10 Cortical Visual Impairment Toys for Kids With CVI
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- Children with CVI often prefer toys that are visually simple with bright colors and lights.
- There are many mainstream toys that are affordable and work perfectly for kids with CVI.
- Look for toys that can provide other sensory stimulation beyond the visual through interesting textures or sounds.
If you’re looking for toys for a child with cortical visual impairment (CVI), there are some things to keep in mind. Many children with CVI prefer toys that are bright and visually stimulating, as well as those that offer interesting textures. Toys that light up or make noise can also be a good choice.
In addition, it’s important to choose toys that are relatively simple in design, as complex patterns can be overwhelming for children with CVI. With these guidelines in mind, you’re sure to find the perfect toy for the special child in your life.
Table could not be displayed.What is Cortical Visual Impairment?
Cortical visual impairment is a visual disorder caused by damage to the part of the brain that processes vision.
A common misconception about cortical visual impairment (CVI) is that children with CVI are blind and therefore do not need visually stimulating toys. This is untrue.
Instead, a diagnosis of CVI implies an issue with the brain’s ability to decode the information from the eyes to the brain. The eyes are typically healthy and capable of seeing, but there is a communication problem between the eyes and the visual parts of the brain.
Children with cortical visual impairment need consistent sensory input. The toys they use should be engaging while not being too visually complex.
According to the CVI range, Revised Edition, 2018, there are ten characteristics associated with CVI:
- Color preferences (often red, yellow, saturated)
- Need for movement (to elicit/sustain attention)`
- Visual latency (slow processing time)
- Visual field preferences
- Difficulty with visual complexity (array, target/object, multisensory, faces)
- Need for/attraction to light
- Difficulty with distance viewing
- Atypical visual reflexes (blink to touch, blink to threat)
- Difficulty with visual novelty (easier with familiar objects, people, settings)
- Difficulty with visually guided reach (looking and reaching/touching at the same time)
So when applying this range to purchasing toys, a teacher of the visually impaired (TVI) will advise that CVI-friendly toys:
- Offer visual stimulation without being too complex or cluttered
- Move in some capacity
- Be in the child’s preferred color(s)
- Satisfy the need for light
Below is a list of toys that reach these requirements while also being inexpensive.
Light Board or Light Table
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One of the ten characteristics of cortical visual impairment is “the need for light,” according to Christine Roman-Lantzy, Ph.D. Therefore, a light table or light board is an essential toy for children with CVI.
However, light tables can get pretty pricey. This one is very lightheight, USB powered, and very affordable!
If you are the crafty, creative type, you could also make your own light table with items found around the house!
Fun light board activity
Cut out different shapes from red and yellow felt and place them on the light board. The light and colors will attract little eyes while also encouraging interest to touch!
See-Thru Shapes for Light Board
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Place these colorful, see-thru shapes and images on your light board and allow your child to experience their variety while getting an array of light saturation. These magnetic tiles also look great on a light table while also being easy to build with.
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It’s a simple way for your child to build STEM knowledge while also developing the ability to find toys independently. As her abilities progress, these toys will grow with her by contributing to STEM knowledge and creative expression.
Fun shapes activity
Create a matching game for fun! Use the geometric see thru shapes on the light board to make a pattern and see if your child can recreate it.
Discover Light Bar
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The discover lightbar from Baby Einstein is a great toy for children with CVI. The large colorful buttons come in the full spectrum of the rainbow to draw the attention of any child, no matter their color preference. To help draw attention, each button also lights up and can play classical music, recite the colors in three different languages, or make animal noises. It also props up to help with accessibility.
Sesame Street Plush Toys
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Sesame Street is a beloved children’s show for many people, young and old! Big Bird and Elmo are essential characters on Sesame Street making them a favorite toy for many children with cortical visual impairment.
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The appeal of these toys is not just their eye-catching colors, but with no hard pieces on the dolls’ bodies, their soft, plush feel is very appealing. Children in the first phase of CVI tend to be drawn to red and yellow colors. This makes the Big Bird and Elmo dolls a wonderful option for their toy collection since they are designed with pure bright colors.
