Five things you can do with your visually impaired child this spring

It is now spring, and with that means warmer weather. If you have a visually impaired child you may want to take this opportunity to work on some “blindness” skills. Here are five ideas to help you get started.

1. If your child likes to fly a kite, have them use their magnifier, and have them use it to read the instructions and put the kite together themselves. (with you supervising this). This will teach them to use their magnifier, how to follow directions, and how to feel good about themselves when it comes to completing something.
2. This next activity is for children who have a telescope or is in pre-telescope training. This is a fun way to practice using proper prompting technique (which can also be called a holding technique). Which can be used when getting ready to track the kite, or to help stabilize their arm while they are tracking the kite. You can move the kite in different directions and have them follow it with their telescope. (which can help build tracking technique). These two skills are needed in the classroom when children are taking their own notes from the board.
3. This next activity can be for a younger child who may be working on Orientation and Mobility skills. Have them follow bubbles. For some of these activities you may want to use a larger wand to make bigger bubbles. 😊 If your child can see them well enough. You can blow the bubbles, and while the bubbles are floating have your child follow them. While they are following them, you can work on directions such as up, down, left, right, behind, under, over. If your child is working on compass directions you can blow them, and ask, “If I blow them in this direction, what direction is this?” or “What direction is behind you from where the bubbles are going?” If your child likes to run remember that this can be another good way for them to get some exercise too.
4. Go for a walk or a bike ride. For biking every child is different. Please do not pick this activity if you do not feel like your child can handle riding a bike. Walking may be a better option. This can help your child get exercise. It can also open up a dialog. You can start talking about options  that they can do if they can’t drive to help them still be mobile and still be independent. This can be a fun activity that the whole family can do.

5.       Finally, you can take some or maybe all of these activities and combine them into a day. Maybe you can even do a scavenger hunt for the supplies for the kite. Have fun!