MENU
Halloween is one of the most fun times of the year! Children get to dress up and have fun with their friends outside. It is a great opportunity to socialize and have grand ol’ fun as well.
Unfortunately, in the current state of the world, staying home is the most sensible thing to do in terms of our safety. But this doesn’t mean that this year’s Halloween will not be fun!
There are TONS of activities that you and your little hero can do at home to entertain and learn along the way!
Children with autism usually suffer from sensory processing issues. It may be a little challenging to find the toy or activity that meets their needs. Here, we have gathered some ideas where you can make your own sensory toys and games, and make the most of halloween!
SpOoKy Sensory Bin
Sensory bins are hands-on tools used for children with autism for them to explore their world through senses. It is typically made up of a large plastic container filled with materials and objects that are selected to stimulate the senses.
For halloween, you can make your sensory bin into a pumpkin patch , or fill them with pasta shaped like bats. Possibilities are endless!
With your child’s input, this could help them learn about halloween traditions, and act as an arts and crafts project at the same time! This activity will also help them use their imaginations and express their creativity.
Sensory planning can help your child be calm, focus on hands-on projects, and engage with the contents of the bin.
Reading is Always a Great Idea
Holidays in general could be challenging for children with autism at first. Seasons change and bring along new sensory challenges.
Reading books about these topics could be a great way to introduce your child to halloween. They can grasp concepts and ideas with picture books in a way that they will not have difficulties when the time comes.
There are tons of books out there specifically targeting children with autism and sensory issues. For instance, Ten Orange Pumpkins: A Counting Book by Stephen Savage brings spooky halloween and counting in a clever manner through rhymes and repetition. Your child can have fun while also learning to count!
Another one is Eek! Halloween! by Sandra Boyton, where animals are dressed in costumes for the holiday. Cute illustrations of chickens who have anxiety over other animals in costumes addresses the fact that children may be anxious to see everyone in different costumes but it is okay in the end since it is just to celebrate the holiday!
Fingerprint Animal Friends : Halloween Special!
Another great and creative idea to try at home with your kid is turning your fingerprints into animals and halloween staples like pumpkins and skulls!
In addition to being extraordinarily fun, making fingerprints is an educational activity that will encourage your child’s development of fine motor skills.
Have your child press their fingers on some ink and print on the paper. Then you can draw on the prints to turn into little animals, letters, or even whole scenes from the halloween picture books you read!
Spooky Slimy Halloween
With its unique texture, slime can be a great fun with ingredients that may lie around the house! This hands-on activity will help your child practice on their hand dexterity.
Mix 1 bottle of Elmer’s black glitter glue and ½ cup of hot water and stir until combined in a large bowl. Add ½ teaspoon baking soda and thoroughly mix, then add 1 ½ tablespoon of contact lens solution.
You can add some halloween confetti and objects in your slime at this point. Your slime will be sticky but continue to stir the mixture until you have a ball.
This easy recipe can be turned into a game of “find the object”. Ask your child to locate the pumpkins and skulls, and have them count how many. Endless fun and creativity!
There are lots and lots of fun ideas to turn this halloween at home into a grand ol’ spooky fun for your special needs child. Also check out our video from last year’s halloween where we show how to make some sensory toys at home with your kids!
