Champion accessibility this Halloween

With Halloween quickly approaching, York Region wants to ensure everyone can participate, feel included in the Halloween fun and have a positive trick-or-treating experience. Children and families living with disabilities or those requiring accommodations can sometimes feel excluded from activities when their needs are not considered. Accessibility not only helps people with disabilities; it benefits everyone.

If you’re participating in Halloween, here are actions you can take to keep accessibility top-of-mind:

1. Place your treat bowl and pumpkin close to the sidewalk or at the bottom of your stairs and ensure the area is well-lit. Stairs may present challenges for those living with disabilities that affect mobility. This also helps to eliminate tripping hazards and physical barriers.
2. Be prepared to describe treats for children who are living with blindness or low vision. Visual cues may be unclear to those affected by various degrees of vision loss. Use clear and descriptive language to communicate with trick-or-treaters. 
3. Some children may be non-verbal. Don’t request verbal responses from children and be patient with those who do not respond to questions or provide social feedback. Talk to the child (even if they are with parents or support persons) to ask any questions, e.g., what type of item they’d like.  
4. Flashing lights and startling scares can be problematic for people living with epilepsy, sensory sensitivities and anxiety. Consider creative decorations and spooky music detected from a distance. 
5. Participate in the Teal Pumpkin Project. By placing a teal pumpkin on your doorstep, you are helping to communicate to others that you have non-food treats available. This gesture promotes inclusion for trick-or-treaters affected by food allergies or other conditions.

Let’s have a safe and accessible Halloween this year. We can all make a difference in our neighborhoods and be champions of inclusion and accessibility.

York Region is committed to a welcoming and inclusive community where diversity is celebrated and where everyone can develop to their full potential, participate freely in society and live with respect, dignity and freedom from discrimination. Learn more at york.ca/inclusiveyr