possible for parents to access information about the facilities on offer including gallery locations, opening times and public transport options. If this is not possible, how else can institutions communicate with families? Use of social media might be one way of contacting visitors who may not wish to give out personal details over the phone or prefer using an accessible digital device rather than pen and paper.

   2. Prepare staff to welcome families with autism

Staff needs to be aware of the challenges that people on the spectrum face so they can proactively help visitors enjoy their visit. In our survey, some parents reported being turned away from venues because their child was ‘scary’ or ‘disruptive’. These incidents could have been prevented if staff were better informed about autism and how it affects behaviour. Research shows that adults learn a lot by working closely with children . The museum sector should consider this when recruiting new employees – giving greater opportunities for training to those who have an interest in inclusive services. This would benefit everyone, including children who may gain role models from within museums as well as outside them.

 3. Improve access through clear visual information

Good wayfinding is vital for everyone. One parent in our survey said his son ‘reads’ text on floors rather than taking in the information displayed. Museums should consider how people with autism will gain an understanding of their content and design schemes accordingly. This could be particularly important when it comes to digital services that may not have captions or transcripts available online. Are museums making full use of social media? Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube can all help institutions engage directly with visitors who may prefer these channels over more formal ones like telephone enquiries.

   4. Have a clear behavior policy

A teacher at Cobalt tells us that learning about acceptable social behaviors before visiting galleries is helpful for children with autism . Children learn very quickly; if they experience conflict with other visitors, they may also communicate it back to their parents. Museums and galleries must Nott stereotype people with autism as ‘intruders’ in their spaces . Staff should be trained to recognize and support visitors on the spectrum rather than see them as potential problems. This could ensure that families stay engaged for longer and take more from their visits.

 5. Don’t assume children with autism will need help

Allowing students time to explore independently can build confidence; undirected access means some children choose not to bother exploring areas of a museum if they don’t expect it to be relevant or interesting. Museums must balance this with the needs of specific individuals who stand to gain most from guidance such as those who struggle navigating physical spaces or understanding abstract concepts. Nevertheless, autistic people should be able to access the same content as other visitors; it is not realistic to assume that an educational environment will cater for all needs.

6. Consider lighting carefully

Responding well to sensory experiences is known to improve wellbeing and learning. A quiet corner with dimmer lighting might offer respite from bright displays or noises. When planning new construction or renovation, museums could make good use of daylighting; recent research suggests this can also reduce anxiety levels in many people. This needn’t be expensive; simple things like repositioning windows could make a big difference. Wherever possible, museums should strike a balance between light and shade appropriate for different types of activity. We found one parent using headphones to block out audio installations that his child found too much.

7. Realize the benefits of autism-friendly activities

Many museums offer workshops and other interactive sessions to engage young visitors. Parents told us these are sometimes overwhelming for their children who may need time to digest what they’ve learned before moving on. By contrast, minimizing stimuli such as by enclosing a sandpit session would make it more appropriate for some children with autism; this should not be at the expense of other visitors. Museums should think carefully about how long sessions run – families might appreciate shorter introductory experiences like those offered by The Deep in Hull, which could help build interest and confidence for repeat visits.

In conclusion, the Museum offers a variety of experiences that can be tailored to engage children with autism and their families. If you are looking for an engaging activity outside of your home, consider visiting the Eureka! The National Children’s Museum.

For those that want to eat pizza with more robust flavours, then going Italian style will definitely be a good idea. Italian style pizzas are very well known to deliver robust flavours that easily make pizza lovers smile with satisfaction. That said, if you want to get your money’s worth with the Italian style pizza you decide to order, you better make sure that you buy it from an excellent pizza takeaway joint. 

In case you are someone from Halifax, then there are several amazing Italian restaurants where you can get the great pizzas that you want. For pizza takeaway joints though, there are three that really deserve the attention of any pizza lover. So if you want to sink your teeth on some of the best tasting Italian pizzas in Halifax, then below are the three best Italian pizza takeaway joints that you should check out. 

 

Pollino 

Pollino is one of the most reliable pizza takeaway joints for Italian style pizza here in Halifax, and that’s because it is a pizza joint that knows exactly what they are doing. All their pizzas are always a treat to eat, and that’s because they are consistently tasty and well-cooked. For their deliveries, their pizzas always arrive on time, and are always hot. All in all, if you want high end Italian restaurant level pizza meals at home, then Pollino is the best choice for you. This is the pizza joint I often use whenever I want tasty Italian style pizzas after a day of hard work at my student removal Halifax job. 

 

22 The Square 

22 The Square is another great place to get stunning and delicious Italian style pizzas here in Halifax. This particular joint has a wide selection of pizza options for their customers to choose from. As a matter of fact, they even have vegan options for those people that want to eat tasty pizzas, but are on a stricter diet than other pizza lovers. Overall, this is a great value Italian pizza takeaway joint that you should never miss out on trying if you love amazing pizzas. 

