Tips for Having a Happy Halloween

Date Published: September 29, 2022
Author: Sarah Jang, RBT

With Halloween just around the corner, we thought it would be helpful to provide a few tips and tricks to make the Halloween evening more fun for all kids, whether they are collecting or giving out candy!

For trick-or-treaters:

Practice wearing costumes at home to help your child get accustomed to how it feels. Consider your child’s sensory needs when picking out their costume, and try to avoid costumes that are made with textures that your child finds aversive to, or seek out fabrics that your child absolutely loves.

Prime, prime, prime! Below are some ways you can prime for Halloween night:

• Use a social story! This can include anything from the general process of trick-or-treating to covering safety expectations. Please contact your BCBA to collaborate on writing a social story for your child if this is something you are interested in.
• Practice walking around the neighborhood where they will be trick-or-treating, so your child knows what the path looks like and which houses they will be approaching.
• Roleplay trick-or-treating at home by having your child practice knocking on the door, saying “trick or treat,” and receiving a small snack. You can even practice with friends or neighbors.
• Create a visual schedule for your child and go over it prior to Halloween night so they know what to expect.
• Have visuals to help your child communicate when trick or treating.
• Take headphones, a sensory toy, or preferred trinkets for the trip to help your child regulate when needed.
• Keep the trip short and sweet, and nearby home. Going trick-or-treating can be overwhelming with all the flashy decorations and loud noises, so limiting the trip to 2-4 houses and having home as an available option can be helpful when your child feels overwhelmed, tired, or is simply all done with trick-or-treating.
• If trick-or-treating is not an option for your child, look for local community events for Halloween that are autism-friendly!

For candy givers:
Practice greeting people at your door and giving out candy by role-playing what that will look like with your child. If you think that the amount of noise and interactions may be too much for your child, leaving out a basket of candy at the door can be helpful.

Your BCBA is always available if you have any questions on these tips, or if you want more guidance on how to prepare. We hope you have a fun Halloween and an amazing month of October!

Additional Resources from PACE:

Bat Vocabulary with SLP Kelsey
“It’s Pumpkin Day, Mouse!” with SLP Kelsey
“Five Little Pumpkins” with SLP Kelsey
Monster Book Storytime

About the Author:

Sarah Jang is a Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) on the Faces Behavioral Services team. Faces Behavioral Services is a department of the Pacific Autism Center for Education that supports children with autism in reaching their full potential utilizing Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA).