Halloween: Dress It Up Your Way

The idea of Halloween elicits an internal film reel of fun costumes, family outings, and adorable squeals of “Trick or Treat!” as you gallivant around a crowded, festive neighborhood. The thing about those thoughts, though, is that they often don’t match reality. Halloween may actually come with costume refusal, candy aversions, and a whole lot of overwhelm. Instead of letting the possibilities haunt you, treat yourself to a Halloween with less stress by creating a plan that works best for your family. No matter what your holiday looks like, it still counts, so dress it up however you want! 

Halloween Costume: Optional

A Halloween costume can become the main event for some children, but there’s no law that dictates what a costume must be like, or even that one is required at all. Costumes can be a sensory nightmare for some children, with itchy fabric, restrictive movement, and tight elastic. Accessories like masks and make-up can create even more discomfort, turning an exciting tradition into something they dread. Luckily, there are plenty of options when it comes to creating the perfect costume for the evening. 

• Comfortable, familiar clothing under the costume (if tolerated)

• Pajamas! Many pajamas are cozy, comfy, and come in fun designs like dragons, dinosaurs, or animals. 

• Ditch the fabric costume and simply carry an accessory. Never seen a witch wearing jeans and a hoodie while carrying their broom around? You have now!

• Skip the costume completely! 

The rules of Halloween costumes are simple: wear what you want, how you want, and when you want. That same rule can apply to your child, despite societal traditions. A costume can be elaborate, simple, worn for 2 days straight, 5 minutes, or not at all. The only priorities are comfort and safety.

Trick-Or-Treat On Your Terms

The success of your Halloween does not depend on how much candy fills your child’s bag. While in the past, going door to door was the go-to method of trick-or-treating, there are now plenty of alternative options available. There are trunk-or-treats and other community or school events that can provide a little more structure and predictability, depending on the setting and your child’s preferences. If you choose to take your child the more traditional route, there are ways to make sure it’s not as overwhelming. Practice beforehand with your child, go earlier in the evening to avoid big crowds, or choose to only visit familiar homes. Bring a stroller or wagon if appropriate, and plan to stay with your child as they approach each door. Help them communicate if needed, and make sure they don’t feel pressured to verbally say trick-or-treat if they aren’t comfortable. (download free trick-or-treat communication cards here)

The goal is not to visit every house on the block or bring home the biggest bucket of candy, it’s simply to create an enjoyable experience. 

Treat Yourselves Your Way

Candy doesn’t have to be the sole point of the holiday. If your child has allergies, dietary restrictions, or sensory preferences that will make Halloween candy collecting less appealing, it’s completely fine to divert the attention from the trick-or-treating of it all and create your own tradition. Stay home and make cookies to decorate, load up on their favorite snacks, or make a trip to the store for them to pick out a special treat. If they still enjoy trick-or-treating even without an interest in candy, they can have fun sorting it, trading it, or gifting it to someone else. 

Beware of The Invisible Sensory Load

Sometimes the Halloween preparation goes off without a hitch. The costumes are on, the words have been practiced, and the bag is ready to be filled - and then the night begins. There are many unpredictable factors that relate to Halloween that can quickly overwhelm a child, even during an otherwise well-planned outing. The night comes with unfamiliar people, scary costumes, loud noises, doorbells, crowds, and darkness. Yards may be decorated with the sole intention of startling others, with spooky noises and decor, fog machines, and jumpscares. This can be discussed in advance, but without knowing where every motion-activated monster is placed and every unexpected screech is coming from, there’s only so much preparation that can take place. Bring supports such as noise-canceling headphones or a favorite comfort item, but also know that it’s okay when enough is enough. 

Grant Yourself Permission To Leave

Leaving a situation that causes discomfort is never a failure, even on a holiday. No amount of planning or effort put into creating an experience means your child needs to push beyond their limits to participate. Leaving when you notice early signs of overwhelm can help prevent your child from becoming overly anxious and allow the evening to evolve into something more enjoyable. If there are other siblings to consider, make a plan beforehand by either preparing them for the possibility of a pivot or by ensuring another parent or responsible adult is available to continue with them while you take your child somewhere more calming and comfortable. 

Create A Halloween All Your Own

There is no right or wrong way to celebrate Halloween. If it’s not enjoyable, you are allowed to completely skip the whole thing. You can also create a fun family tradition that looks however you want it to. Stay home and hand out candy, turn off the lights and have a family movie night, decorate pumpkins, have a family-only costume contest, make plans to trick-or-treat at familiar homes at a special time, or drive around and look at decorations from the car. A tradition doesn’t have to be set in stone; it can look however you need it to look! When you let go of expectations to create your own way to celebrate, you can make lifelong memories specific to your own family. 

How ABA Therapy Can Make Experiences Less Scary

Halloween and other holidays can be challenging for many children with autism due to sensory challenges and unpredictability. At Bloom Behavioral Healthcare, individualized ABA therapy can help children build skills for navigating unfamiliar experiences, communicating their needs, recognizing when they are becoming overwhelmed, and requesting breaks or support. These skills can make holidays and other unpredictable experiences easier to navigate while supporting growing confidence and independence in everyday life.

If you’re interested in learning more about ABA therapy with Bloom Behavioral Healthcare, contact us here.