Learn to Play

By: Carmen Willings
teachingvisuallyimpaired.com
​Updated October 30, 2017

Many students with visual impairments will need to be taught how to interact and participate in activities. You may have to teach the student how to explore toys & materials. As stated in Guiding Principles, students who are blind or visually impaired need many opportunities to play with real objects. That doesn't mean that you will not want to provide the student with toys. In selecting toys, you do need to choose toys that meet the students learning needs. If the student has low vision and is distracted by visual clutter, you will want to select toys that are simple and have bold colors. If the student will only visually attend to a certain characteristic (red, or metallic), obviously you should look for toys with these features. For a student with minimal or no vision, you will want to look for toys that are tactually interesting. As you explore toys in the toy aisles, close your eyes and feel the toys. Does it just feel like a lump of hard plastic or does it have tactually interesting features that will encourage exploration and interest?

Exploring Toys

​Introduce new materials and activities intentionally and provide the student with plenty of time to explore them. When you present materials to the student, provide the student with a verbal prompt and understand that you may need to guide the student’s hand to explore the toys. Show the student how to explore the details of materials and objects. Provide the names of the objects he is exploring and a description of what it is used for.

Although random exploration provides lots of information for the student, intentional teaching can help the student learn scanning skills to look for and piece together features. It helps to sit behind the student and help guide their hands in a systematic search pattern. Show the student that you are paying attention to the activity that he is engaged in by talking about it, or helping him visually and/or tactually explore it (but not taking over). Be sure to monitor your talking and verbal descriptions as talking can distract the student and interrupt their exploration and visual attention toward materials.

Playing Alongside or Cooperatively

Students may need extra time to familiarize themselves with other student’s style of playing.  The quick, unpredictable movements of other students can be disorienting, perhaps even frightening at times for students. It takes time for some students to gain the skills and the confidence they need to enjoy playing with other students.

Toy Companies...

The following companies publish catalogs of toys, many of which are appropriate for use with infants and young children who are blind or have low vision. In some cases, you will be able to discover comparable toys in a local discount store at significant savings.
  • ​​Abilitations provides equipment for development and restoration of physical and cognitive abilities through movement.
  • ​Able Net is an international company that provides educational and technical solutions to help children and adults with disabilities lead productive and fulfilled lives.
  • Discount School Supplies provides a collection of therapy, exercise, and special education products for children with special needs.
  • ​American Federation for the Blind's Family Connect site that lists toys that are appropriate for children with visual impairments. Toys are marked in categories of being appropriate for low vision, blind and multiple impairments. A brief description of the toy is included along with the area of development the toy stimulates.
  • ​Beyond Play offers an extensive selection of products for young children of all abilities - from infants through elementary grades.
  • ​Brio specializes in high-quality, brightly colored wooden toys.
  • ​Constructive Playthings specializes in teachers supplies, classroom materials, learning toys, playground equipment and more. 
  • ​Discovery Toys offers products sold by local educational consultants.
  • ​Dragonfly Toys offers products for children with special needs.
  • ​Enabling Devices sells adapted tools, toys, and devices for children and adults with disabilities.
  • ​The Equipment Shop sells special tools and toys for children with special needs.
  • Exceptional Teaching Aids provides innovative products for individuals of all ages having special needs as well as all those who serve this population. They carry the Mangold Dev. Programs for learning braille and math, raised line coloring books, braille blocks, world maps, and other items.
  • ​Flaghouse's Special Populations catalog carries products for education and rehabilitation.
  • ​Hasbro Playskool sells toys and materials for infants and young children.
  • ​Kaplan Toys provides exciting and fun educational toys that focus on helping children develop.
  • ​Kaye Products, Inc. is a mail-order catalog features selected toys and products for children with disabilities.
  • ​Lakeshore Learning Materials catalog features learning materials and furniture for the preschool and early learning classroom.
  • ​The Learning Resources catalog contains materials for kindergarten, primary grades, and special education.
  • ​S&S Worldwide offers Therapy and Rehab supplies in addition to educational supplies.
  • ​An international company TFH carries toys, adapted equipment and sensory stimulation materials for special needs.
  • ​Toys to Grow On sells toys with bright primary colors are in this mail order catalog.
  • ​US Toys - Constructive Playthings sells many toys but not specifically designed for students with special needs.

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