Riverfront Park adds adaptive Easter Egg hunt for children with autism to slate of celebrations

Everyone can participate in Riverfront Park’s Easter Celebrations this year, with help from the Isaac Foundation.

The nonprofit that supports people with autism and their families is hosting the first sensory-supportive Easter egg hunt at the Providence Playscape, an accessible playground in the park.

The event on Saturday morning is a chance for people of all ages and abilities to experience the joys of collecting eggs and discover what’s inside, said Holly Baume Goodman, founder of the Isaac Foundation.

The hunt will feature eggs in buckets that kids with mobility issues can lift out with a stick, plus other elevated eggs.

“Sensory-supportive is kind of a complicated thing to do since there’s so much diversity when you talk about people with neuro differences,” Baum Goodman said.

Children with allergies can collect eggs, then turn them in to staff who give them a toy instead of candy, she said.

Families who need sensory support can book a timeslot starting at 11 a.m. for a quieter hunt at the playscape. The timeslot model will allow staff to control the number of people at the playscape, reducing noise and commotion, Baum Goodman said.

“We can make it meaningful for each group of people,” she said.

Signup is available at: theisaacfoundation.configio.com/pd/1991/sensory-supportive-easter-egg-hunt.

The sensory-supportive hunt is just one of four Easter egg hunts at the park on Saturday. Babies and toddlers, up to the age of 2, can start searching for eggs at the Clocktower Meadow at 10 a.m. Children ages 3 to 5 can join in from Havermale Point starting at 10:20 a.m., followed by kids ages 6 and older starting at 10:30 a.m. at the Lilac Bowl.

More than 20,000 eggs will be hidden throughout the park.

Once kids’ baskets are full, they can grab a bite to eat at one of a handful of food trucks on site for the occasion.

The Easter egg hunt is the latest iteration of the Isaac Foundation’s adaptive holiday celebrations, from practice trick-or-treating to gingerbread house decorating.