The best holiday memories do not have to be loud. On Sunday, December 6, from noon to 4 p.m., the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium invites families to its Sensory-Friendly Santa Experience, a calmer way to meet Santa Claus designed especially for guests with sensory needs.
Inside the Suzie Edwards Conservation Education building, just outside the Zoo’s main entrance in Powell, the setting is deliberately peaceful. Sounds are reduced, lighting is softer and crowds are limited, so children can approach Santa at their own pace, share a wish list and pose for that treasured photo without the usual holiday hustle and bustle.
To protect that relaxed feeling, families enter in small timed groups every 15 minutes. Each family gets quality, unhurried time with Santa, and the Zoo says the experience is open to all guests who would enjoy a quieter celebration. It is a joyful reminder that the season belongs to everyone.
Reservations are required, with a $5 group reservation fee. The experience does not include Zoo admission, so families can simply come for Santa or plan a longer winter day around their visit. Book a time slot early, bring your camera-ready smiles, and let a gentler kind of Christmas magic do the rest.
Photo: Grahm S. Jones, Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
