Interactive Object Boards

by Carmen Willings
teachingvisuallyimpaired.com
Updated June 18, 2025
Interactive object boards are powerful tools for promoting fine motor development, tactile exploration, concept acquisition, and independent engagement, especially for students with visual impairments and additional disabilities. When designed thoughtfully, these boards support active learning, functional skill-building, and curriculum integration in accessible, student-centered ways.

Design and Setup

A successful object board starts with a stable, adaptable base and accessible positioning. Consider the following:
  • Pegboard or Adaptable Mounting Surface
    Use a pegboard, foam board, or a sturdy plastic base with holes, Velcro, or hooks for attaching items. Choose materials that are safe, durable, and easy to clean.
  • Adjustable Positioning
    For students learning to reach or engage with their environment, position the board closer to their body at first. As reaching and exploration improve, gradually increase the distance to promote motor planning and arm extension.
  • Wheelchair or Stander Integration
    Secure the board to wheelchair trays, stander trays, or tabletops using Velcro strips, adjustable clamps, or elastic ties. This allows for consistent access throughout the day, whether during therapy, instruction, or play.

Selecting Materials for Interaction

Use a variety of safe, sensory-rich items that offer differentiated input to engage multiple senses and motor functions.
Key Features of Effective Materials:
  • Tactile feedback: Include items with textures such as soft, rough, bumpy, squishy, or slick.
  • Auditory feedback: Choose objects that make sound when tapped, shaken, or squeezed—such as bells, maracas, or crinkly fabric.
  • Functional manipulation: Use items that promote grasping, pulling, pushing, twisting, or releasing.
Sample Objects:
  • Textured balls
  • Loofahs or sponges
  • Chains of beads or buttons
  • Velcro blocks
  • Clothespins
  • Zippers, snaps, toggles
  • Rubber kitchen tools
  • Mini musical instruments

Reducing Visual Clutter

Some students—particularly those with low vision or cortical visual impairment (CVI)—benefit from simplified visual environments.
  • Attach fewer objects at a time to reduce distraction
  • Use high-contrast color schemes (e.g., red on black, yellow on blue)
  • Consider plain backdrops or use a black mat behind the board for better contrast
  • Position boards in well-lit areas and reduce glare when possible

Encouraging Tactile Engagement

Promote exploration through gentle guidance and consistency:
  • Use hand-under-hand techniques to introduce objects and model interactions
  • Allow the student to explore at their own pace without rushing or overwhelming them
  • Observe and document preferences and aversions, then tailor future materials accordingly
  • Celebrate all forms of interaction—whether reaching, touching, swiping, or grasping—as progress

Thematic and Curriculum Integration

Align object board materials with instructional themes or expanded core curriculum (ECC) goals:
  • Thematic Boards: Rotate materials based on units such as seasons, bathroom objects, or kitchen tools.
  • Concepts and Vocabulary: Use paired objects to teach opposites (soft/hard), textures, shapes, sizes, or functions (e.g., tools for eating, cleaning, or grooming).
  • Literacy Support: Reinforce story elements or characters from a book through object representation.
  • ECC Tie-Ins: Promote independence, sensory efficiency, and orientation through targeted object interaction.

​Tips for Long-Term Use

  • Rotate items to maintain novelty and expand exposure
  • Sanitize regularly using soap and water or appropriate disinfectants
  • Store materials in labeled bins or baskets for easy setup and cleanup
  • Label with braille, large print, or tactile symbols to support literacy

Final Thoughts

  • Interactive object boards create rich, multisensory learning experiences that support exploration, independence, and growth. For students with visual and multiple disabilities, these boards offer an accessible way to connect with their environment, build essential skills, and express curiosity—one touch at a time.

ECC Instruction

Teaching Strategies
Compensatory
Concept Development
Alternative Communication
Emergent Literacy
Beginning Braille​
Braille Code
Braille Fluency & Comprehension
Braillewriter
​​Slate & Stylus
​​Tactile Graphics
​Nemeth Code
Access Classes
​Abacus 
​Organize​
​Study Skills
​Time Management
​​​​Listening Skills
Sensory Efficiency
Support Sensory Needs
​Auditory Efficiency Visual Efficiency Skills ​​Optical Device Use
Tactile Readiness
Assistive Technology
Social Skills
​Non-Verbal Skills​​​​ ​Communicate Cooperative Identity ​Interactions
Self Determination
independent living
Personal Care
Hygiene & Grooming
Personal Health
Eating & Table Manners
Household Skills
Shopping & Consumerism
Clothing Management
Telephone
 Food Preparation
Money & Budget
Services
​Safety
Orientation & Mobility
Recreation & Leisure
Career & Vocational