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In addition to the core curriculum subjects they’ll learn in a school-based program, your child will be taught the Expanded Core Curriculum, a set of vision-related skills that will help them live and work independently someday. The ECC helps build the foundation of skills that sighted children learn by observing the world around them or by imitating others.

With guidance from your Early Intervention Teacher of the Visually Impaired, you can help your child start building these skills now.

We love the “Recreation and Leisure” domain because it’s related to what people do in their free time – playing sports and games, enjoying the outdoors, or learning a new hobby.

Even very young children can start building these skills with simple sensory experiences like walking barefoot in the grass, scooping sand into a bucket, or singing songs.

HERE are our 10 favorite sensory activities that involve recreation and leisure during the summer.

Children's Choice

Self-determination is another domain in the Expanded Core Curriculum. For a very young child with blindness or low vision, self-determination starts with making choices. "Do you want the red cup or the blue cup?" "Do you want to play with the sensory bin or read a book together?" Your child needs to make intentional choices rather than you making all their choices for them. The environment should be adapted to support their choice-making opportunities. Your child can choose using their strengths -- reaching, touching, vocalizing, moving, and looking. The parent learns to read the unique cues from their child. This is a way for a little one to let the parent know what they like and a way for the parent to let them know that they are heard.

How do you practice these communication skills with your child? They’re easy to incorporate into every routine. Try some of our choice-making and communication tips with this Learning Experience HERE.

Our Rainbow Smoothie is a healthy snack for children with blindness or low vision because it's full of fruit and vegetables. The smooth texture appeals to fussy eaters. It can be sucked or sipped. You can dab a little on your child's tray so they can experience it with all their senses. Whip up this sensory recipe HERE.

Check out our WEBSITE for more Sensory Recipes you can make this summer!

For six years in a row, the James Hynd Trust for the Blind has supported our mission of empowering families to nurture the development of their very young children who are blind or have low vision. This year, they awarded A Shared Vision their largest gift of $50,000, which will help support our Early Intervention Vision Services, Family Support, and Education programs.

With the James Hynd Trust’s continuous generosity, A Shared Vision has grown to become the leading provider of early intervention vision services in Colorado, supporting 57 counties, representing approximately 82% of the state’s birth-to-three population. In 2025 alone, A Shared Vision served 182 children and delivered 1,585 visits in families’ homes or in their communities. We are so grateful for the James Hynd Trust’s support!

Helen Keller's birthplace illustrated in an antique postcard

A Shared Vision is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and the leading provider of in-home and community early intervention vision services in Colorado. We inspire and empower families to nurture the development of their very young children who are blind or have low vision so that all children may discover their brightest future.