Oak Lawn museum's holiday parties create place where kids with special needs can be 'included without judgment'
Children's Museum in Oak Lawn
A visitor and her family interact with animals during a Valentine's Day event Saturday for children with special needs at the Children's Museum in Oak Lawn.
A visitor and her family interact with animals during a Valentine's Day event Saturday for children with special needs at the Children's Museum in Oak Lawn. (Children's Museum in Oak Lawn)
Patty HoulihanDaily Southtown
Some holidays seem made just for kids. Think of Valentine’s Day with all that candy, or Easter, chock full of bunnies and baskets.
But joining in classroom parties and community events can be tricky for children with a disability, if they use a walker or wheelchair or are overwhelmed by the stimulation.
“Community egg hunts usually begin with a shotgun start and they’re over in about 15 minutes,” said Adam Woodworth, whose son used a walker when he was very small.
“We went to one when he was 3 or 4 years old, and it was very difficult for him to be included and participate. But a scout troop hosted one for kids with disabilities the next year, and it was really neat and fun,” he said.
“I decided if I ever got the opportunity to create on a regular basis, I’d do it.”
At the Children’s Museum in Oak Lawn, holiday parties for children with disabilities have become a huge draw, thanks in part to Woodworth, the museum’s executive director. The museum’s annual Easter Egg Hunt has become so popular after a decade that the museum now offers it in two shifts, turning over the entire building for the day and closing it to other visitors.
Registration for the latest event — its inaugural Valentine’s Day party that took place Saturday — filled up within 24 hours, drawing 25 families who enjoyed dancing, dinner from by Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers, dessert provided by Nothing Bundt Cakes, games, crafts and a chance to pet some live animals brought in by Erin’s Farm, an animal sanctuary and rescue organization based in Hobart, Ind.
For parents, the parties are enormously special. Among the fans is Deborah Gallagher, an Oak Lawn mom whose 5-year-old son has been to the egg hunt two years in a row.
“It has been an amazing experience for my little guy,” she said. “He got to play and run around without a worry in the world. Everyone there is so patient and kind. No one judges the children and just make the kids feel at home. We love attending every year.”
Robert Maszak, of Homewood, echoed the thought. His 6-year-old daughter, Tori, has attended the egg hunt two years in a row. Tori has cerebral palsy and walks with a walker. About two years ago, she was diagnosed with Childhood Disintegrative Disorder and has since lost all of her ability to talk and communicate.
The gentle events at the Oak Lawn Children’s Museum were ideal for Tori, Maszak said.
“The egg hunt was one of the few places where Tori found success finding the easy-to-find hidden eggs and enjoying the live animals from the farm,” he said.
Visitors had a chance to check out some unusual animals at a Valentine's Day event Saturday for children with special needs at the Children's Museum in Oak Lawn. The event drew 25 families in its inaugural year. (Children's Museum in Oak Lawn)
Events for families of children with disabilities are decidedly low key, Woodworth said. For instance, children can hunt for eggs at any time with the help of local Girl Scouts. Children turn in five eggs and get a prize.
“Some of them want to keep going, so we keep hiding more eggs,” Woodworth said. “The way we do it also works well for families who can’t get here right as the event is starting, which sometimes happens when you have a child with a disability.”
Sarah Earley, a mom from Oak Lawn who has attended the egg hunt twice, likes seeing young volunteers helping out because it broadens community understanding and acceptance of people with disabilities.
"Having outside groups, such as Girl Scout troops or local football teams, assist with hiding eggs and helping participants find them, is so important," she said. "Inviting these outside groups allows for more acceptance of children like my son, who is on the autism spectrum," she said. The young volunteers "get the opportunity to learn how to interact with children with special needs, which is a very real fear of any special needs caregiver. We are so thankful that CMOL includes these groups as part of this event."
Also among the truly appreciative parents is Brittni Monreal, a Chicago Heights mother of a little girl who was diagnosed with autism at the age of 18 months.
“We truly do live in Maddie's world, and these kind of events get us excited to leave our home and try our best to enjoy family time,” she said.
Each of the two egg hunt sessions — this year from 10 a.m. to noon and from 1 to 3 p.m. April 7 — draws about 40 families or about 150 people. They include food and games and live animals from Erin’s Farm. The event, offered at no cost, is supported by a gift from the Edmond & Alice Opler Foundation and staffed by numerous volunteers.
“The first time we hosted the egg hunt, we had about five or six kids,” Woodworth said. “It’s amazing to see how it’s grown. We used to have a family that lived near the Wisconsin Dells who came down for it. The mom said there was nothing like it for her child where they lived.”
Parents also appreciate the chance to be around other families who face similar challenges.
“Last year we participated in hopes that we would be surrounded by other families that understood our lives with a child with special needs,” said Monreal.
“Not only was Maddie treated with patience and understanding, the event provided her with a fun atmosphere and allowed her to celebrate and be included without judgement, just like she should be able to be.”
"A few short fun filled hours with truly amazing kids and families has been life changing. It has given us hope, friendship, resource and pride," said Ro Jones, the mother of a son with autism.
"The Easter Egg Hunt at Children's Museum of Oak Lawn is a gift; One of love, compassion and understanding. But most importantly it's the gift of recognition and acknowledgment of our families humanity."