Guest Contributer

Many of the articles written for WonderBaby.org are contributed by parents or caregivers of children with special needs. Please contact us if you would like to tell your story or share a resource with the WonderBaby.org community!

Victor and his quilt

Sensory Activities

A Quilt of Many Textures

Cindy King writes about creating a quilt of many textures for her son Victor who is blind. He loves all the different types of fabric! Cindy will also make a...

a flower in focus

Eye Conditions and Syndromes

Tips and Tricks to Adapting to Everyday Situations When You Have Low Vision or Congenital Nystagmus

Advice from an adult with low vision and congenital nystagmus about how to adapt to everyday situations and how to ask for help when you need it!

Justin splashing in the water

Adoption and Foster Care, Visual Impairment

Bethel China: Supporting Blind Children in China

Bethel China supports parents of visually impaired children in China and helps orphaned blind children find homes. Find out what they are doing and how you can help!

girl listening

Orientation and Mobility, Visual Impairment

Echolocation for Blind Children

Echolocation is the use of sounds to gain information about the environment and surrounding objects. Blind kids can learn to use echolocation to augment traditional orientation and mobility!

books

Braille and Literacy

Bookshare: Literacy Made Accessible!

Connor and Finley are two kids who are learning to read using the free service from Bookshare. They get free accessible books that they can access through their iPads.

braille blocks

Braille and Literacy

Decorative Braille Blocks

Decorative Braille blocks for sale on etsy! Any word, any color! Proceeds go to charity for kids with Albinism and its visual impairments!

Baby with Playtex Trainer Cup

Feeding and Eating

Playtex Twist ‘n Click Straw Trainer Cup

Shannon Austin wrote in to share a neat (and affordable) sippy cup find that has worked great for her daughter. This Playtex straw trainer teaches kids how to use a...

Kekoa helps Oliana open a present

Parenting, Special Needs

Growing up with a special needs sister

Shannon Gardner writes about her son, Kekoa, and his relationship with his younger sister Oliana, who is blind. She writes about how it can be difficult to have a disabled...

soccer players

Play

Life Lessons from the VIP Special Needs Soccer Program

David wrote this essay as part of a college scholarship application. He writes about his experience as a football player in high school and compares that to his experiences volunteering...

Ivan in his swing

Development, Visual Impairment

Vestibular Stimulation: Making Sense of the Other Senses When Your Child is Blind

Many children with visual impairments seek out physically stimulating activities, like swinging or rocking. Here are ways you can help channel that energy.

surfboards

Visual Impairment

“So Dad, When Can I Go Surfing?” Letting Your Blind Child Experience Adventures in the World

Eric Vasiliauskas writes about encouraging independence and exploration in your blind children.

busy board idea

Visual Impairment

The Independent Little Bee: A little something for children with vision impairments & their families

This blog focuses on the Expanded Core Curriculum (ECC) for visually impaired students and how to implement it into everyday life. There are posts with topics on all aspects of...

students reading braille in a classroom

Advocacy, Visual Impairment

Bringing Blindness Awareness to the Sighted Classroom

We'll give you some tips on how to teach sighted children about blindness so they can interact with their blind classmates.

Irish mountainside

Visual Impairment

Thoughts on Growing Up Blind

Read about how June, who was born blind, was brought up by her grandmother and where she finds herself now.

Chad and mom

Support

Chad’s Story: How a Mom & Her Son are Using their Experience to Help Others

Marsha Peterson writes about her son, Chad, and how she helped him learn to communicate. Chad was born with Down syndrome, diagnosed with autism, is hard of hearing, and near...