 

Café Italia 

The third best place to get excellent Italian style pizzas here in Halifax is Café Italia. The best thing about this joint is that they always serve pizzas that are tasty, fresh, and full of amazing flavours. Other than that, their pizzas are also in big portions, making it ideal for people that have big appetites for pizzas. As far as their pizza takeaway services are concerned, they are always able to deliver pizzas to customers on time, and in great quality as well. 

 

Alright, these are the three best pizza takeaways that you can consider using, if you want to eat great tasting Italian style pizzas here at Halifax. While there may be other options out there today, these are the three that really shines out of the crowd, and that’s why you should prioritize them if possible. It is highly recommended that you give all three joints a try, and that’s so you can figure out which one really fits your preferences. 

Steak is a meal that many meat lovers would never pass up on. That is because while it is such a simple dish at first glance, it can definitely showcase the true delicious flavours of beef meat. While you can actually cook steaks yourself at home, it might become an inconvenient process if you are really looking for the best tasting steaks. Practically speaking, if you want to taste the best steaks, then it would only make sense to look for the best steak houses. 

If you happen to be in Halifax, then you should rejoice because there are plenty of great steak places here. That said though, there are a few steakhouses that are considered by many steak lovers in town, as the best pound for pound. So, if you are someone that is interested in knowing which ones are the best three steakhouses in Halifax, then you will find all three of them below. 

 

Beefeater 

If you love steak, then the name of the restaurant says it all, and they definitely never fail to deliver in terms of satisfying steaks. Beefeater offers a wide range of quality steak cuts, making a great option for people that have preferences in regards of the steak cuts that they want to eat. This is a steakhouse that I personally visit whenever I get a break from my Halifax house removals job, and that’s because they are very consistent in delivering great tasting steaks for their customers, every time they eat here. 

 

22 Bar & Smokehouse 

22 Bar & Smokehouse is an excellent option for meat lovers that want to dig in to quality steaks in large portions. They offer some of the best tasting grilled steaks here, which is really a reason why many people love coming back here again and again. The steakhouse has a very welcoming and warm dining atmosphere, and is really ideal for group dine outs. As a matter of fact, this is an amazing place if you are looking for great value for your money when eating out with a huge group.  

 

Long Can Hall 

Long Can Hall is another great option for people that are looking for very nice tasting steaks for highly reasonable prices. The best thing about this place though is that it has a very relaxing atmosphere, especially during the summer when you can eat outdoors for scenic views in the restaurant. The restaurant has very friendly and polite staff members, which is always a very welcoming thing for any consumer. All in all, this is a place that you can never go wrong with, especially if you are someone that wants to enjoy great tasting steaks, pleasing atmosphere, and scenic views. 

 

There you have it steak lovers, these are the three best steakhouses in Halifax if you want to eat amazing quality steaks. The prices for each restaurant does vary, so it may be a good idea to pick one that is ideal for your budget. Other than that, you can actually make your pick depending on which one you can conveniently access. Overall though, I highly recommend that you try out all of these three restaurants. None of them will disappoint you in terms of service, and the quality of the steak that they serve. 

 

 

 

If you are someone that is planning to visit Halifax with children and want them to have an educational trip while you’re at it, then it’s important to find the right destinations for your trip. For the most part, you can try focusing on locations such as parks or museums. That’s because these are the places that usually have something educational for the kids to enjoy. 

Fortunately for you, Halifax is one of those towns that have plenty of such destinations, and it is simply a matter of choosing which one is ideal for the kids that are coming with you. Now to help narrow things down a bit for you, there are a few destinations that I would like to recommend. Below, you will find what I would consider as the three best places to visit in Halifax for an educational, but enjoyable trip with kids. 

 

Eureka 

Eureka is definitely one of the most exciting places to visit in Halifax, if you want to have an educational trip with kids, but let them have fun as well. The place is filled with plenty of exhibits that can teach children a wide range of things such as occupations, creativity, etc. Plenty of field trips are held by many schools here, and that only goes to show how educational and fun this place can be. Most important of all though, if you are going with a group of kids, then they offer discounts which makes it a great value option for such a trip. 

 

Bankfield Museum 

Museums are a common destinations for trips that involve having the children learn about the history of a given place. Being a Grade II historic house museum, it is a very popular destination for people visiting Halifax that love museum trips. The museum is filled with diverse collections that tell the story of Halifax and Calderdale in a very easy to understand manner for children and adults alike. This is indeed a very historically informative place to visit with kids, especially if you want them to learn more about the history of Halifax.  

 

Manor Heath Jungle Experience 

The Manor Heath Jungle Experience is a great place suitable for young children that want to have a unique jungle adventure here in Halifax. This park has an amazing adventure playground, and one that I have recently enjoyed together mine and several other kids of my Halifax removals co-workers. Our company recently had a parent-child trip, and this was the place that they decided to take us. It was a really enjoyable time for all of us, and that is why I highly recommend this place. It is definitely a must visit if you want the children on your trip to learn a lot of things, and do so while enjoying themselves as well. 

 

There you have it, if you are planning an educational trip to Halifax with children, and want them to enjoy while learning new things, then these are the best three places that I recommend. All of them are quite affordable too, and that is why you wouldn’t need to worry about having to spend a lot of money for the trip.