1. Practice Before Halloween Night

Start about a week before Halloween.

Grab a candy bucket and practice the trick-or-treating routine at home.

• Have your child walk or roll up to a bedroom door or your front door.

• Practice knocking, ringing the doorbell, or waiting for someone to answer.

• Have a family member open the door and offer a treat.

• Practice accepting the treat and moving on to the next pretend house.

• If your child will trick-or-treat with a sibling, include that sibling in the practice.

You can repeat this routine a few times throughout the week. Let your child practice with the same bucket, communication support, or costume they plan to use on Halloween.

The BKS Way: We practice so the routine becomes familiar—not because our child has to perform it perfectly.

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2. There Is More Than One Way to Say “Trick or Treat!”

Your child does not have to speak to participate.

Consider the communication option that works best for your child:

• Spoken words: “Trick or treat,” “candy,” “treat,” or even “hi” may be enough.

• Picture exchange: Your child can hand someone a card that says “Trick or Treat!”

• Speech-generating device (SGD): Program a Halloween message on your child's device and practice finding and activating it.

• Phone text-to-speech: Type a message into a text-to-speech app and have your child tap to play it.

• Prerecorded message: Have a sibling, cousin, or friend record “Trick or treat!” on a phone. Your child can play the recording at the door.

• Candy bucket sticker: If your child cannot exchange a picture or activate a message independently, attach a readable communication sticker to the outside of the bucket. When your child raises the bucket, the person handing out candy can read the message.

• Gestures: Raising a bucket, waving, pointing, or approaching the door can communicate participation, too.

A parent or sibling can assist with any of these options. And some families may prefer a simple “Trick or Treat!” card without explaining their child's communication needs.

The BKS Way: Communication is about sharing a message—

not requiring a particular word, device, gesture, or response.

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3. Make the Candy Bucket Work for Your Child

Sometimes a simple adjustment can make trick-or-treating much easier.

If your child struggles to carry a bucket, try using something you already own:

• Thread an adjustable belt through the bucket handle and buckle it to create a carrying strap.

• Use a removable purse strap with secure clips.

• Attach a lightweight bucket to a wheelchair or mobility device when appropriate.

• Have a parent carry a larger candy bag and empty the child's bucket between stops to keep it light.

Make sure straps fit comfortably and don't create a tripping or entanglement hazard. Keep buckets and decorations away from wheelchair wheels, controls, and safety equipment.

The BKS Way: Change the equipment to fit the child—not the child to fit the equipment.

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4. Plan Ahead for Candy Excitement

For some children, seeing a bucket overflowing with candy can make it difficult to focus on anything else.

Parents can help by managing how much candy is visible and available at one time.

Try these simple strategies:

• Leave just a few pieces of candy in your child's bucket.

• Quietly move extra candy into a separate bag you're carrying.

• If you're driving between houses, transfer the extra candy when you return to the car.

• At a trunk-or-treat event, periodically remove a few pieces as you move between stops.

• If your child is eager to eat candy, plan when to offer an appropriate piece rather than having the entire collection available at once.

Keep expectations predictable and avoid turning candy into a reward for speaking or completing a communication task.

A safety reminder: Consider food allergies, dietary restrictions, chewing and swallowing abilities, and choking hazards. Children should be seated and supervised when eating candy rather than chewing while walking or riding in a vehicle.

The BKS Way: Sometimes the easiest accommodation is simply changing what the adult does.

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5. Make Room for Sensory Differences

Halloween can include loud noises, flashing lights, crowded sidewalks, unfamiliar decorations, and uncomfortable clothing.

A few adjustments may help:

• Visit familiar homes before trying a crowded neighborhood.

• Go earlier in the evening when things may be quieter.

• Bring hearing protection or a favorite comfort item.

• Let your child explore costume pieces before Halloween.

• Choose soft, comfortable clothing if traditional costumes aren't tolerated.

• Plan breaks and have an easy way to leave.

Some children may enjoy one house. Others may enjoy an entire neighborhood. Some may prefer to stay home and help hand out candy.

All of those are meaningful ways to participate.

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6. Make Costumes Comfortable and Accessible

Costumes should work for your child.

For children who use wheelchairs or other mobility equipment, consider incorporating that equipment into the costume. A wheelchair could become a spaceship, race car, carriage, or another favorite creation!

Keep decorations lightweight and clear of wheels, controls, and safety restraints.

And remember, a child doesn't need an elaborate costume to participate in Halloween.

A little help from BKS: Our Comfy Costumes for Every Kid option allows families to bring a comfortable T-shirt and $5 to Building Kid Steps by Tuesday, October 20, 2026. Choose from our Halloween designs, and we'll apply the design to your shirt, with shirts ready later that week.

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7. Know When Your Child Is Ready to Be Done

A successful Halloween doesn't depend on how many houses your child visits.

Help your child communicate when they need a break or want to go home. That might mean saying, signing, gesturing, or selecting messages such as:

• “All done.”

• “Break.”

• “Home.”

• “Help.”

Watch for signs of fatigue, discomfort, or sensory overload. It's okay to finish early, change plans, or celebrate in a different way.

The BKS Way: Success is participation, comfort, and connection—not perfection.