Sensory-Friendly Birthday Parties at Norwalk's Pump It Up

Pump It Up, a children's entertainment facility and birthday party location in Norwalk, now offers sensory-friendly birthday parties for children with special needs.

After quietly integrating sensory-friendly parties into the mix at the facility last May, Pump It Up is now officially announcing the parties as part of its menu of birthday offerings. The children’s birthday party and entertainment facility in Norwalk is the first to offer a program of this kind in the tri-state area, according to Monique Rutledge, co-owner of the facility.

“We found through research that the franchise has done that our equipment is beneficial to children with sensory issues,” Rutledge says. “So we felt it would be a good first-step to offer a jump time just for those families.” 

After the success of the sensory jump time program, Pump It Up decided to offer a similar program in birthday party form for families of children with special needs. The private sensory-friendly birthday parties are catered to fit each child’s individual needs.

 “We wanted the parents of children with special needs to realize that there is a place for their children to come,” says Rutledge, who has a son with special needs.

Rutledge says that what makes the sensory-friendly birthday parties different from the normal birthday parties is the addition of visual and audible aids. Aids come in the form of party maps, color-coded activity timers, and safety instructions with pictures, and are designed to help children transition between party activities in a safe and stress-free manner.  

Pump It Up offers sensory-friendly jump times on Tuesday nights and Saturday mornings, and private sensory-friendly birthday parties are available upon reservation. Children of all ages are welcome to participate, as long as they meet the facility’s 24-inch height requirement.

 
Above photo: Children with special needs, such as autism, can have sensory-friendly birthday parties at Pump It Up in Norwalk.

Photo by Beatriz Abreu