As a mother to an autistic toddler, I have had to rethink the Halloween costume for the last two years. Even when my son was a newborn, and I felt he had sensory processing issues, I dressed him in clothing that I hoped was comfortable. His first costume was a knitted rocket (his brother was the NASA astronaut). It was snuggly and wrapped him tight like a swaddle, no complaints. Afterward, it was pretty much costume fails until we started to get it right. In the past, my husband and I have created elaborate costumes for our oldest. And like many parents with special needs, we learned that when it comes to celebrating the holidays, it is about being creative in a new way on how we enjoy these occasions. We gain an understanding of how to help our children to be comfortable and still able to enjoy the day.
For sensory sensitive Halloween costumes, it is best to avoid face masks and makeup. Costumes should be paired with a simple clothing piece like jeans, leggings, or a tee. The same rules that apply to your kid’s everyday wardrobe work for Halloween. No labels, soft materials, and easy on and off. These costumes are also great if you want to dress up your child for school and are looking for a costume that their teacher can easily take off during the day.
Fun Haunted Walk and Fair coming up check out, What to Expect at Prospect Park’s Halloween Haunted Walk and Fair!
