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Finding Appropriate Toys for a Child With Vision Loss
By Kim S. Blakely, PhD, Mary Ann Lang, PhD, Barbara Kushner Sosna, MA, SDA
A child with impaired vision is a child first and enjoys many of the same toys and experiences that appeal to children with normal vision. It is, however, important to know what qualities in a toy might appeal to a child with impaired vision. All toys should be evaluated for safety based on the child's age and the qualities of the toy.
It is important to note that the age level stated on the toy box does not necessarily make that toy appropriate for your child. These labels are often used to warn parents about the safety of the toy for children at specific ages. In addition, keep in mind that developmental skills may be delayed for some children with impaired vision. An inappropriate developmental match may create a frustrating experience for the child.
Well designed toys have qualities that are irresistible to adults and children alike. They can be designed to bring pleasure, to stimulate imagination, and to teach through novelty or complexity. Consequently, for the infant, toddler, and young child, they serve a very important function. As a child matures, toys offer opportunities to learn new skills, understand the environment, and support self-expression. As a child moves into a more social phase of development, toys become tools for initiating and engaging in social interactions.
Toys should be chosen for children who are blind or visually impaired based on their functional use, physical attributes, degree of realism, and safety (Renninger, 1984). For example, for an older child, a ball can function as something to throw, bounce, and catch. For a younger child, a colorful, soft, textured ball is more likely to function as something to be mouthed, squeezed, or rolled around.
A toy's visual attributes may or may not be attractive to children with impaired vision. Other qualities to be considered: Does the ball make a sound when it rolls or bounces? What is its texture? Are the balls in a set of contrasting colors? Do they have a unique smell which might help a child discriminate between different balls? Children with impaired vision must learn to utilize all their senses to gather information about their surroundings.
Toys can stimulate a range of interactions that help children learn new ways to engage with the physical environment. For example, toys that can be squeezed, bounced, pushed, pulled, shaken, rubbed, twisted, molded, etc. (Uzgiris, 1967) support a young child's developing sense of self-confidence and mastery, and enhance understanding of the meaning of objects.
Facilitating the Enjoyment of Play
Play activities can enhance a child's social, physical, and conceptual development. The primary objective of toy play, however, is fun and entertainment. Skills and developmental milestones will be acquired along the way. The following pointers can guide adults in assisting children to enjoy themselves while playing.
- Provide an Accessible, Organized Setting
Placing selected toys consistently in an accessible place enables a child to develop an understanding of his or her environment and to make independent choices. Tactile markers on storage areas and containers also provide useful information.
- Allow and Encourage Spontaneous Experimentation
Don't be upset if a child with impaired vision uses a toy in an unusual way. He or she may continually repeat actions or manipulate the toy in many positions to explore its various qualities. Play is about experimentation and every child loves to explore new materials in novel ways. At some point, you may demonstrate how the toy is traditionally used, but permit the child some freedom to express his or her own techniques for learning about the world of objects.
- Demonstrate Techniques for Play to Other Family Members
Demonstrate the various techniques for playing with toys to siblings, so that they feel comfortable interacting with their brother or sister with a vision impairment. Play can be a pleasurable experience for the entire family.
- Tune in to Your Child's Responses
If an infant, toddler, or young child does not like a toy or activity, cease playing with it and find another toy. Initially, infants and toddlers with vision loss may be suspicious of toys or novel objects and sometimes need time to warm up (Chase, 1992). A new object may be perceived as especially frightening without the use of vision to provide vital information.
- Talk as You Play Together
While playing, talk to your child about what is happening and the surroundings. Describe the color, texture, and scent of the toys, as well as what the toys can do. Be sure to use consistent terms for describing objects or places within the infant's or toddler's environment (Ferrell, 1986).
- Create an Environment That Supports the Use of Vision
Is the lighting adequate? It might be too light or too dark. Has glare been reduced? Is there contrast between toys and the background environment?
Placing a colorful toy against contrasting background helps a child distinguish the shape and form of the object (Forrest & Fitzgerald).
- Find the Best Viewing Point
Each child has a unique working distance or position that provides the best view of the material. In a playful way, present objects at different distances and positions to discover how he or she responds. Then use this information to stimulate visual attention by presenting other toys.
- Provide Positive Feedback
Use hugs, pats, kisses, cuddling, and verbal praise to reward the infant, toddler, or child for any effort made to interact with a toy (Raynor & Drouillard, 1975).
- Vary Play Positions
Provide an infant or toddler with opportunities to play in a number of positions, e.g., sitting with support, sitting in a high chair, resting on his or her stomach, positioned on your lap, etc. (O'Mara, 1989).
- Provide Time Alone to Play
It is not necessary to play with your child constantly. Children learn to play in a variety of ways. Sometimes they learn to play by being alone or by watching others. Children also need quiet time as well as active/play time (Getman & Streff, 1959).
- Limit the Selection
Do not overwhelm a child with a wide selection of toys. Present each toy individually. If the child does not respond, guide the child into manipulating it in a variety of ways so that all its sensory qualities are explored. Gradually decrease guidance as the child begins to play independently.
Books Are Also Toys
It is vital to remember the importance of books for children of every age. They provide information and help to promote vision skills, language development, and listening skills. With infants, for example, the first goal in using a book might be to encourage them to focus on an image.
Touch-and-feel books for toddlers and older children encourage them to explore different textures. Pop-up books or books with pictures that children can move motivate the infant, toddler, or young child to talk and interact with the story line. Books with large pictures that can be clearly distinguished can be used for children with low vision. Touch, feel, and sniff books with braille and standard print on the same page allow the young child to follow the braille as the story is read by the adult.
Describe the pictures in the book you read and then, if possible, show the child the items in the house or around the neighborhood that the pictures depict. Some parents have found it useful to have an object basket to accompany favorite stories. They accumulate objects that will be mentioned in the story and keep them together in a basket or box so that they can be handled during the reading or telling of the story. Just as children who can see often learn to tell a story by looking at pictures, children with impaired vision can use the props in a story basket to retell a favorite story.
For an older child, a book about animals can be complemented by a trip to the zoo or a petting farm. The child who has the opportunity to pet an animal can also be encouraged to touch and name its various body parts, e.g., the nose, the paws, the coat, the trunk of the body, the tail, etc. Children with impaired vision need opportunities to learn the shapes and configurations of objects, animals, and people.
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