WV Birth to Three hosts ‘Sensory Santa of the Panhandle’ event
By Vanta Coda III, RealWV
On a chilly night at the Eastern Panhandle Instructional Cooperative (EPIC), laughter and children’s voices fill the air. Thursday night was the Sensory Santa of the Panhandle event, put on by West Virginia Birth to Three, a family event for children with sensory sensitivities.
At the event, Santa accommodates the children’s sensory needs, allowing for both parents and children to have a comfortable environment in which to celebrate Christmas. The sensory-minded event had quiet music, toys, and a low-stimulation, familiar atmosphere with families associated with the West Virginia Birth to Three program and the EPIC center in attendance.
Emily Church, a parent partner with West Virginia Birth to Three, said the event is a good, laid-back option for both children and their parents during the holiday season.
“For some kiddos, being around Santa can be a struggle,” said Church. “Having an environment where it is laid back where they can go up to Santa as they please and not be forced to, it really helps with the families and feeling more welcome.”
This is the third year of Sensory Santa of the Panhandle. The last few years, EPIC and West Virginia Birth to Three worked with Berkeley County Schools, hosting it at one of the many schools in the Berkeley Co. school district. This year, they hosted the event at the EPIC center in downtown Martinsburg.
West Virginia Birth to Three is the early intervention service for children ages zero to three who have a developmental delay or may be at risk of developmental delay, as provided by the state of West Virginia, which partners with families and caregivers to offer resources and support to enhance children’s learning and development.
To be eligible for programs provided by West Virginia Birth to Three, practitioners evaluate children and provide parents with guides to the program. West Virginia Birth to Three, the family’s medical provider, and the family come together to determine eligibility. The programs are offered at no cost to families, and provide services at home, either virtually or in-person.
“I just love seeing all the smiling faces and how happy everybody is, and just seeing other families be able to enjoy spending time with Santa, and not having to feel like they’re being judged,” said Church.
