Accessibility Guide: Disability Resources In Franklin & Williamson County, Tennessee
Whether you or someone you love has a disability, you’re more than aware that accessibility matters, especially when it comes to public spaces. Here in Franklin and Williamson County, there are opportunities you may be unaware of to engage with community, no matter what your abilities may be. There are local policies, organizations, and community programs dedicated to providing those with disabilities the tools they require for equal opportunity in public life. Below you’ll find a guide to local programs, entertainment opportunities, recreation, social groups, and more to help support the safety, joy, and prosperity of all people here in Middle Tennessee.
Local Programs
We Rock The Spectrum Kid’s Gym in Franklin is an indoor sensory gym that gives kids of all abilities a chance to learn and explore sensory experiences in a safe and inclusive environment. Open play is for children of all ages. Pass options include 3-hour play for $18 ($16 for siblings) or a $25 “Rock All Day” pass. A parent or guardian must be present at all times during open play; open hours vary depending on the calendar. Other services include We Rock Care, which includes respite, break time, and 1-on-1 attendant care, classes, after school care, private facility rentals, camps, and party or event booking. Gym amenities includes suspended swings for balance and vestibular treatment, sensory-based toys and equipment, crash mats and crash pillows for fun motor planning and strength, a zip-line, a trampoline, an indoor climbing structure, a fine motor arts and crafts area, a calming room, Ergonomic-adjustable changing tables, and a retail shop with healthy snacks and drinks.
Camp Will is a summer camp for kids and young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Orchestrated by Williamson County Parks and Recreation, camp activities include sports, arts & crafts, cooking, music, and more. Campers are encouraged to learn new practical and social skills in a supportive environment where they can interact with new friends. During activities, campers are divided into small groups of 10-12; each group is staffed by 4 counselors. Keep in mind that campers must be residents of Williamson County and be between the ages of 6 and 23 years at the start of camp. Camp fees include a $25 Registration, $100 per week fee for holiday weeks and $125 per week for non-holiday weeks. Registration information is typically available in late January or early February.
Move Inclusive Dance is a year-round program that serves Middle Tennessee. The studio teaches dance to students of all ability levels, using music and movement as a way to provide powerful, nurturing community and engagement. Class offerings include Creative Movement, Groovy Moves, Latin Dance, Ballet + Lyrical, Musical Theater, Parent + Child, and Wheelchair Dance. Classes are available for kids, teens, and adults of all abilities. With locations in Franklin and Nashville, the studio offers a new student intro dance program, which is $29.99 for 2 weeks of classes. Beyond the intro program, Move Inclusive offers weekly classes, events, and more, furthering the studio mission of promoting empowering life skills through dance.
SaddleUp! is a year-round, Williamson County program that serves children and young adults with disabilities through educational, and recreational, and therapeutic equine activities. The program is open to individuals with disabilities between the ages of 2 and 26. Beloved programs at SaddleUp’s! 34-acre farm in Franklin include Adaptive Riding, Therapy Services, Adaptive Horsemanship, Equestrian Club, Interactive Vaulting, Summer Fun on the Farm, From the Ground Up (EAL Partnership), and an Alumni Transitions program for those who have graduated the program (ages 19-26). You can fill out the program interest form here and meet the horses here! For even more information about local equestrian opportunities, check out Horseback Riding In Williamson County.
Williamson County Public Library Assistive Devices
For those looking to utilize Williamson County Public Library resources, there are assistive devices available. Tech support resources at the library include ADA computers with adjustable workstations. Accessible programs on library computers include JAWS screen reader, Office Suite 2016, and an Optelec Clear View Document Magnification Device. A touchpad and a switch adapted joystick, an oversize Infogrip ball mouse, S standard 3 button wheel mouse, and headphones are available upon request. Additionally, the library supplies a braille keyboard or BigKeys LX and KEYS-U keyboards. Other tech resources include flat panel monitors with flexible swing arms (19 inch) and a flatbed scanner.
