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Everyone deserves to celebrate Halloween — and a few thoughtful touches for goodies, parties and trick-or-treating can go a long way in making the spooky holiday fun for all!
Haleigh Nierman, OT, a senior occupational therapist at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab who specializes in pediatric rehabilitation, offers five easy tips for how to make Halloween accessible, inclusive and welcoming for kids:
- For trick-or-treating, consider placing treats at the bottom of your front stairs or on a tabletop at the end of your driveway so kids using adaptive devices like wheelchairs or walkers can take part.
- Place candy spread out on a table instead of in a deep bowl so kids with different reaching abilities can still access the treats.
Consider having non-food treats available, such as stickers or fidgets, so all trick-or-treaters can join in on the Halloween fun. Remember, not everyone can eat by mouth, and some kids have food allergies.
- Make your Halloween decorations welcoming for all — and consider skipping the strobe lights altogether — as some kids are sensitive to sound or lights.
- If you’re having a Halloween party, make sure to have labeled treats, clear pathways and accessible seating areas (for example, seating areas with space to accommodate wheelchairs or other adaptive devices). Little things make a big difference!
These Halloween tips are also available on Instagram to share with family and friends.
Happy Halloween from Shirley Ryan AbilityLab!
