LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) Toys R Us Lafayette opened their doors early Sunday morning for kids with autism and their families.
The kids were able to pick out their Christmas gifts and create a wish lists.
News Tens Emily Giangreco was there and spoke with some parents about what the event meant to them.
Although Christmas is over a month away, for some lucky kids Santa came early as they had the opportunity to hand pick toys from their wish list.
The Lafayette Toys R Us opened their doors early on sunday to allow kids with autism to pick out their Christmas gifts.
Like any other child they want to run around and make their Christmas list for Santa and look around and see what they would like for Christmas or just to come into a toy store and play and be a kid.
Parents know that Christmas shopping can be difficult at times when their child has autism.
“The pressure to be able to stay and withstand everything going on around us is alwaysa hassel.”
Christmas shopping is difficult. And bringing him to the store where there’s loud music and bright lights and things like that, it stimulates him to the point where he can’t communicate to me in his own way what he likes.
So as they saw their childrens eyes light up as they entered toys r us, they couldnt help but be thankful for this opportunity.
For him to be able to be free and just run and pick what he liked it was a better experience for me than it was for him.
All three of my kids found stuff that they were interested in for Christmas. Two of them made wish lists and Jonah actually got to ride a little bike around the store the whole time which has been great.
Parents say the store provided a fun environment that gave the kids a chance to feel comfortable.
I think that every mother of an autistic child should have this experience. I wish that every Toys-R-Us in the country could do this because it’s such a wide spread issue now.
While this was the stores first time doing this, they say they hope to see it continue in the future.
Reporting in Lafayette, Emily Giangreco KLFY News Ten.
