Halloween is such a fun time of year for all ages. From costumes to decorations, there is so much to get excited about. Sensory activities are a great way for the whole family to get into the holiday spirt. Here is a list of sensory friendly activities and events that will help make you and your families Halloween fang-tastic!
Sensory-friendly Halloween Traditions
One way to make Halloween a worry-free holiday to create sensory-friendly Halloween traditions. Pumpkin picking is a great family activity for everyone involved. Help your learner pick their favorite little pumpkin and big pumpkin- a perfect practice for decision making. Ask “How much do you think this pumpkin weighs?” is a great way to work on guessing! This a great opportunity to work on counting too, asking “How many pumpkins are sitting on the hay bale?” or “How many scare crow do you see?”. Simple questions revolving around the pumpkins can make an outing like this become a family tradition sprinkled in with a few learning opportunities!
Sometimes, Trick-or-Treating is hard activity for certain learners to participate in. Loud sounds, bigger crowds, unfamiliar costumes, scary decorations, and talking to new neighbors can seem like too much for your learner in just one night. An alternative option to still dress up, be with family and friends, but be in a more familiar environment is to dress up and go out to dinner instead! This gives the same excitement of going somewhere in their cool costumes, and they will still get a something yummy they won’t normally have at home. Seems like a sensory-friendly win-win to us!
Another tradition that is a bit more laid back (but just as fun) is having a movie night with special treats on Halloween. You could pick the same movie every year, watch a new one, dress up, don’t dress up, go to the movie theater, or stay home! As long as your learner gets those special treats, it’s totally up to you! This allows them to have their space, continue to be in a more controlled environment, and still have a special experience on Halloween.
These are simple ways to enjoy the holiday worry-free! Still creating those unforgettable Halloween nights, your learner will be able to participate in the traditions year after year.
Sensory Crafts
Sensory activities are a great way to promote play and encourage learning and creativity with children of all ages. There are plenty of activities to enjoy as a family that don’t have to be time consuming or expensive to set up.
- Sensory Bins: Sensory bins are a fun way for kids to explore different objects and textures. Fill a bucket with some water beads and add some ghoulish eyeballs and spiders to make it spooktacular!
- Finger painting: For those children who do not like to get their hands dirty carving out the inside of a pumpkin, finger painting a pumpkin is a fun alternative. This activity might still be a messy alternative, but everyone will have a gourd time this Halloween!
- Glitter Jars: Glitter jars are a hit all year long. So why not incorporate Halloween magic into the glitter jars. Add some water and Halloween glitter, eyeballs, or red food coloring into a bottle. Be sure to glue the lid shut then allow your kids to explore this visual sensory activity all month long.
For more sensory friendly Halloween activities for the whole family be sure to visit the links below for some great ideas:
https://www.myautism.org/news-features/15-sensory-friendly-halloween-crafts
https://theautismhelper.com/october-ideas-activities/
Sensory Friendly Events
Sensory friendly events are happening all month long for the entire family to participate and enjoy the holiday this year.
Sensory Friendly Halloween Spree– Join others at the Glazer Children’s Museum on October 31st for trick-or-treating and Halloween activities in a sensory friendly environment. Follow the link for more information: https://glazermuseum.org/halloweenspree
Sensory Guppyween: Monster Mash – Visit the Florida Aquarium for Halloween games on October 30th and explore the Aquarium in a sensory friendly environment. Follow the link for more information: https://www.flaquarium.org/events/attend-an-event/
Have a fun and safe Halloween from your team at BCOTB!
