Voices From The Community | Spinal Cord Injury & Paralysis

Tips for Neighbors to Make Halloween More Accessible

Written by Stephanie Woodward | Oct 23, 2023 9:16:50 PM

Spooky season is among us, and I could not be more thrilled. Since I was very little I have always impatiently waited for Halloween. I love costumes, haunted houses, candy, and everything fall flavored. However, growing up I found many of the activities that I wanted to take part in were inaccessible to me – including trick-or-treating.

I firmly believe that everyone should be able to enjoy the thrill of getting candy from strangers and we should not have to resort to Trunk-or-Treats or other special events in order to have an accessible version of the childhood rite of passage that is trick-or-treating. Don’t get me wrong, I love special events that add to the magic of Halloween and I fully support these events if they are used to enhance Halloween, but they should not replace the fun and excitement of dressing up on October 31st and going around from house to house to collect candy from neighbors.

It's not hard to make this magic possible for ghouls and goblins with disabilities. Here are a few easy things that I do to ensure that everyone who comes to my house can enjoy this fantastic holiday.