This month our resources focus on safe, family-friendly activities for Halloween. Along with youth leadership meetings and a handy app that helps children with disabilities develop literacy, we provide several events and resources to make this Halloween season jam packed with spooky fun!
Easter Seals Youth Leadership Network
The YLN kickoff meetings begin on Sunday, October 5th in Boston. The Easter Seals Youth Leadership Network helps teens and young adults ages 14 to 26 with disabilities gain the knowledge and self-confidence they need to make the transition to becoming successful adults. It is a state-wide initiative with meetings, events and the dynamic use of social media to unite youth in Massachusetts. There will also be kickoff meetings in Worcester (10/12), New Bedford (10/19), and Springfield (10/7).
Avaz is a picture based communication app. It is a full-featured Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) app which has been developed for children who are non-verbal or who have difficulty speaking. Avaz grows with the child to develop literacy through various features such as automatic tracking of therapy sessions and Learn Quickly which enables literacy faster. You can purchase the app on Itunes.
Go trick-or-treating at the The Franklin Park Zoo! There will be costume contests, a haunted maze, and many more activities for all ages. The Zoo Howl will be at the Franklin Park Zoo on Oct 26-27, 11am-3pm.
Do you plan on carving pumpkins this year? Bring your 6”-8” home-carved pumpkin to Pope John Paul II Park in Dorchester on Oct 26 from 5:30-7:30pm. Each jack-o-lantern will have a candle inserted, be mounted on a float, and lit before being launched in the water. Floats and candles are provided.
Every Halloween, the Strand is turned into a haunted house. Children are invited to dress up and go “trick-or-treating” at the theater. This event features freaky flicks, pumpkins, candy, prizes and much more. This event is free and will be on Halloween day (10/31) from 1-4pm.
Of course, the most popular place to be for Halloween in Massachusetts is Salem. There are parades, haunted houses, costume contests, psychics, graveyard tours, pumpkin carvings, musicals, markets, carnivals, and much more! Check out their website to see all the Halloween-related events offered every day in October.
Instead of throwing out your old costumes and buying a new one this year, find a local Costume Swap near you! At these community events, you trade your family’s old costumes for new-to-you outfits. Although there’s an annual National Costume Swap Day on Saturday, October 12th, local community organizations across the country hold costume swaps on various dates throughout the month.
Lastly, don’t forget about safety this Halloween! Be smart with these Halloween safety tips.