Part of the fun of Halloween is the escape from the usual routine and expectations. We get to dress up! We get to scare and be scared! But what’s fun for the neurotypical kiddo can be challenging for those with special needs. Challenging doesn’t have to mean not doable though. And with that in mind, we’d like to revisit some of our own blogs on Halloween Tips for children on the autism spectrum!
Written by Michelle O’Neil (a former AHSS team member and a mother of a special needs child plus two!), there are several articles to choose from. Here are some highlights from and links to each one:
Expose your child to Halloween, no matter how early it is or how young he or she is. Getting an early start to Halloween is the key to ensuring you have a successful holiday. Repetition is vital to help your child understand Halloween…
Go on a Community Outing to a Pumpkin Farm. Going to a pumpkin farm is great practice for tolerating noise and big crowds…The more practice the better! It’s okay to go the first time for just 15 minutes. You can go for 30 minutes the next time and so on.
Generalize. If you do not already get a weekly review of what’s to come for your child at school the following week, specifically request to know of all Halloween-based school activities and mimic them at home. Feeling creative? The internet has a wealth of Halloween activities and arts and crafts. Just check out our Pinterest page!
Read all three articles to get all of her tips and recommendations. There’s a lot of great information there! Then feel free to share any tips of your own, because you are not alone in this. Perhaps Michelle says it best:
“As special needs parents, we struggle to endure the holidays and often feel like we may be missing out on ‘what it’s supposed to be like,’ but it’s okay to make adaptations so that everyone can enjoy what’s being offered. Change it up, make it doable, and you just may enjoy a good ol’ Halloween night after all! Oh and no matter what you do, be safe!”
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
by Jessy McCulloch, Events & Social Media Marketing Coordinator
