“I’m late, I’m late, for a very important date!” Remember the classic book and subsequent childhood movie Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland? White Rabbit had a pesky habit of running late. You might be feeling the same way as you scour the internet for that perfect Halloween costume this year. Or maybe your child hasn’t made up their mind yet and you’re running low on time (…and patience and ideas…). We’re here to share the best creative costume ideas for Halloween 2021 featuring some of your favourite go-to sensory solutions from fdmt! These DIY ideas are cute, budget-friendly, and offer some interesting sensory input. Be sure to rummage through your home closet or visit second-hand stores for some of things you’ll need for these costumes. Let’s have a look!
1. White Rabbit from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
“Oh dear, oh dear!” When Alice meets White Rabbit, she’s immediately curious and begins her adventure through Wonderland to find him once again. He’s perpetually running late, of course, so he’s best known for carrying along with him his trusted pocket watch.
What you could use for this look:
• light gray, blue or purple pants
• white or yellow button-down shirt or vest
• red blazer
• red bowtie or red handkerchief
• green umbrella
• Time Timer clock
• reading glasses (these can be found at a dollar store or pop the lenses out of a second-hand pair)
• bunny ears
2. The Princess and the Frog Prince
Brothers Grimms first published this fairy tale in the early 1800s. Since then, many plays and movies have been made featuring the traditional story – including Disney’s 2009 film The Princess and the Frog. Trick-or-treating sometimes feels overwhelming and can easily lead to sensory overload. Incorporating a weighted animal as part of the costume during the outing could offer some much-needed soothing sensory input.
What you could use for this look:
• dress, crown, wig to look like a princess
• manimo weighted frog
• cuteness bonus: you could even add a little crown on top of the frog’s head!
3. Snake Handler
Indiana Jones hated snakes and most of us would prefer avoiding them while hiking. We’ll leave that to the experts. But becoming a snake wrangler for just one night seems like an exhilarating (and safe) bet. No chances of being bitten!
What you could use for this look:
• adventure hat
• tan, khaki or brown clothing
• boots
• belt
• manimo weighted snake (any colour works!)
• trash picker, grabber or even a stick for safely handling the snake
4. Pop Fidget
These pop-it fidgets are all the rage these days! They’re perfect for use in the classroom, on long car rides, and for learning or calming activities at home. Why not pop onto the Halloween scene this year as a bigger-than-life fidget? The blog Hello Wonderful created the cutest DIY pop-it costume, and we think the kids will love it!
What you could use for this look:
• cardboard
• your choice of paint colour(s)
• coloured balloons or plastic ball pit balls for the “pops”
• cuteness bonus: carry a fidget around while trick-or-treating to use when feeling overwhelmed or waiting on your group to move to the next house
5. Bruni in Frozen 2
While Bruni’s technically a salamander, Elsa’s best buddy in Frozen 2 looks a whole bunch like manimo’s blue weighted lizard. Elsa and Anna are still top choices for Halloween costumes every year so why not incorporate some proprioceptive input while heading out door to door? The Enchanted Forest has never felt so calm.
What you could use for this look:
• Elsa costume (or blue fairy or princess dress)
• blond long-haired wig, braided
• manimo blue weighted lizard
If you already have a few of these fdmt favourites at home, your child’s already used to them and may find the familiar sensory objects calming on an otherwise busy night. These costumes are easy on the wallet, easy to assemble, and easy to have fun with!
A few tips for making Halloween 2021 a memorable year:
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Use a visual schedule for anticipating the evening’s timing.
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Plan the itinerary using a visual map & take it with you on Halloween night.
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Write & review a social story to describe what will take place during trick-or-treating.
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Take frequent breaks. There will be lots of sights & sounds so taking a breather to regroup can be helpful.
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Keep things as simple as possible. Call the evening short if needed. Have fun & stay safe!
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