Halloween Tips and Cool Costumes for Sensory-Sensitive Kids

Each October since my kids were little, I have struggled with the desire to give my son the “typical” childhood experience of dressing up and asking for candy and the anxiety of asking myself questions like: Will he have a meltdown after visiting the first house? Walk into a stranger’s house for candy and not leave? Make a run for it down the block? Get along with his siblings?

Here are five Halloween hacks that have worked for me over the years and have made this holiday a treat for our family:

1. Find a sensory-friendly costume: No masks, no hats, nothing itchy or constricting, something that fits nicely over clothes — a cape or some butterfly wings can go a long way. (See my favorites below.)

2. Make realistic expectations: Plan to hit three to five houses instead of 20, or five apartments on your floor. Keep back-up candy at home if you feel badly that he didn’t get enough, but feel proud that he could ring a bell five times and walk away with one piece from each door.

3. Practice, practice, practice: Several times before the big day, trick-or-treat room to room in your house, at a friend’s or relatives or at your own door.

4. Bring reinforcements: A spouse, a babysitter, your best friend, your sibling, a para from school — don’t try to do it alone. Another adult can help keep the mood lighter if things don’t go as you planned and help divide and conquer if you are out with more than one child.

5. Listen to your child: Halloween and trick-or-treating are not for every child. If you know the experience will be sensory overload or extremely anxiety-provoking for your child, put aside your own desires for the “typical” experience, pop open a bag of candy corn and stay home. Always try your best to set up your child for success. If you know it might not be fun for your child, resist the urge to do it. Next year they may be ready.

Now, for the costume ideas. They can be their own superhero! Each cape comes personalized with your child’s name in their favorite color — it doesn’t get better than that.

The Land of Nod’s Butterfly Princess Dress Up costume features a pair of glittering wings and sparkling skirt. It’s the perfect combo for fluttering through their neighborhood.

Your little one can save the day in this cool Tiger Cape. It’s made from natural cotton and eco-friendly ink. They might want to wear it every day. 

Wild Wings Dress Up set features a pair of beautiful bird wings, so your child can spend their afternoon zipping to every house and scoring all the treats they can.

This Bat Costume set features a pair of bat wings, so your child can spend their afternoons zipping through the night and eating all the insects and candy they can. Well, maybe not the insects part.

The soft mesh layers and cotton voile lining make these ombré Tutus perfect for a ballerina costume. The stretchy, elastic waist makes them incredibly comfortable for sensory-sensitive kids.

Grab these handcrafted Butterfly Wings and let your little adventurer soar into the land of wild imaginations, where creativity and learning have no boundaries. Each wing set is handmade with super soft felt fabric!

In a Firebird costume your child will be ready to soar. A bright bird costume in fall vibrant colors is perfect for Halloween and imaginative play.

For your sweet angel, fly away in these Lovelane Wings and create endless stories and memories. 

Costumes are great for pretend play and for speech and language development. Follow WOLF + FRIENDS on Pinterest to see more of my favorites. 

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