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There are one billion people in the world living with some sort of disability, or about 15% of the world’s population. And while having a disability can impact many parts of a person’s life, one thing it should never hinder people from doing is enjoying holidays to the fullest extent, including of course, Halloween. 

Below, we’ve gathered some of the most brilliant and creative costumes people with disabilities have sported for Halloween, proving that nothing can stop them from looking fabulous on October 31st. With a little bit of thinking outside of the box, these individuals have found genius ways to incorporate their disabilities into their looks, and their innovation deserves to be applauded.

Be sure to upvote the photos you find most impressive or that feature costumes you wish you had thought of yourself, and feel free to let us know in the comments if you've ever worn a costume that perfectly incorporated a disability of your own. And if this list isn’t long enough for you, have no fear. You can find Bored Panda’s previous publications on the same topic right here and here.

#1

This Kid's Parents Built His Halloween Costume Around His Wheelchair

This Kid's Parents Built His Halloween Costume Around His Wheelchair

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Especially for children, Halloween can be one of the most exciting days of the year. Dressing up in an exciting costume, having the chance to stay up late trick-or-treating with friends and then hurrying home to eat as much candy as possible before mom and dad say it’s time for bed. Unfortunately, however, for individuals living with a disability, celebrating Halloween can come with extra challenges that can put a damper on the day.

Thankfully, there are plenty of people around the world showing that having a disability should never stop a person from wearing whatever costume they want on Halloween. This list features brilliant costumes worn by kids and adults alike, so if you have a disability that made you wonder what to dress up as this year, hopefully you'll get some ideas right here! From incorporating wheelchairs to using prosthetics as props, these costumes make one thing very clear: Halloween is for everyone.

#2

What's Better Than A Glass Arm? A Glass Arm That Glows

What's Better Than A Glass Arm? A Glass Arm That Glows

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While Halloween is for people of all ages to celebrate, it can be particularly important to ensure that our little ones enjoy the occasion. So if your child has a disability, RedTreehouse.org has a helpful guide for parents to make sure that their kids can get the most out of the day. For kids that are wheelchair users, for example, they provide a few resources to help make Halloween more inclusive and accessible.  

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According to Med Mart, if you’re taking your child trick-or-treating in their wheelchair, it’s always a good idea to practice the routine ahead of time. It will be nice to know how easy the path is to get around, especially in the dark when there are lots of other kids walking around. If many houses have staircases and it won’t be easy to get to their front doors, you might want to find the most wheelchair-friendly homes to visit. Even if there are challenges, it’s best to be aware of them prior to the big night to make everything as smooth as possible during the real trick-or-treating. The only thing on your child’s mind that evening should be having a great time.      

#4

2021 Halloween Team Reed-Style Wheelchair Costume, When The UPS Man Is Awesome And You Love When He Comes To Drop Off Your Packages

2021 Halloween Team Reed-Style Wheelchair Costume, When The UPS Man Is Awesome And You Love When He Comes To Drop Off Your Packages

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#5

Austin Loves A Good Costume

Austin Loves A Good Costume

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#6

Is It Even October If I Don't Share This Throwback

Is It Even October If I Don't Share This Throwback

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If you’re taking your child who uses a wheelchair trick-or-treating in your own neighborhood, Med Mart recommends letting your neighbors know ahead of time that your little one plans to be stopping by their homes. They might be willing to meet you at the end of their driveway or set their large basket of candy close to the curb to alleviate the stress of trying to get close to their doors and having to maneuver back to the sidewalk.

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And if the experience of going back and forth from people’s doorsteps is just too stressful or challenging to navigate logistically, you can always seek alternatives for your child. Many places hold “trunk-or-treats” in large parking lots, where kids can go from car to car gathering goodies without having to worry about encountering steps or crossing busy roads. You can always throw a Halloween party or gathering of your own too, inviting all of your child’s closest friends. The important thing is that they enjoy the occasion; there’s nothing wrong with thinking outside the box in how you celebrate.