Williamson County Public Library also provides resources for those with Alzheimer’s and Dementia and their loved ones including reading groups, caregiver support groups, and Memory Kits, which are available at the Franklin, Bethesda, Nolensville, and Fairview library branches. Memory Kits include videos with calming music, photo and activity cards, and more activity guides based on specific themes, such as pets, the great outdoors, seasons, and more. These kits aid in reminiscence therapy for those with Alzheimer’s and Dementia.
Sensory-Friendly Live Performances
The Williamson County Performing Arts Center (PAC) offers Sensory-Friendly live performances for those with sensory sensitives. These performances are regulated with lower sound levels, reduction of sudden, jarring sounds, low-level house lights, reduced intensity of stage light, subtitles, and identification of sensory-heavy moments in the script. The environment is designed to be as comfortable as possible. At any time during the performance, audience members are free to talk or leave their seats. There is space in the front of the theater that allows patrons to stand, move, or lay down, with seats close by for family members.
Comforting objects, such as fidget toys, stuffed animals, weighted blankets, or noise-cancelling headphones are allowed and encouraged. The center has noise-cancelling headphones available to borrow. Likewise, though there is a concession stand, guests are welcome to bring their own snacks that may better serve any dietary restrictions. The lobby and patio are also opened and designed to make it easy to take a break during performances, with a TV so you can still see part of the show. PAC also supplies a printable social story, which contains helpful photos and language about what to expect at the theater. Sensory-friendly performances are extremely welcoming and perfect for young children or those who have trouble adapting to a typical theater environment.
Parks and Recreation + Accessible Playgrounds
The Therapeutics Division of Williamson County Parks and Recreation is managed by Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialists (CTRS) who work with people with disabilities to improve social, physical, and cognitive independence and function, especially as these skills relate to leisure and recreation. Currently, the Therapeutic programs are hosted at 2 Williamson County recreation complexes: Franklin Recreation Complex and Williamson County Recreation Complex, which is located in Nolensville. Programs include social clubs, open swim, game nights, fitness, cooking workshops, holiday-themed gatherings, and more.
Davis Wright Playground is located at Franklin First United Methodist’s campus on Mack Hatcher Parkway and is open to the public during daytime hours. The playground has inclusive equipment, including a tower where the 1st level is wheelchair accessible and a swing that accommodates wheelchairs. The playground also includes sensory features via a shaded, enclosed space with moveable tiles and spinning cylinders.
Ellie G’s Dream World will be Franklin’s first fully inclusive playground, built in memory of Elliot Grace Castro, a young local who passed away in 2019 from a rare form of dwarfism called Rhizomelic Chondrodysplasia Punctata, or RCDP. The playground will be part of Franklin’s Pearlene M. Bransford Complex, “The Pearl,” which broke ground on March 26, 2025. Ellie G’s Dream World will be a safari-themed play area for kids of all abilities. Features of the playground include inclusive swings, a double zip line with accessible seats, a music area, ADA accessible restrooms, and picnic areas. Learn how to support the project here.
Hiking: ADA Accessible Trails Near Williamson County
Part of a growing movement to make hiking in the Volunteer State more accessible many Tennessee State Parks, including Nashville’s Radnor Lake State Park, have implemented tools such as automated, all-terrain wheelchairs, available at the Visitor Center. The wheelchairs are able to be used on Otter Creek Road, Spillway Trail, the Dam Walkway, and Lake Trail. Other assistance, such as sign language assistance for park programs, can be inquired about via Radnor Lake’s website. Keep in mind that wheelchair reservations should be made 48 hours in advance to ensure the chairs are ready for visitors. The chairs can be operated independently; if needed, they can also be modified to allow a caretaker control behind the chair.
Another exciting accessibility tool is colorblind viewfinders, which allow those with colorblindness the ability to see vibrant seasonal colors. Radnor Lake State Park has a colorblind viewfinder, located on the Lake Trail. Other Middle Tennessee State Parks that have begun to implement accessibility tools include Henry Horton, Long Hunter, Cedars of Lebanon, and Bledsoe Creek State Parks. For more outdoor recreation opportunities, there are also accessible kayak and canoe launches in several parks across the state.
