The North East Autism Society run a Family Networking Group, a closed group on Facebook which aims to empower, educate and connect parents, families and carers by: 

• Increasing knowledge

• Sharing useful information 

• Connecting people   

You can find out more here: Family Networking - North East Autism Society

SEN sessions at the Owl Tree Community Nest. Children can run, climb, and explore in the larger hall with a soft play area.  They can also use the sensory room. Included is a reserved table in the main café for families with SEN children. For children aged 0-5, but older children are welcome.

Every other Friday: 1:30pm - 5:00pm

Every other Monday: 10:30am - 2:30pm

No need to book in advance. You can arrive and leave anytime between the times shown.  

All of our libraries are autism friendly. To do this we have:

• provided staff training

• created 'calm zone' areas with autism friendly furniture

• put up posters to promote that we are autism friendly

We have also introduced a quieter hour from 10am to 11am every Saturday on Level 3 of City Library. We avoid making any excess noise to make the library quieter and calmer to help customers with autism and other additional needs.

A dedicated trampoline session for customers with special educational needs and disabilities. These sessions will not be available for the general public. Trampoline socks must be worn. 

Thursdays: 3:00pm-6:00pm

Tickets can be booked online https://bookings.better.org.uk/location/newcastle-trampoline-gym/trampoline-park or by contacting the centre directly.

Each paying ticket admits one carer free of charge.

Swimming is an essential life skill for everyone. We believe that everyone should feel comfortable and confident in the water.

We offer a variety of swimming lessons tailored for both adults and children, including those with:

Explore the science centre with fewer visitors, less noise, and enjoy relaxed performances in our planetarium and Science Theatre. Lighting and sound levels will be altered where possible to accommodate those with sensory needs. For example, hand-dryers in toilets will be turned off for the duration of the session.

Relaxed Sunday Sessions run from 10:00am - 12:00pm. You are welcome to stay after this time if you wish, but please note that our traditional programme, lighting, and sound levels will gradually resume from 12:00pm.

To support your visit you can:

Join us for inclusive sessions of dance, movement, and aerial at Dance City, held two Sundays per month. 

This group is inclusive and has just 10 places so that we can welcome all abilities and needs. Pre booking recommended and Under 5s are welcome but a parent/guardian must be present.

Each session costs £8.75 or £7 for Accessible Price (click here to learn more Pricing - Dance City)

To book, go to the relevant page and click 'Book Now':

Fun play sessions for children aged 0-5 with SEND, both diagnosed and undiagnosed. No need to book, just come along!

Tuesday 1:00pm to 2:30pm

Thursday 9:30 am to 11:00 am

Term time only.

The Tree house Early Years Centre is a great place to have fun. Check out this link The Tree House Early Years Centre | Newcastle Support Directory and video to learn more: 

Fun outdoor adventures for children aged 0-5 with SEND.

Wednesday 10:00 am to 11:00am.

Term time only.

As these activities take place outdoors, please come dressed appropriately for the weather.

For booking, please get in touch with the contact details below.  

The sensory room has a range of sights, sounds, textures, and fidget toys. Perfect for children up to age 5 with sensory needs.

£3 per adult (up to 3 accompanied children).
£10 per hour to hire the full sensory room.
If cost is a barrier, please get in touch.  

Available to book from Monday to Saturday.  

To book and for more information, use the ‘Click here to book’ button on this page https://theowltreechildrenscafe.co.uk/sensory-room/ 

Browse and borrow a wide range of toys for children (0-5) with special educational needs. These can help with your child's learning and development. Toys can be borrowed for up to 4 weeks.  

The library is open Monday to Friday during term time.

Come to the Tree House Early Year's Centre (map below).  

For more information, you can call 0191 278 8458 or email treehouseenquiries@newcastle.gov.uk 

The sensory room has a range of sights, sounds, textures, and fidget toys. Perfect for children up to age 5 with SEND, autism, or sensory needs.

You can call 0191 278 8458 or email treehouseenquiries@newcastle.gov.uk to book a slot.  Just request a date and time.

Slots are usually 30 minutes long.  

This is a free service for those who care for children with additional needs. Browse a wide range of suitable, quality and specialist toys.  You can borrow 4 toys for up to 4 weeks.  

For more details on this service please contact us on 0191-2656158 or email admin@napi.org.uk

These sessions are open to families with a pre-school aged (0-5) disabled child.

The children can access all our normal facilities including the:

• soft play

• sensory room

• trampoline hall

• outdoor play garden for free play

11.30am – 12 noon Music and Movement

12.30 – 1.30pm Messy Play

Our Early Years Lead Leanne Johnson-Read is available to chat with parents.

Children must be supervised at all times.

£4 per child (babies under 1 year old are free).

At Sammy Bear Daycare we thrive to meet the needs of all our little people aged 6 weeks - 4 years.

To learn more about our nursery, please take a look at our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558873103787  

For more information, please email Info@sammybear.co.uk.

MOVErs & Explorers is a free pre-school support group at Percy Hedley School providing a range of fun, nurturing, sensory based programmes. It is for families with young children who have neurological or motor disorders (such as cerebral palsy).  They may also have associated speech, language and communication difficulties.  Children are welcome to attend from the age of 3 months to preschool.

Sessions aim to work with parents develop their child’s physical, cognitive, social and communication skills via explorative play. 

Relaxed screenings are for children and young people with autism.  They are sensory friendly with reduced sound, dimmed lighting, and no adverts or trailers.  It is okay for guests to move around and make noise during the film.

Autism friendly screenings are offered by most cinemas.  For more information about the these screenings, the cinemas, and how to book, please click on the links below: 

Tovertafel: Magic Table is a fun interactive activity for children and young people.  Different items or objects are projected onto the table.  Users can move their arms and hands to interact with the projection. Scatter leaves and knock a football around on the magic table!

This is an activity for everyone but is often enjoyed by children with autism and learning difficulties.

The magic table is on Level 3 at City Library and free to use but must be booked in advance.