#7

Princess Freyja's Reveal Was Pure Joy And Pure Magic. Every Little Detail Is 100% Freyja And Her Reactions Say It All

Princess Freyja's Reveal Was Pure Joy And Pure Magic. Every Little Detail Is 100% Freyja And Her Reactions Say It All

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Loki’s Lil Butter Knife
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is absolutely amazing! I learned that this was built by an amazing non-profit organization called Magical Wheelchair; they make epic costumes for children and teenagers with disabilities at absolutely no cost to families. If you need a feel good moment of the day, you need to watch the video of the young girl in the photo seeing them unveil her cat chariot: https://www.instagram.com/p/CVmCgZGrRAX/

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#8

What’s Pink, Has Feathers And Stands On One Leg? This Flamingo

What’s Pink, Has Feathers And Stands On One Leg? This Flamingo

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#9

Took Home Best Couple's Costume Award! I Wouldn’t Want To Be Attacked By Any Other Shark Than Her

Took Home Best Couple's Costume Award! I Wouldn’t Want To Be Attacked By Any Other Shark Than Her

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When it comes to making your Halloween more inclusive, one factor you might not have even considered is the decorations. And while I love smoke machines, fake cobwebs, and spiders and rats littered all over the floor as much as the next person, these decorations are not always conducive to every person's experience. If the path leading up to your home is extremely dark, requires maneuvering around a variety of props or your decorations limit visibility, you might be deterring people with disabilities from visiting, either children coming to trick-or-treat or your friends trying to stop by to deliver some goodies to you. Decorations with jump scares, loud noises and flashing lights can also be harmful for individuals with sensory sensitivities or epilepsy. Unless you warn people that they’re coming to a haunted house, try not to have any decorations that are too extreme.

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#10

Another Year Of Incorporating My Wheelchair Into My Halloween Costume

Another Year Of Incorporating My Wheelchair Into My Halloween Costume

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#11

This Is The Way. That All Wheelchair Costumes Should Look Today. Happy Star Wars Day

This Is The Way. That All Wheelchair Costumes Should Look Today. Happy Star Wars Day

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#12

Debuting The Bathmobile Tonight

Debuting The Bathmobile Tonight

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Tuna Fish
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

AHAHAHAAHHA! Take my upvote ( and send me a paper towel for the coffee I just spit out!)

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As we all know, we cannot always tell that a person has a disability just by looking at them. Oftentimes, we would have no idea! But disabilities that have no visible cues can impact a person just as much as more obvious disabilities, so in 2018, one mother sought to find a way to help her son, who has autism, have an easier time on Halloween. Four years ago, Alicia Plumer posted a photo of a blue trick-or-treating bucket on Facebook with the caption, “If you see someone who appears to be an adult dressed up to trick-or-treat this year carrying this blue bucket, he’s our son! His name is BJ & he is autistic. While he has the body of a 21 year old, he loves Halloween.” This then sparked a trend of “Blue Buckets for Halloween”. 

#13

Halloween Is Coming

Halloween Is Coming

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Shyla Bouche
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The dress is absolutely beautiful, and so is the princess wearing it.

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#14

I'm Here To Try Out My Sea Legs

I'm Here To Try Out My Sea Legs

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#15

This Is Halloween. That’s My 79-Year-Old Grandma As Dr. Finkelstein

This Is Halloween. That’s My 79-Year-Old Grandma As Dr. Finkelstein

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Alicia’s post sharing her son’s blue Halloween bucket received lots of attention and has been shared to spread awareness about people with autism who may want to participate in Halloween just as much as everyone else, even if they have a hard time expressing it. “I believe it can be helpful, especially for the more severely affected kids who are nonspeaking, and for older kids who may appear to function at a lower cognitive age level,” writes Wendy Fournier on the National Autism Association’s site. “Some kids can’t say ‘trick or treat’ or ‘thank you’. They may not be able to make eye contact, and could also have sensory issues that prevent them from wearing an elaborate costume. For some kids and young adults with autism, there are a lot of challenges to overcome on Halloween, but like everyone else, they want to enjoy the fun and excitement of it.”

