Stacey's Journal
Isaiah's World: Speech Therapy and Beyond

The Halloween Party

October 26, 2003

Yesterday was Isaiah’s Halloween Party. My family and friends joke that I throw so many parties for Isaiah simply because I love parties. This is true. However, I had another reason for planning this party. Isaiah is a very social child. He enjoys company and gets very excited when we have guests. He also needs to work on his social skills. He needs to gain a better understanding of how to play with children and take turns. He needs to learn what is appropriate behavior in social situations. In addition to the social interaction he gets at school, I am organizing other social situations to help with his development.

Isaiah’s teachers at Prairie Children Preschool, Tutor Time as well as his speech and occupational therapists all got involved in helping Isaiah prepare for this party. I planned the party activities well in advance to include 3 games: Pin the Nose on the Pumpkin, Halloween Ball Toss and a Memory Game. I made extra sets of the Pin the Nose on the Pumpkin game and left them at Prairie Children Preschool and Tutor Time. I also left the Ball Toss game at Prairie Children Preschool. For about 3 weeks prior to the party, Isaiah practiced the games almost everyday. He understood how to play the games and how to take turns. His teacher also made a picture schedule for the party. This enabled Isaiah to know exactly what would happen during the party.

When the party started, we dressed Isaiah in his Cat in the Hat outfit. I pulled out the picture schedule and guests began to arrive. I was in the kitchen a lot of the time preparing food and Harold organized the games. Isaiah participated appropriately in the games. We used the picture schedule a little; however, when you have a room full of preschoolers, things are likely to go a little off schedule!! All in all the party went well. Karen, one of Isaiah’s speech therapists came to the party (dressed as a red M&M) and help Isaiah navigate the party.

The party went well. Isaiah had a great time. The key was planning, planning and planning. Indeed, we are already discussing some of the skills we would like Isaiah to master before his 4th birthday party---in April 2004!

P.S. We requested that adults dress up for the party as well as the children. Some adults actually did come in costume. We had a clown, an M&M, a witch and the villain from the movie Scream. I was a bumble bee and Harold was a very scary being!

Stacey 10/26/03
editor@celebratingchildren.com