A Sensory-Friendly Halloween

Is Halloween time a little extra spooky for your family?

While Halloween should be a fun time for all, some traditional Halloween & “spooky season” practices can exclude children who are neurodiverse, experience mobility differences, have anxiety or past traumas, and those with allergies or feeding differences.

When planning for the upcoming holiday, remember these tips to help include every child & their family in the fun!

Don’t make children say “Trick or Treat”

Some children may have anxiety or have experienced prior trauma related to having to say a certain phrase to get a “reward”, making having to say a certain line increasingly challenging for them. For children who are non-speaking or who have language limitations, this is a barrier to participating in the experience of Halloween at all.

If a child is at your door on October 31st, this is usually a sign that they want to participate and expect to get a treat like all the other children around them. If you say Trick or Treat to them, then they can choose to say it back if they can and want to!

Choose mindful decorations

Decorations make fall so fun, and it probably wouldn’t feel the same without seeing pumpkins placed around neighborhoods at this time of year – but some decorations can be too much for children. This is especially true if they’re being forced to walk through surprising, loud, or overstimulating items to get to you or your doorstep on Halloween night. While it can be a fun activity for those who wish to get a thrill, try to also offer a way to get to you or your treat bowl that doesn’t include unfamiliar and overwhelming items.

Place items accessibly

If you have stairs, a narrow walkway, or a steep ramp that may be inaccessible to some, increase your accessibility by opting to sit in your driveway or near the main source of traffic (sidewalks or pathways). This ensures that anyone who is out and about trying to participate in the night’s activities will be able to get to you and the goodies you are offering!

Give sensory breaks

If you know that your child benefits from sensory breaks (or even if they usually don’t require them but are starting to become overwhelmed by all the excitement of the night), have options for comforting and regulating items & spaces away from all of the stimuli that typically surrounds us on Halloween. This can look like having a different costume option ready, headphones, sunglasses, or even returning to your house or car throughout the night to take breaks and regulate and recharge before getting back to the fun.

Have non-candy options available

While candy tends to be the hallmark of Halloween, it unfortunately isn’t an option or a good idea for everyone to have access to. To make sure no one is feeling left out, offer alternatives for those with allergies or food sensitivities who may not be able to have candy items! Good alternatives can be small toy items, such as bubbles, fidgets, stickers, or even the traditional Halloween spider rings.

***Pro tip: If this is an option for you, try placing any non-candy options into a teal bucket beside your candy bucket as this is a known indicator for those who are looking for non-candy or allergy-safe options on Halloween night!