Not So Scary Halloween Sensory Toddler Solutions.
Sensory solutions are still very new to me and we work very hard with OT. We were preparing for a weekend at Disney’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. They are amazing at allergy friendly foods and Trick or Treating. I highly recommend if you have food allergies to visit Disney. They are very accommodating.
We had 2 different Halloween costume melt downs this week. My girl loves Toy Story. I thought we would be safe if I made a costume from a cotton shirt and added soft foam. Buzz Light Year has been her favorite. I tried Buzz. My OT suggested sensory brushing before putting her costume on. She also suggested home trial runs so Penelope could get use to new textures. She hated it. She would smile in the mirror for a moment, loved the idea of Buzz, but didn’t want the feelings. I added green neon lights, she was sold for a minute, but wanted it off. We tried a few times, she got a little better each time
Outfit #2 Bonnie from Toy Story. I thought this was going to be easy. It’s a regular clothing costume and no new textures, or so I thought. Rain boots are a complete melt-down nightmare. Um, I cried a little. I just want her to be happy. However I was able to convince her that they were Peppa Pig muddy-puddle boots and now loves them. We survived!!
Ultimately, I don’t care about my efforts to make a great costume. I want her to feel comfortable. It can be hard when you put effort into something that you child hates. But it’s not about me it’s about her. I also recommend PJ costumes. We had that as the main back up. She could be comfortable as Buzz or Woody in the form of PJs. Never try to force things, it just backfires.
We prepare and try many new textures each week. This is a texture box I created to help, all under $3. Dollar stores have great textures. It has all sorts of squishy, wet textures to challenge her. This has helped her overcome a lot of sensory issues. I bring it out and gently expose her. I put her favorite toys, like lego princesses or tiny dinasors to fish out of slime or gooey textures. I only expose her for as long as she is not overwhelmed. I put it away when she starts to shut down. Too much stimulation make her resist the textures more.
