...And learn ways to adapt any holiday to help your child with autism have fun!
As we welcome the change of season, cooler weather, and autumn breezes, we often find ourselves ready to enjoy some activities inside together. During this time of year, we are all familiar with many big holidays that come around, but this can also be a fun time to explore and learn about some smaller celebrations that can be inclusive for everyone!
Try out these six new fall holidays
1. October 28th is National First Responders Day
Our first responders protect us in so many ways throughout the year. This would be a great day to say thank you back to them for all their service. Take the time to talk about all the different types of first responders, such as paramedics, firefighters, military, law enforcement, and medical personnel with your child. Maybe they have a particular interest in one already and want to thank them.
One way to celebrate is to make cards together and drop them off to your local first responders in the area. If your child likes to bake, you can even make them a special dessert to take as well. This is a great opportunity for children on the spectrum to meet individuals and learn more about the special ways in which they help to protect our community while showing them a small token of our appreciation! Operation Gratitude is an organization that helps connect those deployed to those wanting to send letters, cards, or care packages.
An added bonus to celebrating National First Responders Day is that you can use this opportunity to create relationships with first responders to help your child identify and feel comfortable with these important members of our community.
2. November 1st is National Author’s Day
What a great excuse to visit your local library and learn about new books and authors together! If your child already has a favorite book, you could explore and learn more about the author who wrote it. Even better, you can encourage your child to become an author themselves! Let their imagination shine in writing their own narrative and even illustrating their own book. You can even “publish” their book and share it with friends and family members together.
Another way to celebrate is to help your child write a fan letter to a favorite author. Encourage your child to explain in the letter why they loved a particular book and to share something about themselves with the author. Fan mail can be sent to the author’s publisher. Be sure to include your address: sometimes authors write back!
3. November 13th is World Kindness Day
Did you know that a smile is proven to lower stress and increase life expectancy? There are so many ways you and your child can make people smile through random acts of giving and kindness.
Focus on your child’s strengths and share them with others! If your child is a good joketeller, you can make lots of smiles by having them share some giggles with friends and family. Find something that your child enjoys and incorporate that into your day. It can be as simple as saying thank you to the cashier at your local grocery store or writing a thank you letter to a teacher.
4. November 19th is Family Volunteer Day
Helping others not only makes them feel good but also gives us a sense of happiness as well. Work together to come up with ways you can make a difference in your community to honor this national day. Maybe you can help an elderly neighbor by raking leaves or organizing a clothing drive to donate to a local organization.
Other ways to celebrate can include helping out or gathering donations for a local animal shelter or painting happy thoughts on rocks and leaving them around your neighborhood. There are so many ways to tap into your child’s likes and interests, while also helping those around you.
5. November 21st is World Hello Day
Nǐ hǎo! Saying hello to someone can be difficult for individuals on the spectrum, especially if meeting them for the first time. To learn more about National Hello Day, you could learn new ways to say hello to others! If your child does not like to speak, you could teach someone to say hello by using sign language or holding up a card. You can also discuss how to say hello in other languages. Together, you could practice saying hello and learning ways in which your child feels best in doing so!
6. December 3rd is International Day of Persons with Disabilities
This can be a wonderful opportunity to be proactive in celebrating and sharing about the exceptionalities of your child with others. Other great ideas include writing thank you letters to educators and neighbors who help support you. Showing them they are appreciated can be a small thing that makes them feel special.
One fun activity is to make a paper chain with each link in the chain having the name of a famous person with a disability such as Stephen Hawking, Itzhak Perlman, or Simone Biles.
What’s a fun new holiday that you have started celebrating? Please share with us in the comments below!
Before you go, take a look at our handout on How to Adapt Any Holiday to Help Your Autistic Child Have Fun!
