Macaroni KID Is Becoming a Neurodivergent Safe Certified Business — and Here’s Why It Matters (A Lot)
If you’ve followed Macaroni KID Harrisburg & West Shore or Macaroni KID Carlisle through Shippensburg for any amount of time, you know we’re here for all families. But today, we’re proud to share something deeply personal — and, we hope, deeply impactful.
We’re thrilled to announce that Macaroni KID of the Capital Region is in the process of becoming the third business in all of Pennsylvania to be certified as a Neurodivergent Safe Practice by Neurodiverse Network.
We may not have a physical storefront, but we show up everywhere — in your inboxes, at your events, and through the guides and programs we pour our hearts into. And if we’re going to be out here helping families make memories, then we’re going to do everything we can to make sure every family — every brain — is invited, included, and celebrated.
Why This Is Personal
I’m not just a publisher. I’m a mom. One of my children is autistic, and I’ve watched the world teach him — sometimes loudly, sometimes silently — that it wasn’t built for brains like his. That the ways he moves, feels, expresses joy, or melts down are wrong. That he can be included... but only if he adapts.
But real inclusion doesn’t look like a child adapting to squeeze into a world that doesn’t fit.
Real inclusion looks like the world stretching, learning, and reimagining what “normal” means.
It means making room. It means asking better questions. It means scooping the dang candy instead of making a kid with motor delays pick one from a crowded bowl while someone dressed like a zombie looms behind them.
Ask me how I know.
The Journey to Certification
This certification isn’t a gold star — it’s a commitment. One we’ve been living out little by little, thanks to the incredible guidance of Neurodiverse Network (NDNET). Their educators are actually neurodivergent, which sounds obvious, but trust me — it’s not the norm. These are real people with real experiences, and they’ve helped us rethink how we plan, promote, and partner.
Take our Inclusive Trick-or-Treat Station, part of last fall’s Boo Bucket campaign. With NDNET’s help, we made an unmanned, low-pressure, high-reward setup that skipped the pressure of saying “Trick or treat,” allowed for mobility and sensory differences, and still totally slayed.
No tricks. Just treats. And comics. (Shoutout to Comics and Cool Stuff for the best sensory-friendly Halloween surprise ever.)
Or consider our first annual Easter Egg Hunt — the one with:
🐣 A calm-down tent for kids who need a reset
🐣 Bunny Buddies who added eggs to baskets for kids who needed support
🐣 A focus on limited mobility access
🐣 Hundreds of reserve eggs for kids who struggled in the crowd
🐣 Fidgets, non-edibles, and “oops-you-forgot-a-basket” back-ups
It was chaotic. It was beautiful. It was exactly what it should be.
And it was made possible by people who helped us learn how to plan differently. Think differently. Include differently.
Why It Matters
I used to think: “I don’t have a space to make accessible.” But then I realized — I touch dozens of spaces. Every event I co-host, every venue I recommend, every family I serve through a guide or spotlight... I bring people places.
If I’m going to do that, I need to know what I’m talking about. I need this training not just for myself — but for the hundreds of families reading, showing up, and trusting us to help them make magical macaroni memories.
About the Certification
NDNET’s Neuro-Affirming Practices Seminar helps businesses, schools, medical providers, and yes, even media outlets like us, learn how to be truly inclusive to people with invisible disabilities.
The training is packed with real strategies, lived experience, and practical feedback — and when it’s done, you don’t just get a sticker. You get tools. Understanding. Language. A lens that helps you build better, whether that’s a waiting room, a website, or a walk-through Halloween display.
The best part? This isn’t some corporate package with stock photos and surface-level sensitivity. This is a community-led movement that says:
🧠 Neurodiversity is real
💪 Accessibility is powerful
🌟 Inclusion is not charity — it’s community
We’re proud to be part of that movement. And even prouder to keep learning from it.
Stay tuned for more as we complete our certification and roll out even more inclusive practices. And if you’re a local business, school, or organization thinking, “Could I do this too?” the answer is YES — and we’d love to connect you with NDNET.
Until then, we’ll be over here, holding space for every family. Especially the ones who’ve never felt like there was a space for them before.
With love, laughter, and lots of comic books,
Rachael Benion
Publisher, Macaroni KID of the Capital Region
Proud parent.
Proud partner.
Proud to be #NeurodivergentSafe
