Best Fall Activities to do in Michigan with Child with Autism

It is finally starting to feel like fall and we couldn’t be more excited. We love the colors of the changing leaves, the crisp air, ciders and donuts and of course the pumpkin patches and apple orchards. From u-pick pumpkin patches, to hay rides, corn mazes, and the best apple cider, we have compiled a list of the best fall activities in Michiana.

Here is a calendar of Michiana activities

Here is a few lists of fall activities in South Bend:

https://www.downtownsouthbend.com/post/all-fall-activities-in-downtown-south-bend

10 Fun Things To Do This Fall & Winter in South Bend

• Thistleberry Farm – this fall activity in South Bend, IN offers a pumpkin patch, bounce houses, a corn mazes and a petting zoo. Children of all ages can find something fun to do at Thistleberry Farms!
• Knollbrook Farms – located in Goshen, IN, Knollbrook Farms has a corn maze, giant slide, petting zoo, train rides, pumpkin slingshot and more! This is a real working Dairy Farm that you can tour as well.
• Kercher’s Sunrise Orchard – also located in Goshen, Kercher’s offers activities for the apple pickers and pumpkin pickers! Visit the farm for apple picking, pumpkin picking, hay rides, a corn maze and more. The farm is open for various u-picks all year round!
• Ashley’s Pumpkin Farm – located on the North side of South Bend near the Michigan line, this small pumpkin patch offers affordable pumpkins, a corn maze and a petting zoo.
• A-Mazing Acres – Located in Southern Michigan with 90+ A-Mazing acres — with a corn maze, pumpkin patch, and close to 100 attractions. Our farm opens each year in the Fall for a traditional harvest season… and more! We’re a real working farm located just 8 miles east of Edwardsburg in Cass County. Family entertainment at its best!
• Lehman’s Apple Orchard – located in Niles, Michigan this u-pick orchard has offered apple picking for nearly a hundred years! In the Fall they offer apple picking, pear picking and blackberries!
• Potawatomi Zoo – Zoo Boo – each year the Potawatomi Zoo hosts Zoo Boo, a three day event where children can see their favorite animals and trick or treat around the zoo. For this years dates visit their website.
• Fall Foliage Tour– One of the best things about fall has to be the change of colors. Bright oranges and reds dot the landscape as trees prepare to shed their leaves before winter. And there are plenty of places to snap photos. Notre Dame’s campus, Potato Creek State Park, St. Patrick’s Park and Spicer Lake Nature Preserve are favorites in our Guide to Fall Foliage.
• Find a Fall Hike – Name a more satisfying sound than the crunch of leaves under your hiking boots. We’ll wait. In the mean time, there are plenty of great hiking options from which to choose around here. Potato Creek State Park is an outdoor playground. St. Patrick’s County Park, Bendix Woods and Rum Village are among the most popular. 
• South Bend Farmers Market– Fall isn’t called harvest time for nothing. Stroll the aisles at the South Bend Farmers Market and see for yourself. Local farmers bring all sorts of produce to the market specific to the season — fresh apples, sweet corn, pumpkins, gourds and more. Don’t forget the handmade crafts, delicious sweets and local coffee. Odds are you’ll smell it before you see it.
• Spooky Season Scares – Halloween isn’t complete without a scare or two. Fear Itself at Legend Park in Mishawaka is one of the largest scream parks in the country. With five terrifying attractions, you will be jumping right out of your shoes. Many locals consider the Niles Scream Park a must-visit for some frightful entertainment. It’s spread across 44 acres with multiple attractions, including a “Hooded” experience that’s not for that faint of heart.

Tips for Celebrating Halloween with a Child on the Autism Spectrum

1.) The Costume

Let your child pick out a costume that works for them. If they love soft things, try a fuzzy costume onesie, if they love dinosaurs, let them be a T-rex. Whatever it is that gets your child excited, channel that into a costume! Let your child practice wearing the costume at home to allow them to get used to it.

2.) What to Expect

Make sure your child knows what to expect. Talk about the trick or treating and exactly what your child should expect. Tell them several times in advance. Consider creating a visual schedule or countdown to the big day! Create a visual to show them or read them books about trick or treating to get them more familiarized with the process. If your child is overwhelmed with change, consider introducing activities and Halloween decorations gradually.

3.) Practice

Help your child practice for the big day by practicing putting on their costume and going through the routine of the day. Enlist the help of a neighbor or friend and have your child practice trick or treating in a familiar environment. Use role play to practice receiving and giving treats.

4.) Trick or Treat Alternatives

If your child does not enjoy trick or treating, or if you are choosing to stay home due to Covid-19 related reasons, consider other alternatives. Take them to other Halloween-related activities in the community or consider a “not-so-scary” night in with their favorite movie and treat.

5.) Have Fun!

Halloween looks different for every child on the autism spectrum and you know your child best. Use your best judgement and if you only stop at a few houses, that’s still a big win! Keep trick or treating short and comfortable if needed. Consider letting siblings (that might want to go longer) go trick or treating with a family member or friend. Whatever you choose to do and however you do it, remember to be flexible, do what is best for your child and family, and have fun! 

To learn more about Lighthouse Autism Center, visit: https://lighthouseautismcenter.com/

Here are some additional links to tips on safety during Halloween:

https://www.safekids.org/tip/halloween-safety-tips

https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/all-around/Pages/Halloween-Safety-Tips.aspx

https://www.cityofsouthfield.com/news/follow-these-halloween-trick-or-treating-tips-stay-safe-stop-spread

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/will-you-let-your-child-trick-or-treat-this-halloween-heres-how-the-cdc-says-to-do-it-safely-11633370865

Tips for Passing Out Candy at Home

Although awareness around autism spectrum disorder is growing, there may still be some households who do not have experience with children on the autism spectrum. Here are a few quick tips that you can share with your friends and family within your community to help support children with autism who may be out trick or treating.

Because of this broad spectrum disorder, autism looks much different in every child.

• For the child who does not say trick or treat, please or thank you:  They may be nonverbal or have delayed speech.
• For the child who take more than one piece of candy at a time:  They may have poor fine motor skills.
• For the child who looks at your candy and appears disappointed:  They may have allergies.
• For those that don’t like the flashing lights:  They may be prone to seizures or be overstimulated by lights or sudden movements.
• For the child who is not wearing a costume: They might have sensory processing disorder and wearing a costume may be too overstimulating.
• For the child who looks too old to be trick or treating: They may be developmentally delayed.

Please be patient, accepting and kind. Have non-food items available for children with allergies.

Tips to Make Halloween Allergy/Food Sensitivity Friendly

Some children may be unable to eat candy due to food allergies and/or other issues (e.g., oral motor challenges). It is, therefore, important to consider non-food treats for these children. The Food Allergy & Research Education organization launched the Teal Pumpkin Project, which raises awareness of food allergies, which the ultimate goal of helping all children feel more included during festivities. The organization encourages families to buy or paint a pumpkin teal (or simply print out a sign to post on the door) to let trick-or-treaters know that there are alternative snacks and goodies. For more information on the Teal Pumpkin Projects, please visit this link: https://connectingforkids.org/Teal-Pumpkin-Project. Below are some ideas of some non-food treats:

• Glow bracelets
• Fidget items
• Stickers
• Mini notebooks
• Action/Princess figurines

Learn more tips here:

https://autismhomesupport.com/blog/tips-autism-awareness-passing-candy-home/

Halloween for Children with Special Needs

https://aeroflowurology.com/blog/how-to-create-an-inclusive-halloween-for-special-needs-kids