Halloween Themed Language Activities for Toddlers
Halloween is approaching, and it's a great opportunity to introduce your little ones to some exciting new words they might not encounter during other parts of the year.
During holidays, we often engage in unique activities and encounter special items. This week, I'd like to offer you four creative activities to enjoy with your little ones and show you how these activities can help expand their vocabulary and language skills right at home.
This blog post contains Amazon Affiliate links to help support our free speech therapy resources.1. Creative Dress-Up Fun for Toddlers:
Playing dress-up with your toddler can be an incredibly enjoyable and imaginative experience. It doesn't have to involve elaborate costumes; even everyday items that are out of the ordinary can spark their excitement. Perhaps you have some goofy hats, funky boots, or quirky jackets that your little one can have a blast wearing.
Peek-A-Boo Dress-Up: For toddlers who are starting to explore their first words, playing a friendly game of peek-a-boo using silly clothing items or hats (nothing spooky!) can provide heaps of fun. Hide behind one of these items, then encourage your toddler to copy your playful antics.
Role Reversal: Let your toddler take the lead and dress you up in goofy attire, or let them choose outfits for themselves to wear. As you engage in this creative play, use descriptive words to discuss the clothing items. Think scarves, belts, or tutus – bring out those items you don't wear every day for added excitement and conversation.
Dress-up time isn't just about playing make-believe; it's also an opportunity for language development and bonding with your little one. Enjoy these playful moments together and play dress-up over the next few weeks to see how many words your little one may learn!
2. Pumpkin Decorating:
While carving pumpkins can be a bit advanced for many toddlers, there are plenty of exciting ways for them to enjoy decorating these autumn gems without the mess! Here are some alternative pumpkin decorating ideas that your little one will adore:
Painted Pumpkins: Provide non-toxic paints and let your toddler express their creativity by painting pumpkins in vibrant colors.
Sticker Fun: Offer a variety of stickers that your toddler can use to decorate their pumpkin. Stickers come in countless shapes and sizes, making this activity both entertaining and engaging.
Colorful Craft Materials: Get creative by supplying colorful craft materials like googly eyes, ribbons, and pom-poms. Your toddler can use glue to affix these materials to the pumpkin, creating a unique masterpiece.
Even those petite $1 pumpkins make fantastic canvases for decorating, and you can grab a handful of them to repeat this enjoyable activity at an affordable price. Remember, repetition is a fantastic way to support learning and skill development.
Language Learning: If your little one is working on their first words, consider practicing some fun sounds and words during this activity. Encourage them to say words like "on," "whoa," and "me" (as in "give me another sticker"), or "more” (as in “more paint” or “more stickers”)
For toddlers who are already using words to communicate, seize the chance to expand their vocabulary by introducing words related to the activity at hand. Some excellent words to focus on during this creative time include "paint," "glue," "googly eye," "sticker," the names of various colors, and "paintbrush." You can also consider adding descriptive words like "messy," “sparkly,” and “colorful” to their growing word bank.
When teaching new words, it's a good practice to choose a manageable number, typically between one to five words at a time.Reference this strategy as a guide for teaching new words during a fun activity with your toddler.
3. Wholesome Halloween Snacks:
Cooking together in the kitchen is a fantastic opportunity to introduce new words to your little one.
For some delightful and healthy Halloween snack ideas, check out this link: Healthy Halloween Kids Snacks. One of my personal favorites is the Peanut Butter Apple Monster Teeth. It's an activity your toddler can actively participate in by spreading peanut butter and adding seeds or nuts as teeth.
Cooking together in the kitchen offers a wonderful opportunity to expand your little one's vocabulary. As you prepare delicious treats, you can introduce them to a handful of new words, which I always recommend limiting to just 1-5 at a time. This approach is not only more manageable but also ideal for toddlers who are just starting to develop their language skills. Here's how you can do it:
Ingredient Names: Teach your child the names of the ingredients you're using, such as "apple," "peanut butter" (or other nut butter), "seed," and "raisin" (which can be an alternative to sunflower or other seeds).
Action Words: Explain the actions you're performing during the cooking process. Words like "cut," "scoop," "spread," "put on," "press (together)," "bite," "eat," and "share/give” one to someone else are excellent choices.
Descriptive Words: Don't forget descriptive words to make the cooking experience more vivid. Words like "sticky," "messy," "yummy," "crunchy," "delicious," and others can help your child express their thoughts and feelings about the food.
I also love using these toddler safe knives so they can help to cut: toddler knives.
4. Halloween Storytime:
Books are an outstanding tool for enhancing your child's language skills, and Halloween-themed books offer a fun way to introduce them to new words.
Exploring New Vocabulary: When you read Halloween books with your child, you can explore a treasure trove of words related to the holiday. Words like "costume," "pumpkin," and many others come to life in the pages of these stories.
Expanding Beyond Halloween Words: While Halloween books introduce specific vocabulary, they also provide an opportunity to explore broader language concepts like emotions, actions, and descriptive words. Discuss feelings like "afraid" or "excited" and actions like "running" or "hiding" within the context of the story.
Here are some of my all time favorite Halloween books for toddlers!
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Written By: Stephanie Hatleli, MS CCC-SLP
© 2020-2023. Stephanie Keffer, MS CCC-SLP. All Rights Reserved.
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