Are you looking for Halloween-themed books to add to your collection? I personally LOVE Halloween picture books and wanted to share a few of my favorite Halloween books alongside a couple of activities that will surely catch your students’ attention and motivate them to work towards their goals. (Be sure to check out part two HERE).
Too Many Pumpkins by Linda White
Rebecca Estelle loved being in her garden which was filled with growing fruits and vegetables. However, pumpkins were one thing that she refused to plant as it brought bad memories from when she was a girl and pumpkins were the only food her family had. One day, an enormous pumpkin fell off a truck and smashed in her yard. Rebecca decided to shovel dirt on them and forget about them until one autumn day she opens her door to a sea of pumpkins. She decided to try to give the pumpkins away but they were much too heavy. This story is funny and a great way to practice cause/effect with your students as well as articulation!
Activity #1
Rebecca Estelle made pumpkin pie using the pumpkins from her overgrown garden. This is a chance for your students to make some too! Using orange play dough or orange kinetic sand as well as a small aluminum pie tin, have your students line the pie tin with the orange dough or sand. If you have students that will most likely eat the play dough or sand, vanilla pudding with food coloring or edible play dough is an option for you. As the students are lining their pie tins, I also will give them the option of sticking items into the dough or sand such as mini objects, erasers, or beads.
You can reverse this activity altogether and create the pie yourself while hiding the objects, erasers, or beads. Your students will undoubtedly enjoy finding the little treasures that you’ve hidden. While your students get to create, it is the perfect opportunity for you to work on comparing/contrasting, describing, answering -wh questions, and following directions.
Activity #2
Directed drawing is my go-to activity for my students. If you have a laptop or phone, art supplies, and paper, then this is a no-prep activity for you. Directed drawing is the process of drawing a picture by teaching and modeling using a step-by-step approach. Students are guided and directed through each step. These activities are ideal for individual or group sessions and also accommodate various learning styles! They fit pretty much any theme or holiday, which is why they are my go-to activity! Here is a really cute pumpkin that all my students and I had such a good time drawing this past Halloween. I have to say I got pretty good at it! If you want more information on directed drawing and how you can incorporate it into your practice, click here!
The Hallo-Wiener by Dav Pilkey
Oscar is a little dog with a big problem! He has always been teased for his shape and size and it often made him sad. He couldn’t wait for Halloween! He was excited about trick or treating and his scary costume. He raced home after school to make his scary costume only to find his mother had already bought him one – a hot dog bun. He was so embarrassed but didn’t want to hurt his mother’s feelings so he wore the costume to go trick or treating that evening. Oscar’s friends laughed and teased him throughout the entire night. Later that night, Oscar and his friends passed a graveyard where a monstrous figure rose from the shadows. This story is not only great to talk about being kind to our friends but also great for targeting sequencing, conversation skills, and more!
Activity #1
Scavenger hunts are a hit in my therapy room! They are enjoyable and engaging for my students but easy, low-prep, and aren’t time-consuming for me. It can target so many goals, provide many communication opportunities, and can be modified for a variety of ages and populations.
Scavenger hunts can be done for any theme or holiday and in many different ways. For me, I decide between specific and nonspecific. If I want my students to find specific things, I will make a list of things for them to find whether it be from my Hallo-Wiener book, bowl of mini objects (e.g. Halloween erasers, articulation objects), picture cards, or even outside. Now, if I want my students to find nonspecific things, I will be more deliberate and intentional in how I lead the session depending on the student’s goal. For example, if working on following directions or prepositions, I might ask the student to look for items behind, on, under, or next to something. If the student is working on describing, I might ask the student to find something that is slimy, big, dirty, etc.
The objects you want your students to find can be based on you and what is already in your toolbox. For The Hallo-wiener, you can ask your students to find Halloween-themed objects, different types of pets, or even costumes or occupations (e.g. find someone you would call in an emergency). You truly have so many options!
Activity #2
One of the most exciting parts of Halloween is getting to dress up. Your students will get to dress up in different costumes using this boom card activity! Boom cards are great for the traveling SLPs who have to be strategic in what they can carry from place to place. I love this activity because it’s a great reinforcer to go alongside really any Halloween story. It is interactive, fun, and saves me time in prepping!
What are your favorite go-to Halloween books? Comment below to share with our community and be sure to check out these two Story Sidekicks so you can prep them before Halloween!