Christmas will soon be here, which means the chance to spend a lot of quality time with family to make some special memories, especially with the two pillars of traditional Christmas experience – a visit to Santa and attending a pantomime. But if your child has disabilities or extra needs, taking part can mean a lot of extra research to find something suitable.

To help, we have put together a handy guide to a few possibilities around the country as well as some tips to find just what you’re looking for.

Visiting Santa

For younger children a visit to Santa is a must – but for some children who are not neurotypical the whole process can be very challenging, often resulting in more tears than smiles. But there are now more accessible visits to see the big man in red than ever before, so you should be able to find something near enough to you so that you can all take part in this simple Christmas pleasure.

Dobbies Garden Centres have worked with Autism Together to set up and run Quiet Grotto sessions across 50 of their stores for children with autism or additional needs on December 5. This means no queuing on the day and a reduced number of people in the grotto area, as well as the grotto music being turned off and twinkling lights removed or switched off. Each child’s gift can either be wrapped or not too, depending on their preference. Before their visit customers will also be emailed a photo of the specific grotto they will be visiting to help prepare the children for where they will be going and what they will experience on the day itself. All sessions must be pre-booked. For more information visit Dobbie’s website

SEN Santa and Elf Workshop at Apple Tree Town in Newcastle-under-Lyme is an inclusive event featuring a calm and welcoming Santa’s grotto with simulated snow and photo opportunities. This is available on Sunday, December 14, from 9am-11am. Click here for more information.

Santa’s Inclusive Grotto in Leicester is a free grotto is specifically designed to be accessible and welcoming for children and adults with special needs. It offers a calm environment with scheduled visits to avoid queues. You can find out more information here

The Trafford Centre (Stretford) hosts Whispering Winter Sessions at its grotto, specifically tailored for SEN children with shorter, 10-minute sessions. They say their ‘jovial elves and Santa himself are devoted to making every moment special and are ready to adjust and convey their festive greetings in a manner that resonates with each unique family’. You can find out more and secure your slot here 

SEN Wonderland at Discover Children’s Story Centre in London is a gentle, sensory-friendly experience with a sensory SENta’s Grotto, soft play, tactile snow play and winter crafts and chill-out corners. Held on Saturday, December 6, from 11am until 3.30am you can find out more information and book through Eventbrite at SEN Wonderland at Discover Children’s Story Centre in London. Visit  their website for more information.

To find a SEND Santa visit is your area focus your search on ‘sensory friendly’, ‘relaxed’ or ‘quiet grotto’ or make direct contact with your local grotto and ask them about the accommodations they make. Things to look out for include the quietest times to visit, if the music can be turned down and if there is a quiet area they can wait in to avoid queues.

Relaxed pantomimes

Panto is a great British tradition, with many families enjoying them as a highlight of the festive season. While they can be too overwhelming for many children with SEND, there are often performances which may suit your needs better. A few are listed below, but visiting the website for your local theatre should tell you if they do special performances that your child would be more comfortable with.

Sleeping Beauty Pantomime 2025, Gatehouse Theatre, Stafford includes relaxed and British Sign Language performances. Performances start on Wednesday December 10.

The Wolverhampton Grand has special relaxed and chilled performances of Sleeping Beauty on December 11- 13 as well as a number of audio-described performances and BSL performances.

The Grand Theatre Blackpool will have a relaxed performance of Beauty and the Beast on December 28 and audio-described/signed performances on December 14 and 28.

What to expect from autism-friendly pantomimes

Although there are no changes to the overall content, performances are designed to be more welcoming for people with autism, and other sensory needs. This can include:

• House lights are often left on at a low level and strobe lighting may be removed.
• Theatres may slightly alter or remove sudden loud noises or pyrotechnics.
• Some venues provide pre-show information with visual stories or Sonic Stories to help audiences understand what to expect.
• Being able to go in and out of the auditorium as needed and any noise or movement from the audience will not be discouraged.
• A separate chill-out area may be provided for anyone who becomes overwhelmed.