Major kudos to retail giant Target for its new inclusive costumes for children with special needs, which will include wheelchair options! Partnering with “Hyde and Eek! Boutique”, Target is offering four adaptive new Halloween costumes for special needs children and two add-on options for kids who use wheelchairs.
One of the costumes, a Princess Carriage retailing at $45, features two intricately decorated panels in gray, white and purple and are easily attachable to a child’s wheelchair-using “the hook-and-loop closures for a secure fit,” according to the product listing on target.com. The princess costume alone retails at $20. The other wheelchair costume is a pirate ship with ocean-patterned wheel covers also for $45. But for the full effect, the adaptive pirate costume is $25.
The store is offering two other adaptive costumes in the partnership for children with unique sensory needs. The plush shark and unicorn costumes will include “flat seams and no tags for an ultra-comfy feel,” with detachable parts and hidden openings for ease of use and comfort. According to the website, the shark and unicorn costumes costs $25 for toddlers and $30 for kids.
According to People, Target’s costume ideas come two years after the chain launched sensory-friendly pieces for their own children’s line Cat & Jack when designer Stacy Monsen opened up about the inspiration behind the collection.
“I have a 7-year-old daughter, Elinor, who has autism,” she said. “She’s not potty-trained, which means finding clothes that fit is a challenge. For pants or shorts, I either size way up, or buy pieces that are all function, no style. I’ve met lots of other parents who face similar challenges, including many of our guests and team members.”
Monsen continued, “We learned that sensory-friendly apparel can mean different things for different people. For these pieces, we decided to start with our core tees and leggings, and address guests’ most common requests — like removing tags and embellishments that can irritate the skin. We also added more ease through the hip and a higher rise in our leggings to fit with diapers, if needed, for older kids.”
Much respect to Target for recognizing ALL children in the spirit of Halloween and trick or treating inclusion! ??
