Halloween is my favorite holiday! The time of year when the world is full of pumpkin-spiced everything, ghouls roam the streets, and candy becomes its own food group. But for parents of autistic children, it’s more than just costumes and trick-or-treating. It’s an opportunity to create unique, sensory-rich experiences tailored to our kiddos. My kids are teenagers now. My son is profuoudly, level 3 autistic, and is a fan of trick or treating, making crafts, and baking. Here's a tried and true handy list of crafty, gamey, party-ish, and outdoor-ish things to add to your Halloween fun and are relatively easy and inexpensive to pull off.
Crafty Fun
Sensory Pumpkin Decorating: Skip the mess and potential sensory overload of pumpkin carving, and let’s decorate! Grab colorful stickers, fuzzy felt, shiny sequins, and anything else your little artist fancies. This tactile activity is an excellent way for them to experience different textures while crafting their pumpkin masterpiece.
Sensory Play Pumpkin: Get a plastic pumpkin and fill it up with fun tactile materials like cool spaghetti, foam beads, or slime. Let the kids dig in and enjoy the squishy sensations.
Glow-in-the-Dark Slime: Because, let’s face it, slime is pretty epic. And glow-in-the-dark slime? Halloween level-up! Just grab some glow-in-the-dark craft paint, clear glue, and activator. Mix, play, and let the spooky fun begin.
Mask Decorating: Maybe costumes aren't their thing, but a mask? A small, manageable project they can paint, bead, or stick things onto? That could be just the ticket.
DIY Ghostly Windsocks: Use old white pillowcases or fabric to craft these adorable hovering ghosts. Add on some googly eyes and let them dangle from a tree. When they flutter in the breeze, it’s spooky magic!
Halloween Texture Collage: This one’s super fun! Collect various Halloween-themed items: dry leaves, cotton (as spider webs), silk from old costumes, etc., and help your child create a multi-textured collage. It’s a sneaky way to have a sensory exploration, and you end up with a unique piece of art!
Game On!
Witch Hat Ring Toss: Create or buy witch hats and use glow-in-the-dark necklaces or rings to toss. Not only is it fun, but it also helps with motor skills.
Pumpkin Bowling: Carve out mini pumpkins and use them as bowling balls. For pins? Use toilet paper rolls painted to look like ghosts. A spirited game, indeed!
Halloween Sensory Bin: Fill a large container with black beans or rice as a base. Add Halloween trinkets like plastic spiders, foam cut-outs, and other themed items. Let them explore the mix and find hidden treasures.
Musical Monster Statues: Like musical chairs, but instead, when the music stops, the kids become monsters, freezing in place. Use their favorite tunes to keep them grooving.
Halloween Feel Box: This sensory-driven game is perfect for our curious explorers. Fill boxes with different textures: cold spaghetti (worms), peeled grapes (eyeballs), and other fun, creepy-feeling items. Have kids guess the contents—it's both a giggle and a shiver, guaranteed!
Party Shenanigans
Mini Monster Bake-off: Get those little hands busy with some baking! Think pumpkin cookies, ghost marshmallows, or bat brownies. The tactile fun of dough kneading can be soothing. Plus, yum!
Themed Karaoke: Who doesn't like a good scream... I mean, sing-along? Popular tracks from movies like 'The Nightmare Before Christmas' or 'Hotel Transylvania' can be a hit.
DIY Costume Catwalk: Instead of buying a costume, create a DIY station with capes, hats, masks, and more. Let the kiddos choose, mix, and match. Then, host a mini catwalk. Let them strut their spooky stuff!
Costume Show: Sometimes, the hustle and bustle of trick-or-treating can be overwhelming. Instead, consider hosting a mini costume show at home. Let the kids showcase their costumes, strut their stuff, and even share a story about their character if they're up for it.
Themed Storytime: Gather in a cozy circle and read Halloween stories. Books like “Room on the Broom” or “The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything” are great hits. Enhance the experience with sound effects—a rustling sound for leaves, soft taps for footsteps—it makes the stories come alive!
Pumpkin Pie Playdough: Oh, the joys of playdough! Make an orange batch scented with a bit of pumpkin spice. The kids can roll, sculpt, and even use Halloween-themed cookie cutters. It’s a multi-sensory treat without the sugar rush!
The Great Outdoors
Pumpkin Patch Adventure: The rows of orange in a pumpkin patch can be a sight! Let them pick their favorite pumpkin. The tractor rides, hay bales, and the maze? Those could be awesome add-ons.
Nature's Treasure Hunt: Craft a list of autumn-themed items for them to find—a pinecone, an orange leaf, or a twig shaped like a ‘Y.’ Let them immerse in nature's textures and colors.
Chalk the Walk: Grab some chalk and let them draw Halloween-themed art on the sidewalk. From spooky shadows to friendly ghosts, it’s all about expression.
Glow-in-the-Dark Scavenger Hunt: Use glow sticks or glowing objects and hide them around the backyard. Equip the kids with flashlights, and off they go on their nocturnal treasure hunt.
Spider Web Walk: Design a spider web with chalk or tape on your driveway. Place some plastic spiders or other Halloween-themed toys sporadically. The challenge? Walk on the web lines without stepping on the spiders—a delightful balance game!
Nature’s Potion Station: Set up a little outdoor station with clear jars filled with water. Add drops of food coloring, leaves, flower petals, and other natural ingredients to create 'magic potions.’ It's a beautiful sensory experience and a fantastic way to engage with nature.
The idea is to keep things light, fun, and flexible. If your kiddo is more sensitive to sensory inputs, you might want to adapt activities. Maybe a quieter setting, dimmer lights, or less spooky themes. Perhaps your superstar needs more tactile experiences or craves repetitive actions—that's totally cool. Mold these ideas to fit their unique brand of brilliance.
And while Halloween is drenched in tradition, it doesn't mean we can't create our own. Instead of trick-or-treating, it could be a movie night with popcorn at home. If costumes seem daunting, maybe it's just a funky hat this year. And if they're not into the whole Halloween hoopla, well, an evening of their favorite activity sprinkled with a little Halloween flavor works, too!
The essence of these activities isn’t just to celebrate Halloween but to craft experiences that resonate with our autistic kids. It's about understanding their sensory needs, their love for routine, and sometimes, their need to break free from it. We know our kiddos best as parents, so feel free to adapt and modify these suggestions.
Remember, Halloween isn’t about the spookiest house on the block or the most elaborate costume. It’s about connection, laughter, and making memories. So, whether you’re crafting a windsock ghost, dancing like a mummy, or brewing a potion under the starlit sky, make sure it’s filled with heaps of love, a sprinkle of magic, and lots of patience. Happy Halloween! 🎃👻🕸️
Comments