Now we’re into the thick of autumn, with Halloween on the horizon, you might be faced with a conundrum – is it a spooky day or a cosy day?
Why can’t we have both? ‘Spooky-cosy’ takes the best of both worlds: the giddy weird fun of Halloween and the comforting cosiness of an evening cuddled up on the sofa, and combines them into the perfect family day together.
Here are five thoroughly autumnal activity ideas to try with your kids, so you can have your very own spooky-cosy day. They’re also excellent opportunities for language learning!
Make a blanket fort and tell spooky stories
There’s nothing cosier than a blanket fort and kids will have great fun making choices about how to place the cushions and how to prop up the roof. Talk about the colours of the cushions and blankets and how they feel to the touch – are they ‘soft’ or ‘fluffy’?
Once you’ve all made yourself at home in your new fort, it’s time to tell spooky stories. You know your child best and what’s more likely push things over the line, so maybe skip the really scary stuff. How about a creature made of jelly? Or a smelly ghost? Or an alien just like your child, but with green antenna?
There are lots of ways to supercharge story time to help language learning. Use lots of repetition, silly voices help to keep kids engaged and, if they’re old enough, encourage them to tell a story of their own.
They’ll soon start picking up the patterns of storytelling!
Get wrapped up and go for a sensory autumn walk
Cosy doesn’t have to mean staying indoors.
Wrap up warm, picking out clothes together is another opportunity for language learning, and head out for a stomp around the neighbourhood or local park.
Autumn is the perfect time for a bit of sensory exploration – there’s so much to see, hear and smell! You could talk about the ‘crunchy’ leaves, or ‘splashing’ in puddles and, of course, those vivid mid-autumn colours.
Perhaps this is another opportunity to tell spooky stories together, about the park or street you’re walking on. Can your child imagine a spaceship landing on the hill? What noise would it make?
Concoct a cosy meal together
Now that you’re back inside out of the cold, it’s time to make a warming family meal.
Getting children involved in the kitchen can feel daunting – it’s in their nature to make a bit of a mess – but there are rewards, both in their language development and confidence in the kitchen. This is the perfect way to establish a little independent spirit before they start school or nursery.
If you have a baby in the family (aged 9-12 months), this curry weaning recipe will keep everyone happy with rich tomatoey flavours.
Or, you might fancy a family-friendly spaghetti bolognese, which is suitable for children aged 12 months and up.
Decorate a 'jack-o'-lantern'
Carving a pumpkin, or ‘jack-o'-lantern’, might be a little advanced for young children (and lets be honest, some adults), but there’s still plenty of fun for under-fives!
Help your child to choose a spooky design, maybe they could draw it onto the skin of the pumpkin using a permanent marker, and then carefully cut it out for them. The real fun to be had is in pulling out the flesh or ‘guts’ of the pumpkin – another opportunity to talk about senses, with the ‘slimy’, ‘squelchy’ texture.
And keep all of that pumpkin flesh aside for a tasty dessert!
Alternatively, you can help your child to paint or decorate their pumpkin without cutting into it, which also means it will last longer.
Make spooky masks for pretend play
Pretend play is the perfect way to expand your child’s imagination and understanding of the world.
Putting themselves in the shoes of a monster, an alien, or an animal can be a lot of fun and there’s no better way to immerse your child in their latest spooky role than by making a mask for them to wear while they play.
For this shared craft, you could use coloured card, felt tips and glue. The best thing is to use a stick or something similar to hold up the mask to your face, rather than string or elastic which might be dangerous for younger children.
Crafts are great for younger children as it helps to develop their fine motor skills (mainly the movements of their fingers and hands).
Above is an example of a dragon mask you and your child could make using coloured card and glue.
