Halloween and Sensory Processing Disorder: How to Ensure a Fun Experience!
Halloween, Trick-Or-Treating, and all that it involves can be an overwhelming night for a child with sensory processing disorder. All of the new sights, sounds, costumes, and crowds can easily overwhelm a sensitive sensory system. Doing a little advanced planning can help your child feel supported and organized on the big night and ensure a fun experience for all! Check out the following tips to prep your child for a fun Halloween night:
Read books about Halloween and Trick-Or-Treating: In the weeks or days leading up to the big night, read books about Trick-Or-Treating. Discuss what that means and how “trick-or-treating” works. Discuss who will be with you (will you go with other friends or family members?). Talk about each step of the process and provide details.
Check out the Halloween decorations ahead of time: If your town is anything like mine, the Halloween decorations have been trickling out since the beginning of October. Take your child for a walk or drive around the neighborhood to check out all of the new sights ahead of time. Play eye spy or see who can count the most ghost decorations to make the experience fun and enjoyable.
Have your child try on his/her costume ahead of time: This is particularly important for children who have tactile/touch sensitivities to clothing. Have your child try on their costume ahead of time so that you can troubleshoot any sensory sensitivities: are there any scratchy tags that can be removed? Perhaps he/she can do without the mask or hat/headpiece? Come up with a plan ahead of time, and make sure that your child is OK with that plan so there will be no surprises on the night of Halloween.
Practice ahead of time: Have your child practice the entire trick-or-treating routine. Have him/her get into costume, hold his/her treat bag, ring the doorbell, say “trick or treat”, and receive a “treat” in his/her bag. This will be a fun play experience for all while also prepping your child with the steps of trick-or-treating in a non-threatening, safe environment. For those with auditory sensitivities, try practicing handing out the treats and listening to the doorbell from inside as well. If a child is particularly sensitive to the sound of the doorbell, perhaps hand out treats from the front porch instead.
On the night of:
Providing your child with “heavy work” opportunities before going trick-or-treating can help his/her sensory system feel organized for the big night. Set up a sensory-motor obstacle course to do before going trick-or-treating. Pushing a heavy wagon filled with treat bags or even a younger sibling is another way to add in heavy work opportunities throughout the night. See our blog post on heavy work activities for more ideas.
Take breaks: plan a trick-or-treating course that circles back by the house to take breaks as needed
Observe your child: observe your child throughout the night for signs that he/she may benefit from an additional break. Try to incorporate breaks before he/she reaches the point of dysregulation; your child’s Occupational Therapist may be able to help you identify what signs to look out for that are specific to your child.
Tiny Transformations offers Occupational Therapy Evaluation and Treatment that can identify and support your child’s sensory needs to promote his/her participation in learning, play, and holiday fun. Reach out for an evaluation today!