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Recreation Resources

Resources compiled by Carmen Willings
teachingvisuallyimpaired.com
Updated June 27, 2022

Individuals who are blind or visually impaired will typically need instructional and material adaptations to access recreational activities. Adaptive equipment can allow students who are blind or visually impaired to participate in recreational activities.

Sources for Adapted Equipment Resources

Abilitations Integrations Catalog (School Specialty) sells products for people with sensory processing disorders, learning differences, attention and focus issues, behavioral concerns, and autistic spectrum disorder.
Buddy Bike manufactures and distributes an alternative tandem bicycle for cyclists with special needs.
Concept 2 manufactures rowing machines with accessible controls.
Flaghouse is a supplier that offers resources for physical activity, recreation, education and special needs. Adapted Physical Education materials include beeper balls, a beeper baseball kit, beeper box set.
Glow Products sells a variety of glow and light-up products, including light-up or glow-in-the-dark soccer balls, baseballs, golf balls, and Frisbees.
Gopher sells products for fitness, athletics, recreation, physical education, and health, including high-contrast activity balls and hoops; colored volleyballs, nets, headbands, mats, medicine balls, scooter boards, pinnies, jump ropes, and bean bags; parachutes; blindfolds; high-contrast cones and markers; and gym floor tape.
Independent Living Aids sells products for individuals who are visually impaired or blind, including sports and recreation balls with beepers, colors, or bells; sound-emitting locator devices; goal balls; and regulation soccer balls with bells.
Maxi-Aids sells products for people with visual, hearing, and mobility disabilities. Sells high-contrast balls and balls with beepers and bells.
Rousettus LLC manufactures and distributes a yoga mat with tactile markings for people who are visually impaired.
Targe Innovations develops and distributes equipment for goalball and rugby and for Paralympic athletes, including goalballs, goalball pads, visors, and rugby training balls.

P.E. Equipment

30-Love Tennis Kit
This kit, available from APH, provides students who are blind or visually impaired access to game of tennis. The kit includes 2 blindfolds, 2 rackets, a set of 6 sound-adapted tennis balls along with a guidebook.

Adaptap
Adaptap is a lane navigation system for swimmers with visual impairments and blindness. It is a plasic saddle that is clamped to a swimming pool anti wave line. It enables them to swim faster, straighter, and more confidently.

APH Sound Balls
This two-tone sound ball from APH is designed to accommodate individuals who wear hearing aids and who may have difficulty hearing higher pitched sounds. It helps students with visual impairments to throw, catch, and kick a ball when they are young in order to participate in sports when they get older.

Beeping Soccer Ball
This beeping soccer ball is available commercially. The ball provides audio guide during play and has a built in on and off switch.

Beeping Basketball
This beeping basketball is available commercially. The basketball comes with double bells inside, and a directional beeper.

DuraBeep Ball
This ball, developed by Sporttime, is a battery operated ball that is commercially available for purchase. The ball provides audio guide during play and has a built in on and off switch.

Beeper Box
Create your own beeper balls for a fraction of the price using the Beeper Box that is available from Amazon or directly from the braillebookstore.com!

Jump Rope to Fitness Kit
This kit, available from APH, provides individuals with visual impairments the tools to jump rope independently, learn specific skills, and set goals. It includes three different styles of jump ropes and a mat for shock absorption that defines a safe space in which to jump.

Portable Sound Source, Sport Edition
This portable sound source from APH allows teachers to create audio tones that provide directional cues for orientation and mobility, sound localization training, or for playground games and sports. Portable Sound Source, Sound Localization Guidebook: Activities for Developing Sound Localization Skills is included with the portable sound source. It provides teachers of young learners who are visually impaired with specific activities that may be used to develop sound localization skills. Group games are presented to practice those skills.

Static Band
Static Band is equipment for the treadmill and whether you walk or run this activity is a great way to exercise, improve health and allow your body to perform natural body functions. Static Band is helpful because many people have stability issues that discourage them from training or brings along anxiety. With Static Band individuals will feel secured and safer taking the edge off mentally creating a calmer atmosphere to exercise. It improves balance and being a core supporting band it helps provoke better posture. Static Band equipment hopes to make exercising more accessible and comfortable.

Walk-Run for Fitness Kit
This Kit,available from APH, includes a personal guidewire system that can be set up in a backyard, school, or park. If running or walking with a human guide, you can use the kits adjustable tether, which is long enough to accommodate wheelchair users.

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