Trick-or-Treating can be such a fun time of the year! Kids dressed in adorable costumes and lots of candy make October very sweet. However, this time of year can also be very challenging for some kids and their parents. Check out the following tips for how you can reduce the stress and increase the fun.
Tip # 1:
Practice dressing up in various costumes throughout the month. No matter your child’s age, let them lead. See what they are naturally comfortable with and accept what they are not yet comfortable wearing. Be creative with your costumes! Some costumes can look more like everyday clothes which might be more acceptable to your child. Perhaps your child can dress like a famous person, celebrity, or historical figure. Maybe they can wear all green and be a green bean or a pea.
Tip # 2:
Practice trick-or-treating in your house with family members. Practice saying “trick-or-treat”, holding up a bucket or opening a bag, and saying “thank you” after they receive a treat. If you child is a toddler or preschool age, sometimes libraries have a trick-or-treat story hour. This is a good, small place to practice what to do and say.
Tip # 3:
Blue pumpkin buckets are one way to let others know that a child may need extra support and understanding as they go trick-or-treating. If that is something you are interested in, purchase one now. Amazon has a variety of options and prices. https://www.amazon.com/Halloween-Pumpkin-Lantern-Candy-Bucket/dp/B015T00WKS?th=1
Tip # 4:
Alternative and Augmentative Communication may be helpful for some children who have a hard time talking. If your child has a speech generating device, make sure relevant vocabulary is added. If you are not comfortable taking the speech generating device with you or you do not have one yet, pictures are another great option. Teachers Pay Teachers has a variety of free resources including pictures, scripts, and social stories to help support children during this activity. Decide on a resource or two and practice before actually going trick-or-treating.
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Browse/Search:aac%20trick%20or%20treat/Price-Range/Free
Tip # 5:
Some kids might enjoy staying home and helping pass out treats instead of actually going trick-or-treating themselves.
Regardless of how you decide to participate or not to participate, I hope you enjoy all that autumn has to offer your child, you, and your family this October.
