Accessible Halloween for Blind and Visually Impaired Children: Best Safety Tips

Halloween is a time for kids and adults to dress up in costumes, put on makeup and go door-to-door collecting candy. For many children, though, it can be an especially challenging time due to visual impairment or blindness. These children may not be able to fully enjoy the holiday because they cannot see their surroundings as well as other kids. But there are ways that parents can make Halloween enjoyable for these kids! In this article, you can learn more about celebrating Halloween with blind and visually impaired children before you go out trick-or-treating with your little ones.

Brief History of Halloween: From the Celt’s to Us

The night of October 31st, known as All Hallows’ Eve or Halloween, is a worldwide holiday. Halloween evolved from the ancient Celtic ritual of Samhain, which was simply a celebration of the seasons changing from light to dark (summer to winter). Traditionally, the ancient Celts believed that, at this period of the year, the veil between the worlds of the living and the dead was thinnest, so bonfires would be built, sweets would be prepared, and outfits would be worn to protect oneself from evil spirits. 

Later, it evolved into one of the most famous and widely observed events on the planet. Today, millions of children are celebrating this special day with their scary costumes and many games!

Accessible Halloween For Children with Blindness or Low Vision! 

Why not have an accessible Halloween? We believe this is especially important for those who are blind or have low vision. In the United States alone, according to a study from the CDC (Centers for Disease Control & Prevention), 7% of the children have an eye condition. That means that as many as 1 in every 12 children will be unable to see what’s going on around them during your Halloween celebration!

This year make everything accessible for your child! For instance, if your entrance has some steps, try to find some slope to make it easier for visually impaired children to trick or treat. Another example is, a visually impaired child is more likely to drop her candy when she can’t see what happens. So you may want to place some matting on the floor.

This Halloween, Be Prepared with Our Safety Tips:

1) Make Your Child’s Costume a Bright Color

Parents should dress their kids in bright colors that will make them more visible to drivers. And if you choose a light color, make sure there’s a dark background to make the costume pop. For example, a princess costume may be easier seen if it’s white and wearing it in front of a black sign.

2) Give a Cane for Better Navigation

A white cane is the unsung hero of a visually impaired person, but that shouldn’t stop you from using it for all it’s worth. When used properly, a white cane will not only keep people from bumping into your child at school or on play dates, but it can also help to prevent them from being injured by tripping over an uneven sidewalk or a crack in the street.

3) Recognize Your Neighbors with Assistive Device

A child should never be out after dark alone. However, when your child can’t see, he might feel alone and stressed surrounded by all the activity and voices of people trick or treating around. The OrCam MyEye piece of tech can scan up to 100 faces and call out their names upon meeting. This way your child will be able to recognize his family, friends and next door neighbors.

4) Avoid Giving Sharp-Edged Accessories

Please take extra precautions with your children this Halloween by trying to avoid sharp-edged accessories for costumes. If your costume has different types of accessories including a sword or dagger, it might be better not to use it for your child.

5) Careful with Masks and Face Makeups

It’s not only crucial to have good vision, but it’s also essential when you’re on the road at night. When you’re preparing your child’s Halloween costume, keep in mind the mask. When it comes to masks for children with low vision issues or blindness, be cautious. Masks that are worn for the sake of a costume, can obstruct or reduce a youngster’s eyesight significantly. Check for any loose straps or untied knots to ensure that the mask won’t cause any vision problems.

6) Smart Technology Enables Children to Read Road Signs

Many of us have fond memories of going door-to-door trick-or-treating on Halloween night, but for children with low vision or blindness, this age-old tradition can be a source of anxiety and fear. It’s also possible that they may get lost or unable to find their way home. It might be difficult to read road signs, apartment names, street names, or restaurant signage after dark.

7) Identify Your Treats With OrCam MyEye 

Good parenting requires checking everything before you give it to your child. During Halloween, your child will get many candies (if they are lucky), and with OrCam MyEye they can identify the product by scanning the barcode. Not only that, your child will be able to read the ingredients of the candy within seconds

OrCam MyEye is a revolutionary assistive device for your loved ones to read all texts possible, even during the nighttime. The OrCam MyEye may be used to assist those who are blind or have low vision with daily activities. It recognizes faces, items, cash, and colors. It also aids in the reading of any text from any surface. Contact us to learn more about how OrCam MyEye can change this Halloween.