February events bring great times for us all

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Joey and Steven Cohen

Updated: March 3, 2012 11:28AM

Special Needs, Special Times is a column for the special needs community in the North Shore. Northbrook resident Steven Cohen is the father of, Joey, 12, who has autism. Steven is the developer of JoRide, a unique pedal-less bicycle.

It’s almost Valentine’s Day and what better way to say “I love you” than to spend some quality time with the loved ones in your life? In that respect, “Special Needs, Special Times” is devoted to making every day Valentine’s Day, but this issue is dedicated to activities you and your special needs loved one can share in honor of the actual Feb. 14 holiday.

• With the cold weather still fully upon us, I bet you and your special needs loved one are craving warm comfort food a lot these days. I know Joey and I are. There’s nothing quite like a steaming bowl of spicy chili or some creamy homemade mac-and-cheese to take the chill off. The Young Chefs Academy in Glenview offers cooking classes that teach kids how to make perennial favorites like these that both you and your child with special needs can enjoy afterwards. Designed for children ages 4-14, these cooking lessons are taught in a safe environment that encourages discovery and creativity.

What I like about the Young Chefs Academy is that at all times the focus is on empowering children in a unique way. The Winter II session of weekly cooking classes begins Feb. 28 with the theme of “Julia...Our Way!” The emphasis of this eight-week program will be bringing the legendary Julia Child’s flair for French Cuisine to your home kitchen.

• Another fun — and affordable — way to spend some quality time together is a night out at the arcade. The Nickel City Family Entertainment Center in Northbrook boasts 130 games, each of which operates with only nickels. The center is able to offer video and redemption game-playing at “good old days” prices by charging a small admission fee of $2.00. Open 7 days a week, 365 days year, the establishment’s operating hours are 2 to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, noon to 1 a.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday.

• Finally, the Northern Suburban Special Recreation Association (NSSRA) has a full slate of activities scheduled for mid-February. For youth, the School’s Day Out program will venture to Shedd Aquarium Feb. 17. Designed for 7- to 22-year-olds, this adventure-filled trip affords participants an opportunity to get eye-to-eye with a dolphin, meet a penguin on a stroll to the South Pole and immerse themselves in an Amazon forest that’s been flooded.

NSSRA hasn’t overlooked adults this Valentine’s Day either. On Feb. 12, the organization will head out to the Chicago Auto Show. This largest automobile exhibition in North America will feature nearly 1,000 different vehicles, including a complete range of domestic and imported passenger cars and trucks, sport utility vehicles, and experimental or concept cars.

If you would you like to see your organization’s activities and services described in our upcoming reports, please email your calendar of events and information to: steven@joride.com. As our column grows so will the ability to feature not-to-be missed special needs events. You can find out what the organizations mentioned in this column have to offer and more by visiting their websites: www.youngchefsacademy.com/glenview, www.nickelcitygames.com/, http://nssra.org/programs/Images/WN12-SpecialEvents.pdf