#16

Here’s My New Halloween Costume

Here’s My New Halloween Costume

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#17

This Was The First Time I Used My Power Chair With My Costume, So I Made It Into A Shell Throne, You Know, Like You Do When You're A Mermaid

This Was The First Time I Used My Power Chair With My Costume, So I Made It Into A Shell Throne, You Know, Like You Do When You're A Mermaid

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Another factor to take into consideration when choosing the Halloween goodies you plan to share with friends or trick-or-treaters is potential food allergies. According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, in the United States alone, about 32 million people have food allergies, including about 5.6 million children. The most common foods people are allergic to are milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, wheat, fish and shellfish, so if you’re looking to pass out treats that will accommodate a variety of dietary needs or preferences, it might be wise to consult the Spokin app. Spokin breaks down all of the best candies and treats based on what allergens they are free from, so you can ensure that you or your loved ones can indulge freely without fretting about a frightening allergic reaction.     

#19

Jax The Jellyfish! They Crafted This Masterpiece Themselves. I'm Really Starting To Believe The Creativity Of Special Needs Families Cannot Be Matched

Jax The Jellyfish! They Crafted This Masterpiece Themselves. I'm Really Starting To Believe The Creativity Of Special Needs Families Cannot Be Matched

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#20

A Wounded Veteran's "Interactive" Halloween Costume

A Wounded Veteran's "Interactive" Halloween Costume

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#21

A Fun Project I Got To Work On A Couple Of Years Back. An Aliens-Themed Power Loader Wheelchair

A Fun Project I Got To Work On A Couple Of Years Back. An Aliens-Themed Power Loader Wheelchair

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According to Spokin, some of the best dairy free candies available to pass out or enjoy yourself this Halloween are Dum-Dums, Twizzlers, Sour Punch Straws, Swedish Fish, Sour Patch Kids Watermelons, Jelly Bellys, Air Heads, Dots, Ring Pops and Smarties. If you’re looking for gluten-free candies, Spokin recommends York peppermint patties, Butterfingers, Reese’s peanut butter cups, Heath bars, Dots, Hi-Chews, Air Heads, and Tootsie rolls and pops. An allergy is no reason not to enjoy Halloween treats!    

#22

Happy Halloween From Aladdin

Happy Halloween From Aladdin

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#23

The Whole Gang. Hermione, Voldemort & Harry

The Whole Gang. Hermione, Voldemort & Harry

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Garry Cowan
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The look of joy on the wee man's face is what it is all about

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#24

"I Figure Life's A Gift And I Don't Intend On Wasting It. You Don't Know What Hand You're Gonna Get Dealt Next. You Learn To Take Life As It Comes" - Jack Dawson

"I Figure Life's A Gift And I Don't Intend On Wasting It. You Don't Know What Hand You're Gonna Get Dealt Next. You Learn To Take Life As It Comes" - Jack Dawson

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We hope you’re enjoying this list of brilliant costumes, and if you or a loved one is living with a disability, we would love to hear your best ideas for Halloween costumes in the comments down below. Remember that if there’s anything you can do to make your Halloween celebrations more inclusive and accessible, it will be worth making the effort. Keep upvoting the pics you find most impressive, and then if you’d like to see even more, you can find Bored Panda’s previous articles on the same topic here and here

#25

My Dad's Friend Has A Kid Who Is In A Wheelchair. He Does An Exceptional Job On His Kid's Costumes

My Dad's Friend Has A Kid Who Is In A Wheelchair. He Does An Exceptional Job On His Kid's Costumes

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#26

Amazing Ghostbusters Ecto1 Wheelchair Halloween Costume

Amazing Ghostbusters Ecto1 Wheelchair Halloween Costume

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#27

It's Officially Halloween Season

It's Officially Halloween Season

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Dani Fogel
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Isn't that the kid comedian that was on Britain's got talent a while back? Dan something? He was good

