BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Families across the region are getting in the Halloween spirit by starting their trick-or-treating a few days before the holiday. For the first time ever, a sensory-friendly “trunk or treat” was curated in Northwest Arkansas. But many people aren’t aware of the term sensory-friendly.
"So sensory-friendly, we all have different sensory needs and so, for example, it being dark outside and there being a lot of flashing lights can trigger something based off a sensory input and so it can cause an overwhelming feeling for example," said Organizer for trunk or treat Brittany Cooke.
The organizer said the group received a lot of community input, requesting this event and says it's important to have an alternative for families who still want to celebrate the holiday.
“We had some stickers made for kids who do decide to go trick or treating and they say ‘please be patient, I have autism’ and just for people in the community to be aware like there may be a child that is having a hard time speaking to you, walking up to you and just to have patience with the different kiddos you’ll encounter," Cooke explained.
Rachel Cox is a mother of 3 kids. The oldest daughter has down syndrome and her middle child is neuro-diverse. She says trick or treating looks different for her family.
“So a lot of strobe lights, really loud music, those are some of the houses we would typically avoid because it’s too over stimulating. Not just for people who are neuro-diverse but also people like my daughter who happens to have down syndrome,” Cox explained.
For those who drastically decorate the exterior of their house for Halloween, Cox says to be mindful of how extreme it is and how detrimental it can be for people with sensory challenges.
“So, you always want to curate a space that is a little bit toned down than normal. A space that is not too long of a range for people to move. You know, some folks get tired easily or just overwhelmed. Create little pockets of space that somebody can just touch or feel, or relax. We call these decompression areas or sensory-friendly zones,” said Cox.
Cox says she is grateful for this year’s inclusive event which allows her kids to enjoy Halloween.
“I envision a future where my daughter can really participate in community events and more,” Cox said.
The mother also said that if you see kids who aren’t wearing costumes it might be because it’s too overwhelming to have one on or too stimulating to their senses. Overall, it’s important to find ways to help and include kids in the holiday rather than avoiding it.
Download the 5NEWS app on your smartphone:
Stream 5NEWS 24/7 on the 5+ app: How to watch the 5+ app on your streaming device
To report a typo or grammatical error, please email KFSMDigitalTeam@tegna.com.