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October 15 is White Cane Safety Day, a national celebration of the achievements of people who are blind or have low vision and the important symbol of blindness and tool of independence, the white cane.

Before babies and toddlers who are blind or have low vision can use a cane, they need to learn about their environment and where they are in space as they start to move and explore.

A Shared Vision's teachers who are trained in orientation and mobility help a family learn to encourage a child’s purposeful movement, teach body awareness including body parts, introduce directional concepts, and help their child with an early mobility device such as a push toy or small cane.

A cane is an extension of your child’s arms. It allows your child to touch, tap, or scratch different surfaces in their environment and listen to the sounds they make. The cane also provides their hands with tactile and auditory feedback. This knowledge will help them navigate their school, the outdoors, and unfamiliar areas.

A cane should be introduced in your home before your child is even walking. That way, your child can explore the shape of the cane, make noise with it, or play games with it. Using a cane is fun! You can make a game out of tapping and scratching objects or surfaces in your home, describing the different sounds and textures, and guessing what the objects are.



When your child becomes more mobile, you and your EI-TVI/ orientation & mobility specialist can help your child practice traveling with the cane in your home. They will learn to recognize important landmarks, like the refrigerator, doors, or stairs. Your child can also practice using the cane at playgrounds, libraries, or other community spaces.

Read more about orientation and mobility in our Digital Library.

What We Love Now -- Pumpkins!

Fall is a great time to explore the textures, smells, tastes, sounds, and sights of the season! From apples to pumpkins, cooler air to crunchy fall leaves, getting out and having meaningful experiences outdoors is a wonderful way for your child to explore nature with their senses and develop important concepts.

We love pumpkins because they come in so many shapes and sizes! While it’s fun to visit a pumpkin patch, it’s even easier to explore a pumpkin in your own home with these ideas HERE.

For children who are blind or have low vision, their hands are their eyes. Hand under hand is an invitation from a caregiver to a child to explore and learn together. It is the most respectful way to engage because it provides a sense of safety while giving the child the control to choose whether or not to join the activity.

In hand under hand, the adult puts their hand under the child’s hand and gently guides the child through an activity such as touching a new object or using a tool like scooping with a spoon. The child chooses whether or not to participate by either keeping their hands on the adults’ or by pulling their hands away. EI-TVIs from A Shared Vision teach parents and caregivers this important strategy as well as many others you can read about HERE.

Making apple prints is an opportunity to practice this hand- under- hand strategy with your child and celebrate a classic fall fruit. Slice up the other half of your apple for snacking or dunking into your favorite dip. Try making some apple prints 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.