We Rock The Spectrum - Northern Kentucky — Local services in Erlanger

This kid's gym is pretty great. They have 12 pieces of sensory equipment and a crafting section. The crafts have picture boards available for nonverbal friends. There are sensory tiles with goo and actions to build a sensory path. There's a play area with a little food truck and vet and playsets and books with two cozy chairs for a reading section. They have a teen room with a dart board, air hockey and foosball. There's a calming room with a curtain and bean bags, a soft glowing disc, bubbles on the wall, a glowy bubble tower with fish floating... tbh the calming room was my favorite part as an autistic person! It was a whole vibe. The person at the front desk mentioned they are working on installing a ramp for disabled friends to have better accessibility. I really hope they get that soon! I asked how this gym was different from others. The limit seems to be the "openness" to other people (disabled, autistic, neurodivergent), but that seems like the bare minimum to me. We exist and we have money, so we are welcome. And don't get me wrong, we absolutely were welcome! Everyone was very friendly and I got to witness some little kids' autistic joy which made me so happy. I wish there was a place like this for me when I was little! Maybe I expected too much, but I was disappointed to hear they didn't have any outreach or partnerships with local groups and didn't seem to be attempting to foster those relationships/spaces beyond having the storefront. I hope they will continue to grow that aspect of their business so that this isn't merely a place with a label where folks privileged with $14/visit can attend this safe space. Their open play is 9-6 and I believe you can stay as long as you like, which is cool. I wonder if they had input from the autistic community, and how much that shaped the play place. For example, the overhead lights are blinding, wow, and the echo can get overwhelming. I'm not sure if that's because it has to be so bright to be safe or what. Not wanting to judge but it did not feel very accommodating in that sense. Some friends need to cry and shout their feelings out and I totally understand but they always felt like they were an inch from my ear because of the 20' ceiling. I didn't bring my headphones because I didn't expect to need them at a place for my people. I suggest them for anyone sensitive to big/ surprising sounds. There seemed to be three people on staff when I was here but no one on the floor. I don't think the desk was so busy to need numerous people to hold it down. I know we hope grown ups will keep things cool and safe on the gym floor but that's also pretty naive. They're more than likely on their phone, for their own reasons. I just think an employee who is an authority would go a long way. There is no introduction to the rules or any onboarding, either, so leaving it up to guardians without that also contributed to times I had to step in and remind friends how to appropriately use the zip line, trampoline, etc. That diminished my trip's fun because I don't want to police or bother anyone. However, I also deeply love and respect the rules (they are all common sense and with safety in mind) and want them followed. Also, you need socks! They sell them for $2 cash or $2+tax...

Nothing but great things to say about our party experience at WRTS Northern Kentucky! We had our 5 year old’s birthday party here, and from the very beginning, the staff was incredibly transparent about pricing and options. I originally booked the smaller 10 child package, but as our guest list grew to over 20, they offered to upgrade us to the next level and clearly explained the differences in pricing. They even called a few days before the party to confirm all the details like our add on balloon drop, music choices, table linens, and more.

The place was SO CLEAN... I honestly couldn’t believe how great everything looked and how well it was maintained!

We had two party hosts, and both were absolutely wonderful. They kept the event running smoothly, gave me updates on timing (playtime, balloon drop, food, etc.), and even helped us unload and reload the cars. They took care of most of the cleanup in the party room, too, which was such a relief.

My only tiny “complaint” (and it’s really not even a complaint since they made it VERY clear beforehand) is that the 30 minutes allotted for food and cake at the end felt just a little short, though that might be because we had 22 kids instead of the standard 10 to 15. Even so, every single guest had an absolute blast, and we didn’t hear a single negative comment from anyone. We can’t wait...

Listen, I don't ever write reviews. But this place is special. Yes, my typical kids love it - it has everything a kid would want to play with: a trampoline, babies, a pretend kitchen, play doh, trucks, etc. But what sets it apart for my child with sensory issues, Apraxia of Speech and a slew of other special needs is the many swings that cater to her vestibular system, toys like a little shopping cart that she enjoys filling and pushing around to help with her proprioceptive system and an awesome zip-line because, well, those are super fun! They have a core board on the wall for communication, headphones for friends that struggle with noise, and a calm room to help with overstimulation. There are so many things to do at this lovely place, but on top of all of the fun the kids can have, there's just an atmosphere of understanding amongst the adults. They just get it. They're part of your village. The owners here are wonderful people. I greatly appreciate all of their help and the help of their staff whenever my daughter is having a meltdown or just struggling with the overstimulation. I'm so glad to have found this place, and it's in our backyard. We will come back again...