Four Activities for People with Visual Impairments
Board Games
To facilitate board games for individuals with visual impairments, reading the directions aloud would be a great way to start. Also having them all sit around the game and face each other will provide equal opportunity for all players. After all is set, the facilitator would assist anyone if/when needed.
Equipment: The board game(s), the game pieces involved, Velcro pieces, scissors, hot glue gun, Braille labels/lettering.
Possible Adaptations to Activity for Variability: Labeling cards, words on the board, or directions with Braille. Using a hot glue gun to create a textural pattern on the game board to create a sense of direction that can be felt. Fixing Velcro pieces to the bottom of game pieces to keep them in place more easily. Mark dice with hot glue dots. Tape record the instructions.
Potential Benefits for Clients with Vision Impairments: Board games are a great tool for social interaction for any aged individual. For children, these types of games teach a wide range of cognitive, physical, and social skills such as memory, sharing, effective communication, or fine motor skills.
Special Considerations/Problems Related to Special Needs of People with Vision Impairments: If pieces of the game were dropped, or dice roll off the table, people with visual impairments may need assistance relocating them.
*Adapted games such as Scrabble, Bingo, Tic-Tac-Toe, Checkers and large print and Braille playing cards are also available through distributors listed at the bottom of the link page.
Archaeology Sand Digging
The facilitator of this activity would provide a sand pit area and burry different objects/artifacts for children to find and dig up. Objects could include anything, ranging in size of a gulf ball to the size of a baseball. Some ideas: spoons, rocks, pottery, bottles, etc…
Equipment: Sand and the hidden objects.
Possible Adaptations to Activity for Variability: Time the children and make a contest to see who can find the most objects before the time is out. (Best to play many times then for multiple chances for winning)
Potential Benefits for Clients with Vision Impairments: This could help children with visual impairments with object identification, gross and fine motor skills, and offers adventure and mystery for fun.
Special Considerations/Problems Related to Special Needs of People with Vision Impairments:
Easter Egg Hunt
Facilitating an Easter egg hunt for children with visual impairments includes hiding the eggs in a chosen environment (inside or outside) and letting the children find them. While they search, the facilitator would monitor and assist any children who needed help.
Equipment: Easter baskets, plastic eggs, beeping devices to put in eggs, candy and prizes to trade the children for their found eggs.
Possible Adaptations to Activity for Variability: Using hot glue to create designs on the eggs as they are traditionally designed with lines, dots, and patterns.
Potential Benefits for Clients with Vision Impairments: Inclusion in society. Most sighted children go on Easter egg hunts each year and inevitably children with vision impairments hear of the bunny and his hidden eggs. By adapting the hunt in using hearing aids, it provides all children, sighted or not, with equal opportunities.
Special Considerations/Problems Related to Special Needs of People with Vision Impairments: With many children running around all in search for the same items, it would be beneficial to simply keep a close watch on all of the children to ensure there is no one falling, getting hurt, or fighting.
Simon Says
All participants stand and one is chosen as the leader. The leader (Simon) begins by saying “Simon says…” and then provides instructions for the others to move their body in a certain position. If the leader gives a command without saying “Simon says…” the others do not respond to the given command. If they do respond and move to the instructed position, they are out for the round.
Equipment: None
Possible Adaptations to Activity for Variability: Instead of giving commands for physical movements, which the leader won’t be able to see if they’re followed or not, they could give commands for verbal responses. E.g. “Simon says yell ‘hello’.”
Potential Benefits for Clients with Vision Impairments: This activity provides much opportunity for improving listening skills as well as following directions.
