Tips and Tricks for Halloween
Halloween can be a fun time for kids! Between dressing up in costumes, carving pumpkins, and collecting candy, there is so much excitement around this holiday. But, for children that have sensory deficits, Halloween can cause more stress than fun. We want to provide some helpful tips and tricks to help reduce stress and increase the fun!
Below we have provided some great options to prepare for the holiday:
- Prepare kids for what to expect. Create a social story to help the child understand the process and decrease stress of the unknown. Here is a link below with a great outline:
- Teal pumpkin: You may see more than just orange pumpkins this year. If you spot a teal pumpkin among the sea of orange, that’s to indicate food allergy awareness. So, if you spot a teal pumpkin on a home’s doorstep or window while out and about this Halloween, it symbolizes that a house will offer treats that are suitable for any trick-or-treaters who may have food allergies/intolerances or other conditions. They will offer non-edible treats such as a glow stick or small toy in place of treats that are safe for anyone to enjoy! If you are interested in being such a house, place a teal pumpkin in front of your home so trick-or-treaters passing by know your house is safe for them to visit. Feel free to also add your house to the Teal Pumpkin Project map to spread increased awareness of the meaning and increased ease for those trick or treaters to find your house!
- At both of our clinics we have laminated cards to provide for any and all children that are non-verbal to present at each house!
- Make sure your child is visible in the dark. Ways to be seen include flashlights, glow sticks, reflective tape, etc. (target has reflective snap bracelets in their dollar section)
- Make sure the costume (hat, mask) isn’t obstructing your child’s vision, it is important for each child to understand safety is the first rule to trick or treating.
- Become familiar with the Halloween route ahead of time by going on a test run.
- Practice at your home, family member homes, and neighbors.
- Make sure costumes are comfortable. Some children are extra sensitive to sensory stimulation so take your child with you to find a costume they are comfortable in.
- Check store bought costumes for materials such as latex or synthetic dyes that may cause irritation or allergic reactions.
- Target provides an adaptive costume line!
- Eat dinner prior to going out to trick or treat to prevent candy overload.
- Check candy ingredients. Company websites have a full list of ingredients as well as nutrition and allergenic information.
- If your child has food allergies, teach kids to say no thank you to homemade treats.