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10 Ways to Play with Water

Nothing is more refreshing than cooling off in a pool of water on a hot summer day. While very young children might not be jumping in the swimming pool quite yet, the concepts of water, bathing, and water play for infants and toddlers with blindness or low vision can still be introduced in a fun, accessible way. HERE are some ideas to help you cool off this summer with a “splish,splash” of water.

A very young child with blindness or low vision often holds their hands close to their body because they haven’t yet learned to reach out and explore their environment. A tactile tank top is a fun way to encourage tactile exploration because they don’t have to reach very far to find something interesting to touch. They’re wearing it on the tank top!

Learn how to make a tactile tank top HERE.

Tactile and auditory feedback is a winning combination when it comes to making story time more engaging for children with blindness or low vision. We love the Melissa & Doug Poke-a-Dot board books because when your child presses the raised buttons on every page they will hear a pop sound while learning colors, shapes, or first words.

More books and other gift ideas are featured in our website HERE.

People can say the darndest things. How do families prepare for rude or unwelcome comments from strangers about their child’s vision? What if an out-of-town relative or acquaintance says something insensitive like, “What’s wrong with your child’s vision?”

“I think this is a conversation we should be having with families more often,” says Paula Landry, an EI-TVI and founder of A Shared Vision. As teachers, “we spend so much time helping our families prepare for appointments and therapies, but many of the hardest moments happen unexpectedly and when parents have limited bandwidth because they’re busy tending to their child.”

Paula shared some advice after what she experienced raising her now 25-year-old daughter Maddie. And we also asked a few of A Shared Vision’s teachers for their tips. A little encouragement and pre-planning can go a long way to empower parents with the confidence to manage any situation. Learn more HERE.

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.