Halloween For Neurodiverse Kids
Loud noises, flashing lights, scary people in masks. Halloween isn’t always fun for every kid.
For neurodiverse kids, Halloween can be a difficult holiday to handle. It puts many kids into sensory overload with all of the decorations, candy, and costumes. This can make Halloween a stressful holiday for kids and parents.
How to make sure every kid has a happy Halloween:
Costumes. Ask your child’s input on costumes and try to avoid anything itchy, scratchy, with masks, or flashing lights. You’d be surprised how many costumes can be made with using regular clothes.
Sensory concerns. Come up with a game plan for how to handle houses with lots of decorations. Talk to your child about them and prepare them for these houses. If they aren’t comfortable with it, avoid stopping by those houses.
Scary decorations. Celebrating Halloween during daytime can help avoid some of the scarier decorations or people jumping out.
Routine. A late night for Halloween can lead to difficult evening routines and challenging mornings the next day. Maintaining a regular bedtime or dinnertime can help ease some concerns neurodiverse kids may have about Halloween.
Halloween isn’t mandatory. Remember, Halloween is supposed to be fun, and the way it is celebrated can look different to each kid. If it isn’t fun or enjoyable, spend Halloween doing something else that your child enjoys.
