By MATP Staff Member Laura Hall

Kids have already been preparing for weeks.  Advertising for caramel apple and pumpkin spice everything indicate that Halloween is coming.  Choosing a costume can be a little more difficult if working around a mobility device but, increasingly, kids (and likely some inventive parents) are incorporating assistive technology right into the costume!

Cardboard and paint can work wonders to turn a wheelchair into amazingly creative trucks, cars, pirate ships, even the Batmobile!  Walkers can also be decorated and covered as part of the costume.  In one example, a young boy in a reverse walker added a jet back and rockets to the back of his walker, becoming one cool astronaut.  For more examples of costumes that incorporate assistive technology check out the article and pictures on fireflyfriends.

Halloween trach pads  are also available on Etsy.  Why not program a communication device to speak the obligatory “trick or treat!?  There are lots of ways to incorporate assistive technology into the Halloween fun while also “Letting Your AT Pride Shine“!

At the same time, children who use mobility equipment may have more difficulty approaching a homeowner’s door.  While it would be great if every neighbor would come down the stairs to be fully inclusive, I can speak from experience that this doesn’t always happen.  When I was a kid, my sister would often have to choose the candy for me (and older sisters can be mean and pick your least favorite).  As an alternative, many communities churches and organizations, hold “trunk or treats” in parking lots where goodies are kept in the trunk of a vehicles, making it much more accessible for people with disabilities.  One example happening in Lansing is the Creepy Crawly Chiller Meet and Greet Halloween Thriller event being sponsored by our partners, the Capital Area Center for Independent Living.

No matter what you decide to do, we hope you have a safe and wonderful Halloween!  Got costume ideas?  Share them with us!