While large nature parks in Williamson County, such as Owl’s Hill Nature Sanctuary in Brentwood and Bowie Nature Park in Fairview do not yet have fully ADA-accessible trail systems, there are paved areas within local parks that are wheelchair accessible.
The Arc Williamson County
The Arc Williamson County is the local branch of The Arc, a nationwide organization that serves people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families, aiding in community participation through education, advocacy, research, and quality of life services. The organization has been around since 1957, and has been actively serving and advocating for those with disabilities and their families since then. Programs include advocacy assistance, family support, independent support coordination, and counseling services.
The Arc also provides community members with a helpful, thorough resource guide for guidance on adult day services, ADA information, medical insurance, education, employment, respite, social opportunities, and more.
Accessible Church Services
Franklin First United Methodist offers accessibility aides during Sunday worship services as well as assistance during Sunday School. A sensory room is also available during services for those with special needs. As stated before, the Franklin campus is also home to one of the first ADA accessible playgrounds in Middle Tennessee.
Southall Church in Franklin supports individuals and families through their special needs ministry, which staffs members experienced in working with individuals with special needs. A dedicated sensory room is open during services. The church also sponsors respite events and parental support resources.
Cavalry Chapel Northside in Nashville offers ASL interpretation at their 11 a.m. Sunday services. Led by ASL interpreter Nanette Vega, Cavalry Chapel is deeply committed to the Deaf Community within the church body.
Brentwood Baptist has a special needs ministry that provides programing for both kids and adults during Sunday worship services, Wednesday night bible studies and life groups, and respite events that are open to the community. Their ministry also provides therapeutic groups for parents. Deaf Church at Brentwood Baptist offers deaf-led worship services and fellowship as well as deaf-led, ASL bible studies for men, women, and children.
The Church at Station Hill, located in Spring Hill, has an embrace special needs ministry whose goal is to great a safe environment, providing ongoing support for individuals with special needs—including both children and adults—and their families.
First Presbyterian Church of Nashville is a close by church that is deeply committed to inclusivity. Mobility aides include elevators, wheelchairs, and parking. Worship aides includes provided hearing devices, large print hymnals, and a worship area with audio-video transfer that is sensory-friendly and wheelchair accessible.
More Resources
Ability Cuts by Elizabeth Cervantes, available at Sola Salons of Cool Springs (by appointment or walk-in) specializes in haircuts for children or adults who have sensory needs, struggle with haircuts, or are looking for a more calming salon/ barbershop environment.
Sit Still Salon in Franklin is a great option for a stress-free hair appointment for kids in Franklin. Sit Still welcomes children of all abilities. Families with special requests or inquiries are welcome to contact the salon ahead of appointments to ensure the most comfortable accommodations possible.
A Step Ahead Kids is an orthotics and custom prosthetics provider specializing in pediatric care located in Thompson’s Station. Their special service, Kids Kreations, gives patients the chance to equip prosthetics with customizable, creative patterns.
BNA Sunflower Program
Nashville International Airport (BNA) is part of a global initiative known as the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Program. This program is voluntary, and allows those with disabilities that may not be apparent—whether cognitive, neurological, neurodevelopmental, visual, auditory, or physical—to discreetly signify to airport employees that they may need extra assistance. Those who are traveling with hidden disabilities are welcome to a complimentary sunflower lanyard, available at the Information Center, which is located on the Ground Transportation Level (1) and open every day from 6:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Upon receiving the lanyard, travelers will not be asked to disclose their disability. For more information about BNA and general travel tips, especially regrading international travel, check out out Tips For Traveling Internationally From Williamson County.
Accessibility in Middle Tennessee
Intentionality matters, especially when it comes to accommodating those with special needs. Keeping up to date with local progress and petitioning for more positive change when it comes to accessibility is a way to love our neighbors—of all abilities—well. For those with accessibility needs that may relate to food sensitivities or restrictions, check out Food Allergen Friendly Restaurants And Bakeries In And Around Franklin, Tennessee. Franklin and Williamson County entities are dedicated to quality of life at every stage, with opportunities for kids, seniors, and everyone in between. No matter what, the hope remains that our corner of Middle Tennessee is a safe, comfortable, and joyful place to call home for all.
