Meet Charlie
Maggie grew up in the Yampa Valley and has never left. Locals call it the “Yampa Valley Curse.” Maggie met her husband Devin when they were working at Steamboat ski resort. He was in the ticket office, and she was a ski instructor. She showed him a pair of skis she spray painted with the Colorado flag. They’ve been together ever since, sharing a love for the outdoors in their mountain community.

When their second child Charlie caught parechovirus meningitis at nine days old and sustained brain damage, everything changed. “We left Charlie’s survival in her hands. Whatever happened we were going to do what we needed to support Charlie,” explains Maggie.

When Charlie came home from the NICU, Maggie noticed she wasn’t tracking objects with her vision and was diagnosed with cortical visual impairment. Right away, they began working with their teacher from A Shared Vision. “She has provided me with so many great resources, tools, and advice. I like that we work on building Charlie’s strengths and how we can do activities that include her four-year-old brother William,” explains Maggie.

Like her parents, Charlie enjoys being outside. “I think it is very important for Charlie to experience what we enjoy doing,” explains Maggie. Wearing climbing skins on her skis, Maggie likes to hike up the mountain with Charlie in a backpack and Nellie, their dog. When the dog runs ahead, Maggie calls Nellie to come back and Charlie yells or giggles, too. When the family rides the gondola together, they talk about how they’re going up the mountain, the air is cool, and their skis make a clicking sound as they ski down. When they’re throwing snowballs in the river, Charlie likes the soothing sound of the water, and her body relaxes.

While not every family who has a child with a visual impairment can experience the outdoors like the Skrables can, Maggie believes it’s important to “focus on the beauty the world has to offer, not the ugly. Give yourself some grace. You are also learning how to navigate this new world as much as your child is.” And with her teacher from A Shared Vision as her guide, the journey is a little easier.
Make a Lucky Shamrock
Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with this easy tactile craft idea from Paths to Literacy. All you need is green pom poms (you can use different sizes), glue, and an 8 ½ x 11- inch sheet of paper or cardstock. 

First, draw the outline of a shamrock on a sheet of paper or cardstock in black marker. You can find a template for shamrocks HERE. Then, squeeze some glue on the shamrock.

Let your child pick up each pom pom and place it on the shamrock. Use hand under hand if your child is reluctant to get started. As you work on filling the outline with the pom poms, use action verbs to talk about how you’re squeezing the glue bottle, picking up each pom pom, and placing it on the template. Talk about the pom poms’ color and soft texture. What else is green in your home or outside your window? You can even count the number of pom poms you glue on your shamrock and which leaf has the most.
Spotlight on Samantha Thuis
Samantha Thuis joined A Shared Vision as an Early Intervention Teacher of the Visually Impaired in 2023. She also serves as a Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments and an Orientation & Mobility Specialist in the St. Vrain Valley School District. She currently supports A Shared Vision families in Fort Collins and other parts of Colorado.

Little ones are her favorite age to work with because she’s a child at heart, too. “I love to be playful, curious, and silly just like they do. I also love that I’m able to work closely with parents and family members because we get into some wonderful conversations. I learn so much!” You can read more about Samantha HERE.
We're Going on an Egg Hunt!
Songs, rhymes, or finger games can make everyday experiences more fun and accessible for a child who is visually impaired. For an Easter activity, we adapted the song “Going on a Bear Hunt” to “Going on an Egg Hunt” and added motions and lyrics.

It doesn’t matter if your child is ambulatory or non-ambulatory, verbal or non-verbal. Your child will learn to understand that items and people still exist even when you can't see or hear them, anticipate what happens next during the activity, be introduced to orientation and mobility concepts, and even practice a calming breathing technique when the “egg hunt” becomes too exciting! Try this Learning Experience HERE.

What We Love in March
TOMY Toomies Hide & Squeak Easter Eggs are the perfect addition to your child's Easter basket. The six eggs crack open to reveal colorful chicks that chirp when you press down on their heads. Your child can also practice sorting as they remove each egg from the box and put it back into its matching base. Available HERE.

Check Out Our Updated Website!
Are you looking for a craft idea, a sensory bin, or a recipe to make with your child? Do you remember how to use wait time and hand under hand in your interactions with your child? How do you prepare for your first visit with the pediatric ophthalmologist? Answers to these questions and more are on our WEBSITE.

The Let’s Play section, Sensory Recipes, and Learning Experiences go straight to user-friendly web pages when you click on an activity you’re interested in. You can download and print the activities, too. If you are just beginning your journey with a child who is blind, visually impaired, or deaf-blind, click HERE for 10 recommendations on taking your first steps.
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 visually impaired so that all children may discover their brightest future.
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