By Karen Kaplan
Use the celebration of Hanukkah to help your child develop their vocabulary, strengthen fine motor and motor planning skills, try new foods, and take a step or two towards socialization and conversation.Here are some ideas:
Purchase some Hanukkah books to read together. Amazon.com: Hanukkah books for kids. They can turn pages, developing fine motor skills. They can point to things you name, developing comprehension. You can ask them questions about what they have read or you have read, and that builds understanding.
Purchase or pull out your menorah and have them count the number of candles it holds. Talk about the Shammash, the candle that lights the other candles. Talk about why there are eight candles (the lasting of the oil). Develop math skills and understanding of the holiday. Help them light the candles each night. This works on fine motor and safety.
Purchase some different kinds of dreidels, depending on their ability to hold and try to spin an object. Teach them to spin it. Teach them the four letters on the dreidel. Teach them to play the game. Dreidel Rules | How to Play Dreidel & Printable Instructions | So Festive! This builds social skills, fine motor skills, and turn-taking.
Now, it's time to go grocery shopping. Take out your recipes for Latkes and Apple Sauce. These are great for practicing reading, making shopping lists, and learning to follow directions. Have them make a list and then take them to the shop. You could also use pictures of items to help with shopping.
Now have them help you, in any way they can, to make fresh applesauce to put on the Latkes and to make Latkes to eat. Think of the verbs you will be teaching. (Peal, cut, stir, cook, shop, pour, fry, flip over, etc.)
Perhaps you can have them help you throw a Hanukkah party. Who would they like to invite? Could they make an invitation, email it, call someone, and invite them to a party? This develops social skills. They can help you set up for the party. This is problem-solving and motor planning. They could help you decorate. This is fine motor and motor planning. They can set the table, pass out food, clear it, and greet people—so many self-help skills.
Karen Kaplan, MS, is a native San Franciscan. She completed her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, in speech pathology and audiology. She minored in special education and obtained her speech therapist and special education credentials in California. Karen worked as a speech therapist for schools for 20 years before opening her own residential and education program for students with autism. She worked in credential programs at Sacramento State University as well as UC Davis and spent 20 years directing private schools for those with autism and similar learning challenges.
Karen founded a non-profit, Offerings, which helps cultures globally to understand those with developmental challenges. For seven years, she founded and facilitated an autism lecture series and resource fair in Northern California. Karen still facilitates an annual Autism Awesomeness event. She is currently consulting, helping families, schools, and centers for children, teens, and adults. Karen has authored three books: Reach Me Teach Me: A Public School Program for the Autistic Child; A Handbook for Teachers and Administrators, On the Yellow Brick Road: My Search for Home and Hope for the Child with Autism, and Typewriting to Heaven… and Back: Conversations with My Dad on Death, Afterlife and Living (which is not about autism but about having
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