It feels so good knowing Fall is in the air, even if we haven’t quite felt the temperature dropping yet. I don’t know about you, but my mood starts to lift as soon as October begins. Maybe it is the change in weather, or the yummy flavors of apple and pumpkin, or the excitement of the holiday season arriving that just gets me excited. October through December can feel like such a whirlwind as we go from Halloween to Thanksgiving right into Christmas. Let’s try to slow down and take some time to enjoy the fall themes. Here are some simple ways to incorporate speech and language skills into the fun October activities! 

1. Visit the pumpkin patch – use descriptive words to talk about the pumpkins! Big pumpkins and small pumpkins, tall ones and short ones, fat ones and thin ones, bumpy and smooth! When your child excitedly points and says “pumpkin!” you can respond by adding one of the descriptive words and repeating it back to them, “orange pumpkin!”
2. Making inferences about Halloween costumes – play a game where you describe a costume and your child has to figure out what you are describing. Here are some examples: 

• “I am thinking of a costume that is all white and says “Boo!”
• “I am thinking of a costume that black, with ears and a tail. It might say “Meow”
• “I am thinking of a red and blue costume that can shoot webs out of its hands!” 

3. Look at pictures of scarecrows (real ones would be even better!) – talk about body parts and clothing items. Point out the scarecrow’s eyes and nose, and talk about its hat and shirt. Using a scarecrow will make learning body parts fun! 

I hope these ideas will help you and your family make the most of the fall season and all it has to offer!