A Meaningful and Accessible Halloween for Children with Blindness or Low Vision

Halloween is a favorite day of the year for many children—candy, costumes, and fall activities, how could it not be?! You can easily include your child who is blind or has low vision in all Halloween activities and the events leading up to it. Here are a few ideas.

Trick-or-Treating

If you participate in trick or treating in your neighborhood or attend a local community Trunk or Treat, your child may want to dress up. Remember your child’s preferences when picking out a costume and how some costumes present sensory issues. There are many creative ways to incorporate a cane or wheelchair into your child’s costume. If your child has low vision, you may want to avoid masks or costumes that limit vision. Try carrying an extra flashlight or lantern for children with vision that are reduced in low lighting.

Apple Picking

An orchard provides children with a natural environment to learn more about how food makes its way to the table. Children can pick apples and assess their readiness for picking. While some might rely on color to judge ripeness, you can also tell an apple is ripe if it comes off the tree easily.

Collecting Leaves

Your family may enjoy gathering leaves and comparing them as the leaves change and fall to the ground. Your child can assist in raking and jumping in the piles of crunchy, crisp leaves. Next, take a few leaves indoors and create a Halloween sensory craft such as a wreath.

Pumpkin Patch

Pumpkin patches are the perfect opportunity to catch those adorable photos of children. They also allow children to explore the different sizes and types of pumpkins. After exploring, children can pick the perfect pumpkin and practice making a purchase.

Carving Pumpkins

Depending on your child’s age, you can determine their level of involvement. Assisting in scooping out the pumpkin’s guts provides a new sensory experience for most children. Your child could assist by providing an idea or a drawing of what they would like to have carved on the pumpkin. After carving your pumpkin, you may want to let your child play with the pumpkin guts and make a sensory activity with them. You could roast the seeds with your child or use the pumpkin for a baking project. If you choose not to carve your pumpkin, your child could decorate it with puffy paint, tacky glue, and googly eyes or wrap it like a mummy.

Getting Lost in a Corn Maze

Corn mazes can be a fun way to get outside with the entire family. The terrain can be uneven, so it would be advisable to slow down and use constant contact if using a cane. Students can trail along the cornstalks locating the twists and turns. The corn maze would be a great opportunity to reinforce orientation and mobility skills.