Visual Impairment

Information, support, and resources for families raising children who are blind or visually impaired, with or without additional disabilities.

fun fall activities

Holiday Crafts and Ideas, Tactile Arts and Crafts, Visual Impairment

Fall Sensory Art Projects for Visually Impaired Kids

Choose from five wonderfully crafty art projects adapted for blind children that celebrate fall! Make prints and wreaths with apples and leaves, create your own tree, or decorate pumpkins!

A group of four yellow labs

Orientation and Mobility, Visual Impairment

Guide Dogs of America

Guide Dogs of America is dedicated to its mission to provide guide dogs and instruction in their use, free of charge, to blind and visually impaired men and women

smiley face sandwich in a lunch box

Cooking and Kitchen Play, Visual Impairment

Making Lunch Time More Fun for Blind Kids

We've rounded up some tips and fun ideas to help you plan ahead to make your child's lunch quick to assemble, plus fun and healthy too!

little girl sticking out her tongue

Support, Visual Impairment

What I Will Say the Next Time Someone Asks an Insensitive Question About My Deafblind Daughter

"What's wrong with her eyes?" Do people ask you questions about your blind child? What do you say?

Chasing the sock thief cover art

Braille and Literacy, Visual Impairment

BlindArt Creative Tactile Books for Blind Preschoolers

BlindArt plans to develop a series of four tactile picture books for preschool children which follow the adventures of two silly characters.

Savannah

Eye Conditions and Syndromes, Visual Impairment

Pediatric Cortical Visual Impairment Society (PCVIS)

The mission of the Pediatric Cortical Visual Impairment Society is to advocate for improvement in the quality of life of children with vision loss due to brain disorder, disease or...

speaker silhouette background with title

Advocacy, Visual Impairment

5 TED Talks by Presenters Who Are Blind

Here are five TED Talks given by presenters who are blind. Not only are they entertaining and educational, each speech is perfectly balanced with the right amount of seriousness and...

Dory, Destiny and Bailey from Finding Dory

Visual Impairment

What You Might Not Know About Destiny the Whale Shark in Finding Dory (HINT: Maybe she needs a white cane?)

There's been a lot of talk about how Dory's disability is represented in Finding Dory, but not so much buzz about the visually impaired whale shark character, Destiny. Let's change...

a family in a row boat

Visual Impairment

15+ Summer Camps for Blind Kids

There are many annual summer camps your blind or visually impaired child or teenager can attend. We found 15 camps for braille, sports, independence, leadership and more!

child playing with EDA PLAY TOBY iPad app

iPad Apps and Accessibility, Visual Impairment

EDA PLAY TOBY: Visual Training iPad App for Visually Impaired Kids

EDA PLAY TOBY is a free iPad app that can help visually impaired kids learn to use the vision they have. It's a great app for kids with CVI!

rolling the ball by the goal

Play, Visual Impairment

Everything You Need to Know About Goalball for Visually Impaired Athletes

Goalball is a fast-paced and active physical sport that does not require vision to play. It's a fun recreation for children who are blind.

the blind cook

Feeding and Eating, Visual Impairment

The Blind Cook is Cooking with Her Four Senses

This video series features blind chef Christine Ha as she demonstrates cooking without sight. The show also offers nutritional tips and other cool food-related information.

blind student walking at school

Orientation and Mobility, Visual Impairment

Hand Use While Walking: Helping Your Child Who is Blind Understand His Home

Certified Orientation and Mobility instructor Susan Shier Lowry gives tips on how to encourage young blind children to reach out and touch while walking through familiar environments. Trailing techniques are...

Reach Out and Teach

Visual Impairment

Reach Out and Teach: Helping Your Child Who is Visually Impaired Learn and Grow

The empowering guide that teaches parents how to promote the development of young children with visual and multiple impairments.

the Ballyland characters

iPad Apps and Accessibility, Visual Impairment

Sonokids Software and Apps for Kids who are Visually Impaired

Sonokids is an Australian software company that creates accessible computer and app games for kids who are visually impaired.

Eric using an anticipator

Orientation and Mobility, Visual Impairment

Anticipators for Young Children with Visual Impairments: Push Toys, Pre-Canes and Long Canes

Early Orientation and Mobility skills for blind children can be taught with pre-canes or push toys. Learn how to choose the best tools and when to introduce them.

Lachlan using brailler

Support, Visual Impairment

Surviving the First 18 Months After Learning Your Child is Blind

Learning your baby is blind is hard... but you will move on! Janine says, "Life was continuing and I started to realize how strong we were becoming. The tears were...

A student with her iPad

iPad Apps and Accessibility, Visual Impairment

5 Ways to Teach Your Blind Child How to Use an iPad

Tips to help you and your child who is visually impaired learn the basics of how the iPad works and how to use all the accessibility features it has to...

Ivan and family at first day of preschool

IEPs, Visual Impairment

IEP’s for Parents of Blind or Visually Impaired Children

Learn the basics of creating an IEP for a child with a visual impairment so you can walk in to your IEP meeting perfectly prepared.

A young woman with red hair hugging her guide dog, a yellow lab

Visual Impairment

Looking Good and Feeling Good When You’re Visually Impaired

Fashion blogger Emily Davison discusses teaching kids with visual impairment about appearance, self-esteem and social acceptance.

Ballyland Magic app

iPad Apps and Accessibility, Visual Impairment

Ballyland Magic App: Introducing iPad Accessibility to Children Who are Blind or Visually Impaired

Ballyland Magic app introduces visually impaired and blind kids to iPad accessibility features like VoiceOver through a fun game. The game is entertaining so they don't even realize they are...

child's hand finger painting

Sensory Activities, Toys, Visual Impairment

The Best Sensory Play Toys for Visually Impaired Kids

We've collected the best sensory toys for blind kids! Find tactile toys, sound toys, scented toys, tasty toys, light toys and vestibular toys.

love is blind

Visual Impairment

25 Things Only a Mother of a Child who is Visually Impaired Would Understand

Becoming a parent to any child is magical in its own right, but here is a list of observations about things only a mother of a child who is visually...

Holly with her kids

Advocacy, Visual Impairment

Sometimes I just don’t feel like “teaching” people about blindness

As members of the blindness community, we find ourselves with the opportunity to teach others about blindness all the time. But do you ever want to just skip the teachable...