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#28

For Halloween Costume Day In School, Zoe Asked If She Could Be A Vampire

For Halloween Costume Day In School, Zoe Asked If She Could Be A Vampire

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#29

Wheelchair R2d2 Costume Is The Best R2d2 Costume

Wheelchair R2d2 Costume Is The Best R2d2 Costume

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#30

Seriously, Just Wow. 8-Year-Old Jackson Had 2 Ideas For His Magic Wheelchair, So His Builder Combined Them Both. Cory Hunt, We Love You

Seriously, Just Wow. 8-Year-Old Jackson Had 2 Ideas For His Magic Wheelchair, So His Builder Combined Them Both. Cory Hunt, We Love You

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#31

When You Have Prosthetics You Have To Take Advantage Of It. My Husband Helped Me Make A Peg Leg As Well As A Hook! And My Service Dog Wazowski Is My Parrot

When You Have Prosthetics You Have To Take Advantage Of It. My Husband Helped Me Make A Peg Leg As Well As A Hook! And My Service Dog Wazowski Is My Parrot

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#32

Happy Halloween From Grayson The Astronaut. Hope You Had A Rockin Good Night

Happy Halloween From Grayson The Astronaut. Hope You Had A Rockin Good Night

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#33

Super Dad Spent Countless Hours Working On This Wheelchair Costume And I'm Pretty Sure That Hudson Thinks All Of The Attention He Received Made Every Hour Well Worth It

Super Dad Spent Countless Hours Working On This Wheelchair Costume And I'm Pretty Sure That Hudson Thinks All Of The Attention He Received Made Every Hour Well Worth It

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#34

You Wanted A Bionic Sith, Well Now You Got One - Complete With Lightsaber Prosthetic Attachment

You Wanted A Bionic Sith, Well Now You Got One - Complete With Lightsaber Prosthetic Attachment

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#35

This Is One Of My Favorite Halloween Looks Of Myself

This Is One Of My Favorite Halloween Looks Of Myself

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#36

Where Are My Girls At Who Can Pull Off This Look

Where Are My Girls At Who Can Pull Off This Look

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#37

Coolest Homemade Box Of Free Kittens Wheelchair Costume

Coolest Homemade Box Of Free Kittens Wheelchair Costume

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#38

Happy Halloween. Amputee Halloween Costume

Happy Halloween. Amputee Halloween Costume

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#39

Happy Halloween From Forrest Gump, Lieutenant Dan, And Everyone’s Favorite Little Shrimp

Happy Halloween From Forrest Gump, Lieutenant Dan, And Everyone’s Favorite Little Shrimp

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#40

As We Inch Closer To Halloween, This Was Our Last Year's Costume. Kennedy - Mother Of Dragons

As We Inch Closer To Halloween, This Was Our Last Year's Costume. Kennedy - Mother Of Dragons

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If
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1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Kennedy will make the best sequel or prequel, I know. đź’™

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#41

Halloween Costumes Of Past Years. Which One Is Your Favorite, And Are You Excited To See What I Am This Year?

Halloween Costumes Of Past Years. Which One Is Your Favorite, And Are You Excited To See What I Am This Year?

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#42

Sam, Of Course, Chose To Be Sebastian Vettel For Halloween. Today Was The First Outing Of His Costume And He Couldn't Be Happier

Sam, Of Course, Chose To Be Sebastian Vettel For Halloween. Today Was The First Outing Of His Costume And He Couldn't Be Happier

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#43

My First Renfaire After My Amputation

My First Renfaire After My Amputation

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#44

Ready To Get Our Halloween On

Ready To Get Our Halloween On

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#47

This Noodle Is Ready For His First Halloween Out In Costume Tonight At Church

This Noodle Is Ready For His First Halloween Out In Costume Tonight At Church

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#48

This Sundae Is Extra Sweet Thanks To The Spontak Family Every Year Mark Turns His Son’s Wheelchair Into A Show-Stopping Halloween Costume

This Sundae Is Extra Sweet Thanks To The Spontak Family Every Year Mark Turns His Son’s Wheelchair Into A Show-Stopping Halloween Costume

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#49

No Boring, Trite Or Typical Costumes For Us

No Boring, Trite Or Typical Costumes For Us

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#50

Construction Operator Danny

Construction Operator Danny

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Note: this post originally had 106 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.