Halloween is a time of year when you can be anyone or anything. It’s also a great time to work on some speech and language goals with your child. When you’re thinking about a costume, consider choosing one that will allow your child to practice their speech and language skills.
For example, if your child has difficulty producing the “s” sound, they can be a snake or a spider. If they need to practice saying the “th” sound, they can dress up as an astronaut, ghost, or thief. If your child is working on using more complex sentences, encourage them to tell people what they are for Halloween by using descriptive words (e.g., I am a scary pirate who lives on the sea). Or if your child needs practice asking questions, give them some questions to ask trick-or-treaters (e.g., What are you for Halloween? Do you like candy?).
Halloween is a time of year when you can be anyone or anything. It’s also a great time to work on some speech and language goals with your child. When you’re thinking about a costume, consider choosing one that will allow your child to practice their speech and language skills.
For example, if your child struggles with /r/ production, have them be a pirate! Not only will they have to say “arr,” but they can also practice saying words like “treasure” and “swashbuckler.” If your child is working on pronouns, have them be a ghost so they can practice saying sentences like “Me see you!” and “I want candy!” Or, if you want to make sure you don’t get hit with any candy bags (or worse, candy apples!), have your child be an astronaut. They can practice using their vocabulary by talking about stars, planets and rockets.
Halloween is a special time, where you can be whomever or whatever you choose. While the costumes and candy are a lot of fun, Halloween is also a great opportunity to work on some speech and language skills with your child. When you’re thinking about your child’s costume, consider choosing one that will allow them to practice some of the skills they are working on with their speech therapist.
If your child is working on increasing the number of words they speak, consider choosing a character that has a lot of things to say. For example, if your child needs to practice requesting items or commenting on things, dress as a detective, who needs to ask questions and comment on evidence!
If your child is working on using longer phrases, think about choosing an animal costume where they can practice making animal sounds. If your child is learning how to make sentences using pronouns (such as “he” or “she”), then dressing as a superhero would be great! Your child could practice sentences like “He has super strength!” or “She can fly.”
When you’re choosing a costume, consider one that will give your child the chance to practice their speech or language skills. For example, if your child has trouble with articulation (saying sounds), don’t pick an animal costume where you have to put something over the mouth, like a bunny mask or crocodile head. Instead, consider a costume that allows the mouth to be seen and clearly understood, such as a firefighter or construction worker.
Similarly, if your child has trouble with language expression (expressing ideas), avoid costumes that include masks that cover the eyes and ears (such as cardboard masks from craft stores). Instead, choose something where facial expressions can be seen clearly, such as a princess or superhero. These kinds of costumes also make it easier for other kids to understand what your child is saying when having conversations or playing games together.