Play
Discover fun and creative ideas to encourage play time with toys, light play, music, multi-sensory activities and tactile art. Also find seasonal holiday crafts!
Filter by: Cooking and Kitchen Play, Holiday Crafts and Ideas, Light Play, Music Play, Sensory Activities, Tactile Arts and Crafts, Toys
Sensory Activities
Make Your Own Tactile Matching Game
Ever thought about making a tactile matching game? This is a great activity for blind children. All you need is a collection of cleaned plastic snack cups and a few...
Play
Sensory Friendly Films
This program provides a special opportunity for families to enjoy their favorite films in a safe and accepting environment.
Sensory Activities
Make Your Own Sponge Ball!
Just take a sponge, cut it up and tie the pieces together to make a sponge ball... and now you have a fun toy to play with in the bath...
Sensory Activities
Baked Cotton Balls Sensory Activity
Looking for a project that's sticky, messy, crunchy, soft and scented all in one? Making baked cotton balls is such an easy activity plus it's great fun for a rainy...
Tactile Arts and Crafts
Sticky Collage Art Project
Sticky play is so much fun (and a great sensory activity for children with visual impairments), but can sometimes be really messy! This sticky collage art project is actually relatively...
Toys
Rainbow Sound Blocks
Each transparent block in this set contains different types of beads so each one makes a different sound which is great for kids learning to play with auditory cues. For...
Sensory Activities, Visual Impairment
Gardening with a Blind Child
Gardening is a very hands-on endeavor and children with visual impairments need the opportunity to get their hands into as many different real-world activities as possible, so how about starting...
Sensory Activities
Make Your Own Textured Balloon Activity
Here's an easy activity that is fun and great for fine motor development and tactile discrimination: fill balloons with different textures from the kitchen (like rice or flour) and squeeze...
Tactile Arts and Crafts
Make Your Own Textured Pot
Create a pretty and tactile pot for your garden and plants with just a few easy techniques and simple craft materials. And since your hands will get sticky making this...
Sensory Activities
Horticultural Therapy
What is horticultural therapy and what are the benefits for blind or visually impaired children? We'll explain what the therapy is and give you a few fun ideas so you...
Music Play
Grow Your Own Musical Instrument in Your Garden!
Daria shows us how to grow gourds and turn them into musical instruments like shekeres and guiros! Plant your seeds in the spring and you'll have your own home-grown instruments...
Sensory Activities
Sound Eggs Sensory Activity
Fill each egg with a different object to make different sounds when you shake them. Fill your eggs in pairs so you can play a matching game!
iPad Apps and Accessibility, Music Play
Bloom Music App Review
Eric Jerman reviews the generative music iPad app, Bloom. Bloom allows children to create gentle, soft music patterns and bubbles of color with just the tap of a finger. The...
Toys, Visual Impairment
Wikki Stix for the Sight-Impaired
Wikki Stix are an easy way to create tactile graphics, assist with O & M training, map concepts, music lessons, daily living skills and much more. Since they adhere to...
Special Needs, Toys
PlayAbility Toys: Special Toys for Special Kids
PlayAbility Toys creates toys designed specifically for children with visual impairments, hearing impairments, cognitive challenges and other challenges.
Sensory Activities, Visual Impairment
Creating Sensory Activity Centers for Blind Children
Learn how to make an activity center for children with visual impairments. Using general hardware materials (like cardboard or peg-board) and other household items (like toys or kitchen utensils) you...
Music Play
Make Your Own Gong!
Learn how to make your own Chinese gong using simple objects you probably have in your kitchen. Decorate your gong with tactile crafts and make lots of noise!
Music Play
Make Your Own Sistrum, an Egyptian Rattle
Daria shows you how to make your own Sistrum, an ancient Egyptian instrument, out of a wire coat hanger, electrical tape and buttons!
Toys
Puffer Balls
This simple ball is squishy and rubbery and makes a neat noise when you shake it. Great for helping with tactile defensiveness. If your child has light perception, you can...
iPad Apps and Accessibility, Music Play
ThumbJam Music App Review
ThumbJam is a simple music app that allows your child to make beautiful, clear sounds with their iPad. It features all sorts of advanced options for changing the sounds or...
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...
Sensory Activities, Visual Impairment
Activity Bank: Sensory Activities for Kids who are Blind
Find sensory activities that have been adapted to meet the needs of students who are blind or visually impaired.
Holiday Crafts and Ideas, Visual Impairment
How to Help Your Blind Child Survive (and maybe even enjoy) Christmas
A holiday survival guide for parents of children with sensory impairments.
Toys
Whack-a-Mole Tower
Find out about this whack-a-mole game that develops hand-eye coordination in kids with low vision. It's fun and there are lots of blinking lights and ringing bells for encouragement!