# Sensory Friendly Holiday Magic at Brookfield Zoo Chicago > Event for families in the Chicago–Naperville–Elgin area (IL / IN). Times are Central Time. - When: Thu, Dec 3 · 3:00 PM – 9:00 PM - Where: Brookfield Zoo Chicago, 3300 Golf Road, Brookfield, IL 60513 - Ages: All ages - Price: Tickets starting at $29.95; free with membership - For kids with sensory or other needs: Sensory-friendly. Admission and parking can be bought online in advance or on arrival at the Main-North Gate; South Gate entry requires advance tickets and parking reservations. Members enter free. - Organizer: Brookfield Zoo Chicago - Official page: https://visits.czs.org/webstore/shop/ViewItems.aspx?CG=2372&C=2373 - Last checked: Tue, Oct 27 Source: Grassy Knees is a directory of real family events, places and programs for kids across major U.S. metro areas, where every listing is researched from the organizer’s own page and shows the date we last checked it. https://grassyknees.com covers 42 metro areas as of Nov 2, 2026, with more added regularly. About: https://grassyknees.com/about Freshness: listings are re-checked on a daily research run (latest check 2026-11-01), and new events are added as organizers post them. Sell-outs, weather cancellations and time changes show up on the live page first: https://grassyknees.com/chicago/activities/sensory-friendly-holiday-magic-at-brookfield-zoo-chicago--listing-e64fb0737d6e204c521cd88f ## About Brookfield Zoo Chicago runs one evening of its Holiday Magic light festival as a sensory-friendly night, presented with the inclusion nonprofit KultureCity. For this modified evening the lights are dimmed, the music is softer and visual effects are reduced, so children and adults who are sensitive to noise, crowds or flashing light can enjoy the displays in a calmer setting. Holiday Magic fills the zoo grounds with themed light areas — Candy Cane Lane, the Flamin-glow Forest, Sparkling Coast, Sweet Street, a glowing Holiday Magic Maze, light tunnels and animal-shaped displays — plus a holiday market. Dress for the cold, since the displays are outdoors. It suits families with autistic children, toddlers who are easily overstimulated, and grandparents who prefer a quieter walk. Members get free admission and free Main-North Gate parking; everyone else buys admission, and South Gate entry needs advance tickets and parking reservations. ## Similar picks in Chicago - [Lightscape Sensory-Friendly Night at the Chicago Botanic Garden](https://grassyknees.com/chicago/activities/lightscape-sensory-friendly-night-at-the-chicago-botanic-garden--listing-a8f200d0bd95ef5aba88c9e6) — Wed, Dec 2 · 4:30 PM · Chicago Botanic Garden, Glencoe · All ages · With admission · sensory-friendly · checked Oct 27. One evening of the Chicago Botanic Garden's Lightscape light trail is run as a sensory-friendly night, with reduced crowd capacity and the lights and music turned down to make… - [Sensory-Friendly Night at ZooLights](https://grassyknees.com/chicago/activities/sensory-friendly-night-at-zoolights--listing-971750bd9f26afa7f8418b68) — Tue, Nov 24 · 4:30 PM – 9:00 PM · Lincoln Park Zoo · All ages · From $7 · sensory-friendly · checked Oct 27. Lincoln Park Zoo sets aside one evening of ZooLights for visitors who find the regular light show overwhelming. On this night every blinking or moving light is made static or… - [Everyone at Play: Free Sensory-Friendly Afternoon at Kohl Children's Museum](https://grassyknees.com/chicago/activities/everyone-at-play-free-sensory-friendly-afternoon-at-kohl-children-s-mu--listing-8876b8039a7a9ab5213f47f4) — Sun, Nov 8 (+2 more dates) · 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM · Kohl Children's Museum, Glenview · Free · sensory-friendly · checked Oct 30. Free afternoons for families of children with special needs, neuro differences and disabilities to explore Kohl Children's Museum's exhibits and outdoor spaces. Registration is… - [Illumination Sensory Night at The Morton Arboretum](https://grassyknees.com/chicago/activities/illumination-sensory-night-at-the-morton-arboretum--listing-e7f72c444b133c4ae486e68c) — Tue, Nov 17 · 4:30 PM – 9:30 PM · The Morton Arboretum, Lisle · All ages · Paid · sensory-friendly · checked Oct 27. The Morton Arboretum's holiday light show, Illumination, has one sensory night each season. On this evening the light displays are static rather than moving or flashing and the… - [Low-Sensory Morning at Griffin Museum of Science and Industry](https://grassyknees.com/chicago/activities/low-sensory-morning-at-griffin-museum-of-science-and-industry--listing-5dfd6160032e9f7353a286f6) — Sun, Dec 13 (+4 more dates) · 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM · Griffin Museum of Science and Industry · From $6.50 · sensory-friendly · checked Oct 30. An hour of early access before opening with dimmed lights, quieter sounds and limited capacity; most museum experiences stay in sensory-friendly mode until noon, and tickets… - [Sensory Friendly Cookies with Santa — Oak Park](https://grassyknees.com/chicago/activities/sensory-friendly-cookies-with-santa-oak-park--listing-75913ff178d71079e4c28db1) — Wed, Dec 16 · 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM · Park District of Oak Park (location per registration) · All ages · sensory-friendly · checked Oct 16. The Park District of Oak Park and West Suburban Special Recreation Association offer a calm, sensory-friendly Santa visit on Wednesday, December 16, with time slots at 5 and 6… ## More for families - [Things to do with kids at Brookfield Zoo Chicago](https://grassyknees.com/chicago/venues/brookfield-zoo-chicago) (Markdown: https://grassyknees.com/chicago/venues/brookfield-zoo-chicago.md) - [Things to do with kids in Brookfield, IL](https://grassyknees.com/chicago/towns/brookfield-il) (Markdown: https://grassyknees.com/chicago/towns/brookfield-il.md) - [Things to do with kids in Cook County, IL](https://grassyknees.com/chicago/counties/cook-county-il) (Markdown: https://grassyknees.com/chicago/counties/cook-county-il.md) - [Christmas lights and holiday events for kids in Chicago](https://grassyknees.com/chicago/christmas) (Markdown: https://grassyknees.com/chicago/christmas.md) - [Sensory-friendly and adaptive activities for kids in Chicago](https://grassyknees.com/chicago/sensory-friendly) (Markdown: https://grassyknees.com/chicago/sensory-friendly.md) - [This weekend in Chicago](https://grassyknees.com/chicago/this-weekend) (Markdown: https://grassyknees.com/chicago/this-weekend.md) - [Things to do with kids in Chicago](https://grassyknees.com/chicago) (Markdown: https://grassyknees.com/chicago.md)