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For those who have a blue color preference, the Cookie monster doll makes a great addition to the Sesame Street crew!
Fun plush sesame street toy activity
As your baby does tummy time, turn off the lights and place Big Bird or Elmo in the corner of the mat. Then put a spotlight on the toy. The reduced visual clutter coupled with the light and red or yellow coloring will make a fabulous attention grab!
Glitter Party Whistle
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The Glitter Party Whistle is a musical toy made of fringed plastic with a plastic mouthpiece. The appeal of this toy is the shimmering fringe. They are eye-catching and also cheap so you can place many around the house for regular stimulation.
For kids who do not have hand-eye coordination yet, this toy is easy to set up in visual range to allow their eyes to be drawn to the shiny colors.
Fun party whistle activity
Tape a few of the glitter party whistles to your baby’s car seat handle or above the diaper changing station. Take advantage of these everyday moments to engage and stimulate!
Cosmic Wand
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Due to its brightness and accessibility, this light-up wand is preferred by many medical professionals as it assists them with assessing a child’s visual tracking.
With just a gentle tap, the wand will begin a 15-second display of flashing colored lights. It comes in many colors so you can choose to use whichever one your child may be more attracted to and then can switch it up as their needs change.
Fun cosmic wand activity
Turn off the lights and turn on some dance music. Dance around with the cosmic wand! The bright colors and musical sounds will make for a fun time for both the parents and the child!
Glow Sticks
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Ask any kid on the street and he will tell you that he enjoys playing with glow sticks! They are fun, bright, inexpensive, and versatile. Although most kinds don’t last longer than 12 hours, they still provide an exciting, colorful glow for the entire duration. The bright glow of the sticks will attract attention especially when placed on a non-cluttered background.
This pack comes in six different colors. They are made from non-toxic, industrial-grade strength plastic so they are safe for children of all ages to play with.
Fun glow stick activity
Toss some glowsticks into the bathtub and turn off the lights. It provides a visually stimulating activity during bath time!
Suction Cup Toys
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Suction cup toys are recommended since they can be placed in all different ranges of your child’s view. These stacking cups go great on trays, car seats, or hard floor surfaces. They come in a range of colors to suit any child’s need.
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Another fun suction cup toy are these jellyfish. They are a bright toy specifically designed for the bathtub. With its solid background and reduced visual clutter, a bathtub is a great place for visual stimulation.
Bright Starts Sweet Cupcakes
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These cute plastic cupcakes are bright visual toys that are easy to grasp and pull apart. They come in six different colors, including green, blue, and pink. They sit inside a shaped pan for easy maneuvering, which adds a skills-building exercise for any child working on growing his fine motor skills.
Light-Up Fish
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Entirely made from rubber, these light-up fish are suitable for children of all ages. They come in an array of colors to help attract any color preference. Each fish is suited with an LED light which provides hours of visual stimulation. They are waterproof which means they can be used in the bathtub or for water play. They are also useful toys to take on long car rides.
These light-up fish are bound to be one of your kiddo’s favorite toys!
Fun light up fish activity
Water play! Fill a clear bucket with water and place it on a piece of black felt or a tarp. Turn off the lights and place some of the fish in the bucket of water. The dark background will help him find toys while also getting the sensory enjoyment of water play.
CVI Apps
An iPad is not inexpensive (and you can get help covering the cost of an iPad for special needs kids), but if you have already purchased this wonderful, CVI educational tool, you can use a few of these successful CVI apps designed with children in mind, many of which are free!
Below, I described a few of the free apps and their use for the visually impaired.
Free apps for CVI
Fluid: Bright, swirling visuals that mimic the look of water or gas floating through space. When the screen is pressed the visuals change and shift with the pressure, which gives the user the feel they are changing the images.
CVI Visual Tracking: Shows a black & white pattern background with different objects on the screen. The user will tap an object that is different from the one bordered by a colored circle. A sound goes off when the user is successful.
Visuals2Go: This app offers lots of features appropriate for many different diagnoses. It can even be used as a communication device for anyone who is non-verbal. All for free!
The useful aspect for those with cortical visual impairment is the visual cards and games. You can create your cards and print them off for hands-on use.
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