Special Needs Kids and Halloween: Tips for Bring the Fun to You!

momfamily fun & traditions

Living in a snowy area like Denver creates some interesting challenges for our family. My youngest is a full time wheelchair user and while Denver is a very accessible city by most standards, our neighborhood isn't. Everyone has steps up to their house (including us) which makes trick or treating a little bit difficult.

Our first Halloween in Denver, really made me think about how we were going to continue to make Halloween as fun as it was in our last (very flat) neighborhood. Lot's of places around us do the mall trick or treating and so on but those are pretty heavily attended by the little ones. I have tween and teen boys. We put our heads together and decided that if Carter couldn't go trick or treating, we would bring the action to him.

And the great haunted house building was born.

I want to be real clear that our neighbors know that we are the 'scary house' on the street. They love it but know it can be a bit traumatic for a toddler, so we find that the parents actually like to come up to the door on their behalf. We asked why they just don't skip us and they said, "No way! Your house is the best."

Just a word of warning: If you are going to copy some of our ideas, warn your neighbors first.

I have just started getting the decorations going this year. Here are some pictures to give you some ideas to create your own haunted house and bring the fun to your kids if, like us, going out just isn't an option.

Feeling brave enough to reach in for the mail?

Feeling brave enough to reach in for the mail?

Wonder whats under the rock...

Wonder whats under the rock...

On Halloween night, Carter wears a pirate skeleton costume and Connor goes as a very scary clown. Connor hides behind the porch and very slowly walks up on trick or treaters as they knock on our door. Carter parks himself in a dark corner by the fog machine. We have a halloween spooky sounds cd playing on outdoor speakers and he has a microphone hooked up to scream "boo" at trick or treaters as they pass by. We use glow in the dark liquid to cover all the items.

Watch out for the scary clown sneaking up on you

Watch out for the scary clown sneaking up on you

Legs (using pvc pipe and old clothes/shoes) are stuck under the garage door and covered in ketchup. This looks great if there has been a recent snow.

Have to pass under him to get to the door

Have to pass under him to get to the door

If you want to know how to create any of the effects I talked about, leave me a comment here!

Barb is a busy (and often exhausted!) work at home mom with three boys, 12, 14 & 38. Yes, she counts her husband as kid! She has a Master’s degree in Elementary Education but left teaching to homeschool her youngest when his frequent surgeries began to make traditional school too difficult.
Come connect with Barb as she tries to balance a chaotic household, life with wheels and her occasional need for a bubble bath. You can find her randomly musing on her own blog, Elementary Spirits, or tweeting away @chaotic_barb.
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