This year Halloween will not look like any other. This is an unprecedented time that has resulted in many holiday traditions being done in new ways. Just because your child might not go around the neighborhood trick-or-treating this year, it does not mean the end of all Halloween fun. Here are 5 great Halloween activities you can do to support your child’s language development and still enjoy the spooky holiday.
1. Carve a Pumpkin
This is a great activity that many children enjoy. Change it up this year and have your child play a bigger role in the planning process. Have your child brainstorm what they want to carve on their pumpkin and the steps that they’ll need to take in order to achieve their goal. Also think about having your child follow multistep directions to get the supplies, prepare the work space, and carve the pumpkin.
2. Mystery Feel Box: Halloween Style
Now that you have scooped all the seeds and fibrous strands out of your pumpkin, you can use these materials as part of your Mystery Feel Box. Find different items around the home to put in your feel box, (toys, cooked spaghetti, seeds, pinecones, etc.) then have your child reach their hands into the box and try to describe what they feel. Make sure that they can’t see what’s in the box. This activity will require them to use their other senses and descriptive language skills to describe what they feel!
3. Halloween, I Spy Around the Neighborhood
Get outside and take a walk around the neighborhood searching for the best Halloween decorations. Take turns going back and forth providing clues for the decorations you see on your walk. Make sure to keep giving clues until the person has guessed what you were looking at. Taking turns allows your child to feel like they have a chance to be in charge and it gives them a fun way to work on their language too.
4. Indoor Trick-or-Treat
If you’re still missing out on the door knocking and candy collecting then this is the activity for you! Each door in your house has suddenly become a new location to Trick-or-Treat. Have a parent or sibling go in each room and close the door. Then when your child comes knocking in their Halloween costume they can say those magic words “Trick-or-Treat” and collect their candy reward. You can also change this up if your child wants to practice the role of the candy giver. This is a great activity for role playing, turn taking, and talking about expected vs unexpected behaviors.
5. Costume Party, Virtual Edition
Another great way to get more use out of that Halloween costume is to put together a video call with your child’s friends and encourage everyone to wear their costumes. This gives an opportunity for socialization without compromising safety. Kids can comment on each other’s costumes, ask questions, and provide the opportunity for turn-taking.
Would your child benefit from seeing a professional Speech-Language Pathologist, Occupational Therapist or Physical Therapist? Contact us today to schedule an evaluation or complimentary screening!
By: Blair Casarotto, M.S., CCC-SLP
